I need a MII rack expert or at least someone with experience... cause I ain't got any...

I'm trying to get my first MII project completed and I have to extend the rack 2" on each side to fit in my '53 f-100... I've got the extensions and the new boots. I've taken the old boots off and see a connection of the tie rod to the rack ... it looks like a roll pin driven thru the two pieces to hold them in place. since my extension piece has internal threads, I'm assuming the original has the same ?? right...

do I just drive the pin out and unscrew it ??? The ends are soaking in PB Blaster right now.. I tapped on the roll pin with a pin punch and small hammer and they are seriously tight... the Blaster should loosen things some and I'll play more tomorrow...

Can someone enlighten me in the right procedure for R/R?? thanks in advance

john

 

I have done this twice now and both times the roll pin just broke off when I removed the tierod. They are on there very tight and the threads are so fine threaded you will get tired from threading it off and on. I dont know if I did it correctly, but I couldnt see any way to remove the pin. It did not damage the threads at all when it broke and I unscrewed the tierod. Good luck.

 

I couldn't get the pins out either, ended up drilling them out which worked very well. Once you get the inner rod unscrewed you should see a small metal disc sandwiched in there (it is about the size of a quarter, flat on one side, concave on the other) the concave side presses against the ball of the joint, the flat side presses against a spring that is recessed into the rack. The extensions I got with my TCI kit did not have the indent for the spring, and it sure did look like a required piece to me. I spoke to the guys at TCI and was advised to drill out recesses in the extensions for the springs (they said they don't do it 'cuz some racks are different?) After drilling the indents everything went together swimmingly well. Your setup may be completly different than mine, but this is what worked for me.


Good luck.

 

You are on the right track. I went through that with my 54 F100. You didn't mention the condition/source of your rack but here's something to consider. I put a MII from a junked Pinto on my truck. Everything went ok but I began to get some vibration after about 500 miles. The inner tie rods were bad. Replacing them costs only slightly more than buying a new rack (not quite, but prohibitively expensive). I ended up buying a new rack from Flaming River which I installed Sunday. I haven't had the toe in set yet but it seems to work fine. Before you go to all the trouble, make sure your rack is good if it is used.

While I'm at it, here's a very annoying thing that happened with Flaming River. I have a manual rack. I ordered the extensions with the rack (different threads from stock, which I already had). It came with boots than will not fit. The long boots are for the other rack Flaming River sells. When I contacted them, they were not helpful. I asked them why they would advertise and sell a product that will not work for the intended use. There answer - no one has complained before. Crap. They sold it and they just don't care.