Impreza steering rack mod

[CHIMV8]

Guys
Help required

Daz(Silicone Kid) is interested in the link

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/parts-and-p...

Can you help him with the alterations and installation?

[WinstonWolf]

Does anyone have the dims for the splined shaft that's required? I'm happy to trawl through manufacturers specifications to find one "off the shelf.

ETA for example, the Outback UJ is longer as per this pic.



Same goes for the TRE.

Edited by WinstonWolf on Thursday 22 January 10:13

[Rowge]

I did a trial fit with the impreza rack and impreza uj as in photo above, sadly as Steve said it clashed with the chassis, so I cut of the end of the Impreza steering pinion, there is a pin going through the diameter so I cut mine 5mm away leaving the pin in place, the fiesta uj only needs 2 flats ground on so I will try this first. Will try to load some photos later

[Rowge]

A close up showing the pin, my pinion due back on Monday so will put some more photos of finished pinion and fiesta uj then also pic of trial fit of rack bush

[carsy]

Keep the pictures coming.

[SteveSPG]

WinstonWolf said:

Does anyone have the dims for the splined shaft that's required? I'm happy to trawl through manufacturers specifications to find one "off the shelf.

ETA for example, the Outback UJ is longer as per this pic.



Same goes for the TRE.

Edited by WinstonWolf on Thursday 22 January 10:13

dax on ebay used to sell one,splined both ends , that you can just cut to length

[WinstonWolf]

SteveSPG said:

dax on ebay used to sell one,splined both ends , that you can just cut to length

Do you think the Outback UJ with its extra length would avoid the chassis?

[Rowge]

IMHO you will have to shorten the pinion, as the standard impreza uj is short but the pinion sticks out a long way, so when the uj is attached it fouls on the 45 degree chassis brace, see pic of original set up, also the OE power steering kit

[Rowge]

[SteveSPG]

WinstonWolf said:

Do you think the Outback UJ with its extra length would avoid the chassis?

its the pinion length really, when i did this ages ago i couldn't find a rack that would dimensionally work without an awful lot of messing about with either the rack or the chassis.

originally i was just going to chop the pinion and weld a uj on, but preferred to modify the pinion as it was the easiest option, but also gave the best uj angles

[Rowge]

Got my pinion back, and fitted the rack again, (chassis has been de rusted ready to paint with POR 15), fitted the pinion and the fiesta uj and it fits Yipee, next job is to work out the best way to join the original steering arm and the fiesta one, the fiesta is a tube so maybe the tvr one will go up inside,?anyway here's a few pictures of the pinion and the fiesta uj

[wuckfitracing]

Good pictures, many thanks. Ive also been collecting bits myself.I have so far a new Subaru rack, a new Fiesta UJ and steering shaft, Vauxhall astra electric steering pump. Hoping to do a photo build to help other guys do this.

[Rowge]

Change of plan as could not find a way of assembling the shaft and UJs without welding, so am also using the ka/ fiesta rack uj, amazed to find it fits on to the original tvr power steering shaft spline, but when I tried to fit it, the shaft was approx 10mm to long, or more accurately the splines needed to be longer, so a new shaft is required, the one I have is 320mm long and the spline diameter is 14.2 mm or 0.55"

[Rowge]

Any idea where I can buy a shaft, if not will have to have one made?

[SILICONEKID345HP]

Rowge said:

Any idea where I can buy a shaft, if not will have to have one made?

Have you looked at some those Kit car sites which sell all sorts .

[SteveSPG]

car builder solutions sell them as do rally design


http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_info.php?cPat...

the spline is a std ford one, used on loads of kit cars, escorts etc. you can buy a spline roller and re roll the shaft you have of course, thats pretty straightforward.

Edited by SteveSPG on Wednesday 28th January 20:28

[SteveSPG]

but i got mine off dax when i did this originally. they sell 2 lengths, and the splines as you can see go a long way down, so give them a call and check where the splines start so you get the right one.




http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dax-AC-Cobra-427-Kit-Car...


though there are others of course

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Short-400mm-Steering-Col...

Edited by SteveSPG on Wednesday 28th January 20:42

http://www.motorsport-tools.com/short-400mm-steeri...

Edited by SteveSPG on Wednesday 28th January 20:46

[Rowge]

I need one that is approx 320mm long, 250mm between splines, so 35mm spline length on each end is ideal, not found one yet, still looking though

[SteveSPG]

Rowge said:

I need one that is approx 320mm long, 250mm between splines, so 35mm spline length on each end is ideal, not found one yet, still looking though

one of the dax ones definitely fits... fitted one to mine and one for Peters car

just be careful the aftermarket ones often have a bolt cutout, turned on the shaft, it never sits where you want it, so the dax one you cut to length is perfect

[caduceus]

Great thread this.

I look forward to seeing a finished package that can be replicated to other Chimaeras. Is someone going to do a step by step guide with pics once done? THis would fantastic!

Cad