TA22 + rack and pinion

[TA22 GT]

I see what you're saying but I think your logic is incorrect. If you shorten the rack you need to keep it centred, Correct me if I'm wrong, but what you will end up with is the exhaust side LCA mount having to be moved in and keeping the drivers side the same?
Remember that when you shorten the rack you need to ensure the pivot point is correctly set up in relation to the LCA mounting point.

[Ashh]

Nah with my method the rack is centered and the correct length for the stock ta22 LCA positions.
What I'm changing is the length of the rack housing (which decreases the amount the rack(and rack ends) can physically move side to side. I'm hoping to make up for that decrease in travel with the shorter steering arms.

[TA22 GT]

OK, just trying to get this in my head....So you shorten the rack by 80mm to suit the TA22 but then leave the KE70 housing stock? So you would go from around 145mm travel to about 105mm each way?
This would be a large turning circle. To your point if you shorten the steering arms it would help. But will there be issues because it will no longer be parallel to the LCA arm and it would be interesting if it changes the feel of the system...

Good to see you thinking outside of the box, I'm interested to hear how you go...

[WDE_BDY]

You would also need to look at moving the rack forward but you are getting into a lot of trial and error as to how it is going to handle. When making changes to a perfect steering system the relationships between different things (LCA length, steering arm length, rack position etc) is relatively straight forward but when starting with a very imperfect factory system with a limited optimal range you can get some really funny results.
Steering arm pic courtesy of Mark (AE25) and the Toycrazy site -


Callum

[Sam_Q]

Ashh: which knuckle do you have trouble clearing?

I have one set of brand new ae86 power steering arms left in my store, I could measure them for you?


For those who need a reminder:

- The difference between the lower control arm pivots is 32mm per side.

- There is no need to shorten the rack at all if the above pivots aren't moved.

- Taking a 32mm slice out of the LCA not only maked the anti-roll bar mount and the castor rod line up again it also restores the geometry in terms of camber, bump steer, steering arm alignment and everthing else.


In regard to myself I have not offered these conversions for quite some time but all my jigs are soon going to someone else who will continue my work. Unless it's not what the mods want I will post the details on here once done.

[trdee]

you should be fine to post that info up man

[Sam_Q]

I have measured it up, best I could do with a caliper is that it's between 113 to 114mm from the central hole to the steering arm hole. Does that help?

[WDE_BDY]

- Taking a 32mm slice out of the LCA not only maked the anti-roll bar mount and the castor rod line up again it also restores the geometry in terms of camber, bump steer, steering arm alignment and everthing else.

In regards to this comment, are you referring to it restoring the TA22 geometry to factory or the KE70 geometry? I don't see how LCA's a different length to the factory LCA's in a non perfect system can possibly replicate all of the above. For a start, shorter LCA's will give you more pronounced camber change throughout the suspension travel. With lower, stiffer spring and reduced suspension travel you can obviously minimise this (will probably need RCA's as well) but it shouldn't have the same geometry overall.

Callum

[Sam_Q]

You're right, I am oversimplifying things, due to the shorter arm there will be a great camber change during suspension travel as you mentioned, this should be trivial though.

Let me clarify: by keeping the LCA arm pivots where they are and the rack untouched from a AE or KE to then shorten the arms will bring things back to how they are in the car the where the crossmember came from with the exception of the above. What I was referring to is how the relationship between the positions of the steering ball joints, control arm pivots and the angles between these will all end up exactly as they should and have the same camber as prior to the conversion. Due to how easy this makes everything is why I strongly suggest people to do it this way instead of trying to mod the rack or putting the rack on the original crossmember.

My apologies to anyone who just got a headache from my phrasing and grammar of the above.

[trdee]

just saw this in another thread.... could this work? saab 900 apparently

[Ashh]

^ that could very well work! Assuming the housing/knuckle is spaced out far enough. A Saab 900 you say? Did we get those in Aus?

[greenmac80]

Yes we did get them. a convertable one i looked at has 3 turns lock to lock as well. Alot of german cars have this type of rack. Also Daewoo cielo and lanos have them too. power and non power version available.

still needs to be modded. but basically you can mimic the factory pivot points.
newMANrack.jpg

like so.

[stidnam]

They are also from Camira's. I picked one up a few years back and test fitted it and it will work but obviously custom mounting brackets are needed. I was going to use the beam style for the tie rod ends as below but found that it was damn close to the factory cross member and would need to be spaced back a bit.

[greenmac80]

Thats it!!^^^

[trdee]

so would this not be the best solution for getting something which matches the factory TA22 width/geometry etc?