@Donny Dotson posted:I went ahead and shimmed the rack per Steve's advice. I asked him about putting hiem joints up front and he said, "YOU'VE BEEN ON THAT PANTERA FOURM, HAVEN'T YOU?!?! YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT, BUT THIS IS WHAT I WOULD DO.... Shim the rack a 1/4", no wait, make that 3/8"." Using 1/8" x 3/4" alum flat bar, I made my shims, grabbed some longer bolts and put it back together. Has anybody ever had one of the rack mount welded backing nuts break loose? They are almost impossible to get out. The rack is dead nuts level when loaded. I will see how it acts tomorrow. BTW, I just took on a young person as a helper to help me on all my projects. S
he's very eager to learn and not afraid to get dirty.
No one said that shimming down the rack wasn't going to put you about where you want to be.
In lieu of a detailed text it's really impossible to determine if going to a stud and heim end will give better results. Heims are not what you really want to use on regularly driven street cars. They have no where near the longevity of a stock ball joint or a tie rod end.
They are also know for their harshness.
To me this was just a technical discussion on how to do it but lacks the technical documentation of what the results would be.
That really requires a "text" on the subject and is unfair to expect anyone to write one on just the drop of the hat BUT the thought is out there...somewhere. 
I've worked with NASA guys and to be honest, they are a lot pissier then some of the knowledgeable here and probably a good deal more secretive. In the world of ulcers, they are what medical people call "carriers".
P.S.: don't invite any of them to your barbecue. They'll bum everyone out.
The kid needs to hit the gym. He needs some toning.