Lowering steering rack for sump clearance solutions?

[5tox]

So i have realised that i need to lower my steering rack by approx 15-20mm so it clears my sump.
I have seen lowered steering rack x-members for sale on ebay but i'll likely just modify my own, my first question is what do i need to correct the steering again compensating for the 20mm drop?

Can i just lower the entire cross member on spacers, what would be needed to correct the steering etc?

I have read up on bump steer, how can i avoid this?


All in all what is the best value for money solution?


(2.0 duratec going into mk1 escort)

[e321]

If you lower the entire cross member and want to run lowered suspension , your tca,s are going to be pointing upwards by quite an amount, not good.

[katana]

Wouldn't chopping a tunnel in the sump be easier than re-designing suspension angles and pick-up points?

[5tox]

perhaps, been doing some further reading and it looks far more complicated than i first thought

[madragon199]

If you lower the rack 15mm..its do-able...you need to redrill the cross member track controll mounting holes 15mm up (if you have room) and lower the steering arms on the hub(approx 15mm) obviously you will need to tune this but the engineering is correct...(if your going 15" wheels) then you will have room inside the wheel...if you are going 15" wheels and lowering the car your roll centre will be way off...normally to compensate we re drill the crossmember holes(but you need to do this already when you lower the crossmember) you will have to lower the pivot point of the track controll arm where it meets the hub....its a lot of work....as katana says modding the sump...or going dry sump will give you room...and job done...

cheers mark

[5tox]

Could i just lower the steering rack 15-20 mm and crank the steering arms to suit, keeping the cross member standard other than the lowered rack?
Modifying the sump is also still on the cards, just looking at the most cost effective solution

[e321]

Just use female rose joints with some 15/20mm spacers and some bolts on the steering arms ??. Simple bolt on jobbie.

[turbo m]

I remember reading back in the early days of zetecs in escorts with a std x member you lowered the rack down to clear.
the pic I saw was just a piece of flat steel drilled and fitted on to the std bolt holes and drilled to fit the rack.

[katana]

I remember reading back in the early days of zetecs in escorts with a std x member you lowered the rack down to clear. the pic I saw was just a piece of flat steel drilled and fitted on to the std bolt holes and drilled to fit the rack.

Odd as any Zetec conversion would need a 'bespoke' sump, so clearance could / should / would be allowed for? And wouldn't the original rack mounts on the x-member still interfere unless everything gets moved?

[twoRSs]

Have u spoke to Dave at retroford

[5tox]

Yesterday i chopped the steering rack mounts so they sit approx 10mm lower, hopefully today if i get a moment ill weld them up.
my understanding is that you simply crank the steering arms to suit.

with hindsight i would have just dropped the whole rack on 10mm spacers and re-drilled the TCA holes

I know parts are available off the shelf but i'm trying to save money where i can as i still have ECU, Throttle bodies etc to buy

[madragon199]

[QUOTE=5tox;3290650]Yesterday i chopped the steering rack mounts so they sit approx 10mm lower, hopefully today if i get a moment ill weld them up.
my understanding is that you simply crank the steering arms to suit.



kind off..you need to correct bump steer...normal route is rose joints and spacers on the hub/steering arm....

cheers mark

[Forest_rallying]

The normal route to reduce bump steer was to lower the steering rack mounts slightly, it all depends on the spring height.

I would be very cautious about cranking cast steering arms even with heat. Much better to buy the correct ones or as above a rose joint and small spacer.

[5tox]

ill see if i can google some pics showing how these rose joints work, i must admit im not keen on the idea of potentially weakening the steering arms

[5tox]

CMB5830-ROSE-JOINT-FRONT-ARB-ESCORT-RS-TUBO-SERIES1-SKEW-01.jpg

Something like this?

[wildo105e]

ill see if i can google some pics showing how these rose joints work, i must admit im not keen on the idea of potentially weakening the steering arms

Gartrac supply new re-cranked ones for £42, i am sure they also used to do a re-crank and strengthen service on your own arms.

