Thoughts on doing a rack conversion..

Wagonized

Dragway Regular
May 25, 2003
1,066
0
0
abbotsford bc canada
www.cardomain.com
Im looking at the TRZ kit which seems to be priced well...as all their stuff is. Or any other kit that works for that matter....these questions arent about one kit in particular but moreso the general conversion.

Im building a solid 9 second street car which may dip into the high 8s with a little luck and a major diet being put on the car. I was planning to run regular manual steering from an s10 as many others have but the weight savings and amount of space the rack creates might be worth me looking into. Im considering running an aftermarket K member to lighten the car up which will require the rack for it to work.

I dont have a massive budget....If I can save $1k in one place ill be able to make the car go faster in the end.

I dont NEED a rack in order to reach the goals I have with the car but the rack may make the goals more achievable.

What are your guys thoughts on the conversion? Is it something that is high up on your TO-DO list? Or the type of thing that you may get around to a few years down the road once the car is built just as an upgrade?

For the guys who have already done it...would you do it again or just leave it with stock power or manual steering?

Thanks
 

StreetBu

MalibuRacing Junkie
Mar 21, 2004
4,158
3
38
Upstate NY
Haven't done the conversion personally, but I've read you drop A LOT of front end weight with a rack conversion. Plus the added room makes it very nice...
 

LS6 Tommy

MalibuRacing Junkie
May 15, 2004
15,847
1
38
North Jersey
I know you're doing a drag car, but keep in mind, all of the rack conversions REALLY tweak the steering linkage geometry & the bumpsteer is greatly increased.

Tommy
 

malicad

Dragway Regular
Dec 8, 2009
1,383
0
0
South Milwaukee, WI
I always wondered if it'd be possible to modify a front end from another car, which could use a rack and pinion (power, at that) to our cars. Kind of like the popular 78-ish Camaro front end to a late 40's-early 50's Chevy coupe or sedan.
 

Grcrygtr44

Frequent Racer
Feb 1, 2013
421
0
0
Ontario Ny
I did the TRZ rack kit in my wagon and I like it. Had the front end aligned and have no problems at all with bumpsteer or anything else for that matter. Altogether it shed 35 lbs from my manual steering setup. U lose a little turning radius but it wasn't enough to bother me since I took corners a little wide anyway since I have a full spool in the rear. It def took some getting used to since it is more sensitive to steering. But for cash vs weight savings or "shavings" I'd start with icemans tubular core support and trans xmember, & tubular upper & lower a-arms. I got mine from Gbodyparts.com for a decent price for all 4 but then found the same exact uppers from speedwaymotors for only $45 each!
 

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Wagonized

Dragway Regular
Thread starter
May 25, 2003
1,066
0
0
abbotsford bc canada
www.cardomain.com
Grcrygtr44 said:
I did the TRZ rack kit in my wagon and I like it. Had the front end aligned and have no problems at all with bumpsteer or anything else for that matter. Altogether it shed 35 lbs from my manual steering setup. U lose a little turning radius but it wasn't enough to bother me since I took corners a little wide anyway since I have a full spool in the rear. It def took some getting used to since it is more sensitive to steering. But for cash vs weight savings or "shavings" I'd start with icemans tubular core support and trans xmember, & tubular upper & lower a-arms. I got mine from Gbodyparts.com for a decent price for all 4 but then found the same exact uppers from speedwaymotors for only $45 each!

Good to hear. I already plan to try to cut weight on this car wherever possible while still keeping it streetable and not breaking the bank too badly. Its a street car primarily that should end up having the power to get into the 8 second range if I can keep the weight down. I try to cut weight more so in items I can fab myself or get cheap rather than buy...hence why I probably wont run tubular lowers unless I find a deal.

For the front plans are to build a custom rad support, front bumper mounts, 17" skinnies up front with front runners, tubular uppers and reinforced lowers, chromoly tubular engine cradle, custom trans xmember, maybe even cut the frame off just forward of the control arms and make my own out of chromoly. But at that rate I may aswell spend the $650 and do the whole custom K member from double AA and the rack kit with it.

Im a ways away from this stage yet but just beginning to collect parts, so I have lots of time.
 

Grcrygtr44

Frequent Racer
Feb 1, 2013
421
0
0
Ontario Ny
I did the frame wack after the rack was in. Each section just in front of the a arms was 17lbs each. I also sacked the center of the engine cradle from bottom of each motor mount, plated it and ran chromoly there too. That chunk of steel was 15lbs. So rack kit and frame mods were worth around 70lbs after adding the weight of the chromoly replacement.
 

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ghostrider

Daily Driver
May 26, 2014
40
0
6
colonia,nj
hi im looking to put a rack and pinion steering but i want to keep it manual steering but the bolton ones are power steering do they make a bolton manual steering or do i have to get it welded on
 

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