RA23/28 with KE70 steering column and rack and pinion

[Slidin23]

hmm interesting.... i had both colloms there and the ra60 one looked tooo hard to put in so i went with the ke70 one.... took about n hour to get it fitted...

[bigmat]

i wanted adj tilt so the pain and effort was worth it. there is a bit of mucking around and i think someone on here probably has pictures.

cheers mat

[RAd28]

Keen to see more details on the steering column mods. I'm in the process of converting across to the KE70 R&P, but haven't sourced a steering column yet. I'd like to keep it as close to stock as possible, the steering wheel is in the perfect spot already...

[twentyEight]

My steering wheel didn't shift position at all, but I used Celica column top half with Corolla column bottom half.

[stradlater]

Gents - I dont' have pictures yet, I will have some in a few weeks when I pull the kit down again.

SamQ - I'm glad yours ended well - I'm merely sharing the experience of mine.

What precisely do you want to know about my conversion - the guy who asked the question has pm'ed me and got the info he needed.

[RAd28]

My steering wheel didn't shift position at all, but I used Celica column top half with Corolla column bottom half.

Have you got details of this anywhere? I don't remember seeing anything on your rides thread when i was looking the other night...

[Major Clod]

For my column, I took the stock RA23 Column, and found a bearing that would fit down inside the column, with the ID of the bearing matching the bottom of the steering shaft where the KE70 column bearing runs.

Putting the bearing in was a fairly neat fit inside the column - knocked it in and put some locktite around the outside just incase - it doesn't feel like its going anywhere - saved welding the bottom of the KE70 column to the RA23 column.

Hasn't given me any trouble yet - and it isn't really that much different to the stock KE70 setup - except its a slightly smaller bearing. I used two bearings one after the other just to be sure, as there was plenty of room on the steering shaft.

[RAd28]

I don't suppose you have a part number for the bearing?

[Carlightsup]

For my column, I took the stock RA23 Column, and found a bearing that would fit down inside the column, with the ID of the bearing matching the bottom of the steering shaft where the KE70 column bearing runs.

Putting the bearing in was a fairly neat fit inside the column - knocked it in and put some locktite around the outside just incase - it doesn't feel like its going anywhere - saved welding the bottom of the KE70 column to the RA23 column.

Hasn't given me any trouble yet - and it isn't really that much different to the stock KE70 setup - except its a slightly smaller bearing. I used two bearings one after the other just to be sure, as there was plenty of room on the steering shaft.

I know this thead is pretty old, but i wonder if anyone has done this sucessfully and could tell me where they found the bearings or how they got around it? if possible id rather not cut/weld anything

[Sam_Q]

this is the best way:

- make a jig to hold your existing column on both ends

- pull it apart

- take a ke70 column apart

-split the shafts on both by drilling into the plastic things that hold them together and then hold one end in the vice and hit the other with a pin lunch + hammer

- chop about 100mm off the end of the RA column

- chop the bell end off the ke70 column and grind down till it slides over the first part of the mech on the RA

- slide the end of the ke shaft into the ra top shaft and fit in jig

- weld end of the bell on the ra column

[stradlater]

Carslightup: I did something very similar, though I didn't do the work.

The guy I used is in Melbourne and I can direct you his way for either the bearing or the whole kit if you want.

[Sam_Q]

well if all you want is something to slide into the end of the tube top adapt a bearing then no problem however then you need to attach a uni-joint to the end of the shaft.

[ando9111]

has anyone done the steering column conversion on and ra40 column? are they the same as ra28/23?

[ando9111]

also how have people corrected the 20mm track width change and the mounts for the lower control arms being 16mm higher than standard? Although all my work is on an ra40 which i have been told is no different to the ra23/28 front suspension setup. could this be where the problem is?

[timbosaurus]

well, 20mm wider LCA mounts = a tad more negative camber, which is probably a good thing for most people.

I haven't heard the details about the mounts ending up 16mm higher, this probably depends on what sort of bracketry you weld on the xmember ends. But that means you can lower your car half an inch further without an affect on the roll center.