Steering issues - what to do...

[washMO66]

To summarize.... Sold my car and bought it back, my buddy who had my car did many very cool things to it, one of which that we both regret was installing flaming river rack & pinion kit with the tilt column. Long story short the thing just don't work, he went through at least 4 different racks, installed and re-installed and spent coutless hours on the phone with FR to no avail.

We are in the process of negotiating the complet return of the flaming river - don't want to talk about how to fix it or whats wrong on this thread.

The question is;

WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT MY STEERING??????

I don't have my old column so I am starting from scratch, as I understand it I can use the flaming river tilt column and shaft with a factory set up.

Should I;

Get a factory box and go to the old set up (from FR or the other manufacture??)

Go with a TCP or Randalls or another R&P set up?

or ??

I need to get this lined out soon as I want to race and I would be hesitant to place my life in the hands of the existing Flaming River piece of crap.

I will be using the car to cruise, race the 1/4 mile and drive it to work on occasion with my sticky street wheels & tires.....

help me.

-Todd

 

[66+67]

What happened??

I've got a 66 fastback and a 67 coupe I was looking to upgrade both and flaming river did look good. But (see I have had dealing with fl also) I bought their tilt column for my 67 nice column nice wiring pigtail on it BUT no instructions and the pigtail wasnt even close (had to make my own). But I still want a good upgraded front end.

 

[Rusty67]

Have you considered puting the stock steering in it ? The stock setup is not bad at all when its all nice and fresh. With a R&P setup you are going to loose turning radius. You can use the tilt column with the stock linkage.

 

[washMO66]

That is what I am considering as my old stock set up was head and shoulders better than this flaming river junk. I want a new stock steering box but I am hesitant to purcahse from Flaming River again due to their very poor customer service and the overall quality of their R&P product.

I hear their stock style box is good????

 

[Rusty67]

I think you should junkyard a box and have it rebuilt. I don't trust flaming river. I have never heard anything good about them. Not much bad, but enough to let me know I don't want to deal with them even if the finished product ends up grate eventually.

Either that or order a new one from NPD or something.

 

[70XR7ConvertCat]

I bought a Flaming River steering box for my 70 XR-7 Cougar convertible. The first box had a problem (slack which couldn't be adjusted out), and they replaced it. Second one works as advertised.

The FR rack and pinions were junk when they were first offered. Based on your experience, I see they haven't learned anything the last 2+ years. I wound up buying a TCP power rack for my other Cougar, a 1967 XR-7 Cougar. You'll lose a bit of turning radius, but I have no complaints otherwise. I'd recommend spending the extra $$$ for the KRC pump, unless you like to hear the stock one squeal.

 

[1320stang]

RRS makes a manual R&P, but it starts at $1850. The also make drag front struts with disc brakes, but I don't see them on their website.

www.rrs-online.com

They're an Aussie company.

 

[allcarfan]

gulp....

im getting ready to take the FR plunge...with a mustang II rack.

 

[washMO66]

gulp....

im getting ready to take the FR plunge...with a mustang II rack.

If you are using something other than your rack you may be fine but based on my expeience and doing a bolt by bolt on this thing. Fitment of the linkage around any significant type of racing header ain't happening. Plus the linkage is too bound up at too radical of an angle for my taste.

TCP is a thought for me right now, the power rack probably not as I am not into extra HP sucking accessories (1320 will relate). I like to eek out every bit of power I have...

 

[1320stang]

Todd, I sent you an email. With FR knowing the problems your buddy has had, is swapping it for one of their new stock boxes an option?

I know my chassis builder has had good luck with their manual racks for Fox bodies....

 

[washMO66]

Just shot you one back, that is what I am trying to negotiate with them and they are being less than cooperative. They have until the end of this week until I really go on a national smear campagin against them and just get my car right on my own......

I have new slicks, racing seats are in, cage end of September and I won't take the car past 85 MPH because of the steering..... Oh and there is that little tranny issue that I need to solve in the next week or so. I want to race bad... The car is running soo tight right now.... The engine is strong.

 

[yeloxr7]

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=658676

Mustang II rack won't work unless you go with a full MII suspension setup as it is a front-steer configuration and works in the opposite direction for what is needed in the stock location in a Classic Mustang. Fox rack is front-steer also.

 

[allcarfan]

got a MII suspension setup installed.