Update
You know, I installed this thing four years and 15,000 miles ago. I saw a post on another forum and it got me to thinking.
This post is third in Google ranking when searching for Randalls rack.
My experiences with Randall and his rack have been somewhat varied, so I wrote the following on another forum. I thought I should update, I'm not sure Randall deserves the glowing review and PR I've been giving him these last 4 years.
"I was one of the early adopters of Randalls rack in 2005. I installed it in a 1968 mercury cougar J code.
In fact, I did a writeup, poor as it was, on a more commercial forum many of you are familliar with. Considering my write up shows up fourth in a google search on Randalls rack, I thought I should give an update. After all, I've given Randall a lot of good PR and haven't recieved the best of customer service.
I've driven the rack for 15000 miles. My car is fairly close to a daily driver, though most don't drive all that much here in Boise.
Pros:
On the highway, on the road, anytime one is just driving, the thing is excellent. Steering response is immediate, zero play.
I recently changed to a 96 explorer 5.0 pump, the steering is much better. The effort to turn the wheel has increased and I feel a higher level of confidence when I am driving. Still, I'm concerned with the differences in pressure vs. volume ratios between Ford and GM racks.
Cons:
Reliability issues:
Maybe I'm a ninny, but the thing should not have to be messed with every six months.
Within six months the tie rod boots rotted and died. These boots are from a non autommotive application. I called Randall and he swore he'd ship them right out to me. I waited two weeks and called him back. He asked for my information again and told me he get them right out, never showed.
I ended up hassling the guys at the local parts store until I found a boot close enough to work. The boots I bought have lasted 4 years.
Shortly after installing the rack, my wife drove over a six inch curb. Not exactly a major impact. One of the tie rods bent and the u-joint developed slack.
I called Randall about the u-joint, at first he told me he'd send me one out. Didn't get one. Weeks later, he told me it was my fault.
I fiddled and fiddled with the unit, tried tightening the shaft, Randalls suggestion, no luck. Recently I pulled and replaced the engine, while I had the shaft out, a friend of mine suggested I fill the joints with loc - tite. This solution worked, absolutely no play in the steering.
Still, even with the arguable issue with the 5 mile an hour curb impact, the u-joint assembly is less than impressive. In fact, it began to rust after a year.
Honestly, if one is to invest in a rack, it would be expected the pieces are of a reasonably high quality
Another thing I found when I pulled the engine recently is the bellows boots have burned on my Heddman headers. Ok, so Heddman's arn't the best headers, still Randall does claim they work with his rack.
Considering my low ratio of success in communicating with Randall, I'm wondering just how I am supposed to get a replacement bellows boot.
Turning Radius:
Ok, the car was a tank before. Now it's a g*******d battleship. Parking garages, forget it. Hell, I have to three point just to make the turn to get up the ramp to the next level. If you see a spot in cramped quarters, forget it, just drive to the top of the garage. Hell, it's only 3 more 3 point turns to get up there.
BTW, it really p---s me off to have to consider paying $300 more for the Pro Motorsports bump steer adjusters just to park my car. Man, they've had those things on the market for over five years and they are still gouging.
I talked to Randall about the pro motorsports unit. He cited his concerns about propriety and patent in relation to fabricating his own.
I dunno, I realize reverse engineering and patent infringment is a gray area. After all, I am currently nearing completion of my MBA. Then again, I do know it is done all the time. If he marketed the item simply as a steering radius corrector and not a bump steer elimnator, it would likely be dificult to successfully mount a lawsuit.
Imagine the irritation I'd face if I lived in a real and congested city, like Los Angeles. I'd probably get t boned while trying to parallel park.
The fact is, the loss in turning radius sucks, big time. It affects your ability to enjoy the car, which is ultimately the point.
Installation
Everything went pretty smoothly with two exceptions.
The rack is easy to install, if you like to bench press. later on, if you have oil pan leak issues you need to deal with, your job just got twice as hard.
Really, you can lift the engine, or drop the rack. Dropping the rack is in no way as easy as dropping the original linkage.
The center link
Randall powder coats the center link, including the rather fine threads the tie rods attach to.
The powder coating makes installing the tie rods very dificult. In fact, without running a die on the threads first, thereby removing the powder coating, you will easily blow the threads on the link. Then you get to make a trip to the machine shop.
Conclusion
The Randalls rack functions remarkably well. It is a good product. But, it is also an incomplete product.
Many of the supporting parts are either shoddy, the u-joint and shaft assembly, or missing, the bump steer whatsits from Pro Motorsports.
If I had to give the thing a grade, it would be just one point above a c-
Honestly, becuase of the customer service issues and poor supporting parts, my next build will probably be using a TCP rack. During the course of ownership of the Randalls product, I think I have racked (pun) up $700 in frustration.
Don"
Summit didnt have this kit, nor did any of the other shops i saw
