Upgrading to SN95 steering rack

[gkomo]

This is all crazy talk. I just got a rack from O'Reilly's for like $150 with core exchange. It's a damn steering rack, why would you pay more.

Kurt

My 99+ GT reman rack from RockAuto was like only $108.99 with the core refund.

I guess the expensive part of the conversion was the solid hybrid steering shaft but that’s what probably made the most difference.

 

[AeroCoupe]

The torsion bar in the SN95 rack is stiffer so it has less assist when turning and to me when the thorns started the assist is not as high which I prefer. More detail here:

SN95 Steering Rack Upgrade for Fox Mustangs

 

[revhead347]

My 99+ GT reman rack from RockAuto was like only $108.99 with the core refund.

I guess the expensive part of the conversion was the solid hybrid steering shaft but that’s what probably made the most difference.

Yeah, no kidding. $150 for the steering rack, $390 for the Borgeson steering shaft, and $150 for the Detroit Drift firewall bearing. The rack was the cheap part.

Kurt

 

[91GTstroked]

I assume I should be using the offset rack bushings? Car will be lowered.

 

[gkomo]

I didn’t. Just ‘upgraded’ to poly bushings. No issues that I’m aware of.

 

[AeroCoupe]

Depends on how far you are going to lower it. Offset bushings can keep you from needing a bumpsteer kit. I have both on my car but I’m an idiot and lowered it a bit.

 

[91GTstroked]

Depends on how far you are going to lower it. Offset bushings can keep you from needing a bumpsteer kit. I have both on my car but I’m an idiot and lowered it a bit.

Your stance looks perfect, that's how I want my vert to sit. I guess I wait and see?

 

[gkomo]

You can see mine is also very low (in the front) with some garbage ass H&R race springs. My front tires basically tuck up inside the fenders. I plan on changing all that with coilovers but for now I don’t believe I am experiencing bumpsteer. However I’m no race car driver so maybe I just don’t know what I’m looking for.

Long story is I think you can get away without offset rack bushings but if you need them just swap them in.

 

[AeroCoupe]

I can just about guarantee you are experiencing bumpsteer but like you said you may not really notice it. You just need to make sure the tie rods are parallel with the control arms when the car is on the ground and the suspension fully loaded. Is this the correct way to set the bumpsteer? No but for a street cat it’s good enough. Setting one up with the gauges is a huge pain and anytime you make a change you have to go through that whole process again. I’ve done it on a buddy’s American Iron car a couple times and it was not fun.

 

[FastDriver]

The boys in Charlotte have Father Time again for paint correction. I asked them to address the burned boot & PS fluid leak from the rack, and they just HMU with it's leaking internally. So, and I don't know if I was smart or dumb for this, but I nabbed this Ford-reman'd 99+ rack off of Ebay. ChatGPT tells me it's a V6 rack part number. In light of Jack Hidley's comments and what I've read here, seems like 99-04 are all substantially similar enough not to overthink this. I liked that it's a ford reman, but don't know if that really matters, either.

Then, I ordered the MM shaft. I noticed that Turn one allows for the option of '00 Cobra R valving. Might do that next time.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I remember talking to Jack about that link on MM's site and he said they had some updated info and would be revising it soon. But it appears that never happened.

I can tell you when i went from my 04 cobra rack to my 04 GT rack (because the housing cracked) i couldn't tell one difference at all.

 

[AeroCoupe]

About the only time you will notice the Cobra rack vs the other SN95 racks is with really wide tires up front auto crossing. This is direct info from a buddy that won in American Iron with his 88 Coupe so I just took his word for it when I did the conversions on the Coupe and T-Bird. One of the best mods on either car.