Custom built rack and pinion

[throttle]

Does anyone know a company that could build a steering rack based on my specs? I've contacted Saco and they said that they couldn't. I need one with really quick steering. I need 3" of rack movement with 3/8 turn of the wheel. *Lock to lock on the wheel will be 3/8 turn.

[minibajaman]

I've looked some, and no such company exists that I have found. *There is a company called [url=http://www.unisteer.com/:3dnx7hn9]Unisteer[/url:3dnx7hn9] that will do custom racks, but last I checked the quickest ratio they have is approx 2 turns lock to lock for approx 4" of rack travel.

Can you make new steering control arms for the uprights? *Then you could use a not so quick rack but still get close to the lock to lock you need. *Although 3/8 turn lock to lock is really short and probably not possible with most currently available racks. *Is this for a Pilot?

[yoshi]

Originally Posted by throttle\";p=\&quot

Does anyone know a company that could build a steering rack based on my specs? I've contacted Saco and they said that they couldn't. I need one with really quick steering. I need 3" of rack movement with 3/8 turn of the wheel. *Lock to lock on the wheel will be 3/8 turn.

move the control rod closer or farther away from the spindle and you'll get the same thing, only a boat load cheaper.......

[throttle]

Yes, this is for a Pilot.

Yoshi - say again? Not sure I am following you. *This is a rear steering set up.

[K-fab]

If you move the location of the tie rods on the spindles closer to the spindle (shorten the steering arm), it will quicken the steering. * It will also increase the amount of leverage needed to turn the wheels and make it harder to input steering.

But, since this is on a Pilot, with cast spindles, it's really not an option. *There's not enough meat to drill and machine flats for tie rod mounting changes.

You may want to contact Dan Roberto - he made (makes?) a killer little rack that may have the throw you need. *I had one in my old Moskito and the three Briggs cars have them. *They work very well.

[LiveWire]

Shortening the tabs on the knuckles where the tie rods connect would quicken the steering using an off the shelf rack. However, it would increase the load on the tie rods so they would have to be beefier. Play in the tie rod ends would be amplified.

Some rough math: You need a pinion with an 8" circumference at the pitch diameter. 8/pi = 2.55. You would have to go with 2.5 or 2.625 if using 8 diametric pitch gears. The OD would be 2.75 if using the smaller one. If the rack was 3/4" thick and you have 1/2" for the top and bottom casing and clearance around gear you get 4", 2.5" from the centerline of the steering stem down. You would have to measure from the center of the steering stem down to see if you would have clearance. Where the rack ends up may cause bump steer issues.

The flag is welded to the steering stem on the Pilot. That would have to be cut off and possibly splined or an entire new shaft made.

[LiveWire]

K-fab beat me to the submit.

[dunerocket]

What about running a couple steering quickeners (I think that is what they are called) inline? *Might not get the exact result, 3/8, lock to lock isn't much. *Steering effort would be increased.

[Bugpac]

I can get a super small rack, has about 3/8 to 1/2 turn lock to lock, my dealer page is down, but i was looking at it a while back, its about 350 bux tho...Let me know if you have interest and i will nail all the figures and specs down for you, the page should be back up later today...

[minibajaman]

Originally Posted by Bugpac\";p=\&quot

I can get a super small rack, has about 3/8 to 1/2 turn lock to lock, my dealer page is down, but i was looking at it a while back, its about 350 bux tho...Let me know if you have interest and i will nail all the figures and specs down for you, the page should be back up later today...

The Stiletto rack? *I didn't realize it was quite that quick. *The one that I have played with before was maybe 3/4 turn lock to lock. *Or if I'm completely wrong then providing some more info would be helpful...