[Forest_rallying]

ill see if i can google some pics showing how these rose joints work, i must admit im not keen on the idea of potentially weakening the steering arms

The easiest way is to get the car up and running, see how it steers and responds and then if need be get some modified steering arms. No need buying expensive parts before you have to.

[5tox]

This build is being done on a very tight budget so im pulled towards using spaced rose joints at the moment, they look cool too

[Forest_rallying]

Like I have said build it up, see what the steering arm angle is in relation to the TCA's and take it from there. Plenty of people have lowered their racks and kept the std steering arms and had no problems whatsoever. I appreciate that you are on a tight budget that's why you need to try these things first. There's no point in making yourself work and expense when there's no need to.

You have to remember that to use the Rose Joint method you'll need to drill out the taper in your steering arms then rendering them useless for track rod ends. A good quality pair of Rose Joints with the hardware are also quite expensive.

[Erikmex]

Lowering the rack doesnt reduce bump steer, maintaining the track rod and tca angles as close to eachother as possible does. sometimes (depending on ride height) lowering the rack makes bump steer much worse.

[5tox]

thanks for the comments, before i started the thread i knew nothing about lowering rack or bump steer but i think i get it now.

I shall wait until the car is finished and sitting on its wheels on the floor then go from there, with adjustable coilovers i'll probably alter the ride height anyway so the wheels site nicely in the bubbled arches, from here ill do what needs to be done to get the steering arms to sit parrallel to the TCA's

[livewire514]

unless your engine is chassis mounted then running a spacer between chassis and xmember wont achieve anything, someone mentioned sending steering arms to gartrac? waist of time, you may as well just buy new from them and sell your old ones on

[5tox]

I should have mentioned the engine is going to be chassis mounted, im trying to get a duratec into a mk1 escort sized hole and it doesn't go in quite as easily as i thought it would.
now i have lowered the rack 10mm the engine should level up nicely

[livewire514]

I run a chassis mounted xe and have a 12mm spacer between chassis and xmember not had any prblems

[twoRSs]

What gear box you going to use ,?

[5tox]

mazda mx5 6 speed

[waverunner]

From what I understand, and looking at Retro Fords parts, if your fitting a Duratec you need to lower your steering mounts to clear the sump. Retro Ford sell a purpose built crossmember specifically for Duratec instalments, and also mention you need to fit bent steering arms too.

I'm in the process right now of lowering my steering rack to clear the sump but I'm fitting a Zetec. I've purchased the whole RF install kit inc their alloy cast sump but I'm still having problems, mainly because I opted to keep the standard transmission tunnel and when I trial fitted my engine and gearbox prior to paint, it all fitted nicely but I hadn't incorporated the rack .

My plan is to slice the original mounts down either side then "slide" them down 10mm and re-weld. I'll worry about bumpsteer etc later as I'm still not sure about what suspension I'm going to run.

On another note, I thought of packing the cross member between the chassis but my conclusion is all your doing is raising the body but if you have adjustable suspension you can loose that height difference.

[twoRSs]

Why the 6 speed ?

[5tox]

apparently stronger and better gear ratios, i quite like the idea of 6 gears too.
Downside is twice the weight and much larger than the 5 speed

[livewire514]

if you dont have a xmember sorted yet ive got a world cup xmember with lowered rack mounts and towers removed for chassis mounting

[5tox]

Thanks for the offer but i have already modified my own X/M

[twoRSs]

We were thinking of the 6 but 6gear is not far of the 5 ratio and there dear to buy over the 5 I could go through 4 gear boxes for the price unless u hammer the box I bet there not much benefit just more work and money

[Forest_rallying]

First gear on the Mazda gearbox is very low like a crawler ratio which won't be used much unless you have a very high ratio diff and 15 inch wheels. Second to fifth gears are all very close making them ideal. A cheap close ratio gearbox for the money unlike the gear kits for the type nine.

If you damage the Mazda Box it's just a case of going to the scrap yard for another one unlike waiting for spares for your straight cut box from the gear manufacturers.