Possible steering rack replacement?

Take a look at this link for this month. http://poca.com/index.php/forums/email-list/archives. There was a long discussion regarding this issue.

I am no Pantera xspert, but based on a notice on the POCA mailing list (see Husker's post), I purchased one along with several others that day.

Afterwards, the other half of the group called them crap. A PM I recieved from a name I reconized as a Pantera Guru, told me it would require a slight modification to fit (but the quality was OK)

As I believe, the width of the indexing lips on the drivers side are a little narrow and something about the diameter. It sounded as if a file to the rack or a new set of clamping blocks would be needed.

as my rebuild is still months away, I just put the box unopen in with the other parts

Direct ( DeTomaso ) replacements are available from Wilkerson?

quote:

Originally posted by JFB #05177:
I am no Pantera xspert, but based on a notice on the POCA mailing list (see Husker's post), I purchased one along with several others that day.

Afterwards, the other half of the group called them crap. A PM I recieved from a name I reconized as a Pantera Guru, told me it would require a slight modification to fit (but the quality was OK)

As I believe, the width of the indexing lips on the drivers side are a little narrow and something about the diameter. It sounded as if a file to the rack or a new set of clamping blocks would be needed.

as my rebuild is still months away, I just put the box unopen in with the other parts

I purchased one of the racks as a spare. Pretty cheap insurance given exchange w/core or new with Vendors are multiples of the $120 delivered to your door.

You may have a bit of trouble hunting down the reference to Mike Drew’s commentary on this part but here’s a direct link to that February 2014 thread. URLs to the pictures referenced in Mike’s commentary can be viewed at the links at the very bottom of the thread.
In summary, the driver’s side clamp groove needs to be slightly wider or the mounting clamp width modified, and then it’s a bolt in. It also has a superior means of adjusting and maintaining the lash compared to the OE rack. It’s not clear if it has the plastic bushing. If so, this should be replaced with bronze before use but Mike seems to suggest it wasn’t needed. It’s worth noting the differences between racks especially if you happen to have a real GT5.

As far as interface dimensions (other than the minor detail on clamp width) and visually it looks to be a pretty decent part. I haven’t checked mine beyond that. I just made note of the above and will go through it if I need to use it.

http://poca.com/pipermail/deto...February/224739.html

Best,
K

the thing that has me concern...
the morning the POCA email made mention, the ebay site showed several sold and only a couple left. But as they were being bought, the available amount keep growing with the number sold!

quote:

the thing that has me concern...
the morning the POCA email made mention, the ebay site showed several sold and only a couple left. But as they were being bought, the available amount keep growing with the number sold!

That's just driven by an eBay protocol of some sort.

OR....

The seller wants to drive purchases by implying his supply is almost depleted.

In any case, it is not a reflection on the seller's integrity or quality of the item. The seller's feedback score takes care of those concerns.

I've seen that before, and while interesting, it is of no concern.

You want it, buy it.

Larry

How long are these racks going to last before the bushing needs to be replaced? The originals only last a few thousand miles,how long are the knock-offs going to last???



Ron

quote:

The originals only last a few thousand miles,how long are the knock-offs going to last???

Maybe more, maybe less.

But you have that same issue whether buying one from our vendors or from the eBay seller, don't you?

Larry

Here's a link to the eBay seller's website page for the part
http://www.buyautoparts.com/bu..._AN.html?xref=228835
You have a choice of their part ($123.75 so a few bucks more than the ebay price) or a Remanufactured one (presumably Ferrari for $113.85). Anyone know who made the Ferrari part?

They seem to be a quality outfit. I think I'll buy one

quote:

Originally posted by comp2:

quote:

Originally posted by Marlin Jack:
...The original Rack and Pinion, comes with a Plastic Bushing. That would be one reason why it wears out Quickly.

