Need to shorten rack & pinion.....help

[diywrencher9]

Here is my latest purchase of a rack and pinion steering unit from a 1992 Dodge Dakota. It's going in a 1991 Chevy S10 frame. I need to take out a total of 12" from the overall width. The stock unit is 57" in width. The Chevy S10 measures 45" in width. Can I just cut out 6" on each inner tie rod and weld it back together using some strong hollow pipe as a brace?

[jerry clayton]

Better method would be shorten rod and rethread-no welding required

[34_40]

Welding steering parts wouldn't be my preference but lots of folks do it. Are you an experienced welder? Or do you know one?

[Matthyj]

I am sure you have thought of this but if the pivot points on the rack & pinion conflict with the pivot points on your a arm your going to have severe bumpsteer I believe, in a nutshell you generally cant just throw a longer rack & pinion on a narrower suspension. If you have already checked this and just need to shorten the rack I am also against welding, rethreading is safer, some states also will not allow welding on suspension on their DMV inspections, not the case here in MO though. Good Luck

[diywrencher9]

34_40,

The more I think about it the more I don't like the idea of welding steering parts. I will do the re-thread thing, I think I will have to buy a new die. I don't have a fine thread die that big.

[diywrencher9]

Matthyj,

I have given up on the welding steering components. I will shorten and re-thread. Also I'm still doing some homework on the bump steer issue. I know if I use the Dakota R&P there will be some bump steer - but how much? The Dakota R&P has a 24" length from inner tie rod end to inner tie rod end, the same as a Mustang II, strange but true.

diywrencher9

[Matthyj]

Sounds good, thats assuming the Mustang II does work with the S-10 and doesnt have excessive bump steer? Not trying to rain on your parade as that might be the common swap I am unsure, there are some great books on suspension design out there if you feel uncertain, maybe Tech will chime in as well he even had one where they incourage you to duplicate the geometry on a cardboard model to check it out (sounded cool) Nothing beats driving a well designed car you built that handles well, but the opposite is true if it has issues, I'm sure you know that.
I think you will feel safer without the welding the first time you hit that giant pot hole and wonder if the welds held! Before you cut off the tie rod threads I would run a die down them and make sure it will thread easily before, that way if for some reason it wont you havent ruined a good rack (I bet it will though) Best of Luck

[daveS53]

See if this link works. It should be a pdf from Heidt's on bump steer.

https://www.keepandshare.com/doc19/1...-pdf-493k?da=y

This link was not public until 8-4-17. The important info is a line drawn through the upper and lower pivot points should intersect the pivot point of the tie rod pivot point, to avoid bump steer.

[Hotrod46]

You really need to study up on bump steer and it's causes. If the tie rods and lower control arms don't follow very similar arcs, you will have bump steer.

The pivot points of the inner tie rod ends and the lower control arm pivots need to be in very close relation to one another. If this rack is too wide at the inner tie rod ends, it will need to be narrowed on the center portion instead of the tie rods.

Hydraulic racks can be shortened, but it is difficult. A MII manual rack can be shortened relatively easy compared to a power rack. Can't say about others.

There are racks that have the tie rods connecting near the center of the rack and I have seen these used in some swaps. You would have to map out the geometry to see if they cause much unwanted steering movement.

I have also seen racks with special attachments on the ends that move the inner tie rod ends inward or outward to what ever position is needed.