1. How about I Machine a replacement Bushing (In this Case IT IS A Bushing and Not a Bearing) Out of Oilite Bronze?
2. Or Machine it out of 'Hard Bronze' and provide a drilled and tapped bore, for a Grease Zerk Fitting. Then it could be lubricated Externally, at will.
3. I can even Design them Longer, for increased rigidity and longevity. I believe there is unused spacing (Length) with the Plastic part.
4. Another party was selling a bronze replacement on ebay awhile back, I don't know if they are still producing them. I do know Mine would be a Engineered Improvement, over all.
5. I know the Passenger Side bushing wears-out. What about the Drivers' Side'!? Are there Two Bushings? I have Never, as yet, disassembled one of these Racks!

Suggestions are welcome!

If you were really ambitious you could tweak the width and bring bump steer to zero. It may still require a height adjustment. When I adapted a power steering unit I adapted a rebuildable MGB end but also set up a threaded shaft so I can make fine tune adjustments.

Once I got the width correct I welded the nut to the threads.

The Pantera rack is about 1-1.5" too wide for the geometry. After fine tuning width of the rack and the height I was able to bring Bump Steer to zero through the entire suspension travel.






Gary

Marlin, only one bushing used- on the passenger side. The drivers side of the rack in position is held by a spring-loaded steel 'shoe' that is submerged in lube. Oilite is not the material of choice since it has zero impact resistance. Phosphor-bronze works well, and when I make them, I increase the length by 75% for a little more support.

I replaced my bushing 28 years ago, 70,000 miles ago, I filled it with molly grease not oil, it works the same as the day it was repaired, perfect,.

quote:

Originally posted by r mccall:
How long are these racks going to last before the bushing needs to be replaced? The originals only last a few thousand miles,how long are the knock-offs going to last???



Ron

quote:

Phosphor-bronze works well, and when I make them, I increase the length by 75% for a little more support.

Hey Jack,
Are you making and selling these bushings? Or are you referring to making them for Judy's Pantera (and maybe a few close friends)? Just curious.

The bushings are available from several of the Pantera vendors.

Thanks for all the advises and discussion, I decided to buy the steering rack, as a temporary solution, while I rebuild the original during the winter time. :-)

Cheers
Chris

My mechanic rebuilt mine in one day .. it seems to me that by the time you order the "temporary"one .. modify it to fit and install, you could rebuild your original one. Just my 2 cents.

Sometimes I do, Garth. I'm not a business- I just hack around in the garage and fab things that interest me.

Observation: I've fixed a number of stock steering racks including a couple that were BENT from severe frontal impact. And while Cam Gears catches a lot of crap for their design, there are basically only 2.0 wear points. The first is the stock three-layer bushing, fixed by using bronze. The second is wear on the rack teeth due to lack of lube, often fixed by using the correct no-leak boots. Occasionally, the pinion seal leaks but that's a common auto parts store item.

The late rack as used post-1980 has a pathetic staking system to retain the steering rods to the rack, compared to early Cam Gears racks; have not seen what the 'chinese' racks use. IMHO, all these racks (properly assembled, with lube and a bronze bushing) should be 200,000 mile assemblies with any care at all.

quote:

Originally posted by Bosswrench:
Observation: I've fixed a number of stock steering racks including a couple that were BENT from severe frontal impact. And while Cam Gears catches a lot of crap for their design, there are basically only 2.0 wear points. The first is the stock three-layer bushing, fixed by using bronze. The second is wear on the rack teeth due to lack of lube, often fixed by using the correct no-leak boots. Occasionally, the pinion seal leaks but that's a common auto parts store item.

Jack, there is a 3rd wear point you may have forgotten about: the "The elusive pinion ball bearing" When I was restoring Zonkey (around 2000) I disassembled the rack and found a considerable amount of water had got in and pitted the rack and pinion gears but also significantly damaged the pinion ball bearings which, although they were labeled SKF, were a custom bearing no longer in production. I was working at TRW (US) at the time and called Cam Gears (at the time a subsidiary of TRW) and talked to a very sympathetic guy who was unable to help in finding the bearing.

At the time I posted this: http://home.earthlink.net/~rlbpantera/rack/ Fortunately (then) Larry Stock (PPC) had some in stock and I was able to rebuild my rack. I have no idea what has happened since. As I said there it's possible an SAE bearing size might fit.