So now to catching up on the rack & pinion install. I decided on the kit from Western Chassis. Overall I like the kit. The only criticism I have i it looks like a 10 year old bent the hard lines into place with a hammer. They also sent me the wrong mounting brackets but that actually was to my advantage as I had to make some modifications because I flipped the axle to the top of the springs. They make a set for straight axles and another for axles with the dip in the center. I have the dip but if they had sent me the correct brackets, I wouldn't have clearance over the driver's side spring. Also because I have the Speedway disc brakes, I needed to make some minor adjustments because the new steering arms are not the same thickness as the stock steering arms.

Install is pretty simple and would be even easier if you have a stock front end. I'll break this up into a couple posts. If I try to post more than 10 or 11 pictures, it's a 50/50 on whether it posts the pictures or not.


Always love seeing package on the doorstep...



Was packed pretty good. I also bought the column saver so I can use the original column.



This is a Jeep horn contact set so I can use the original horn button.



Here are the parts. Instructions are pretty straight forward so I won't do a step by step.



To make it easier, I rolled everything out front of the frame.



I then put it on 4x4s so it will sit level while I worked on it. If your stock and your axle is underneath, this wont work.



I then stripped it down to the spindles.



You can see that the new steering arms that come with the kit are thinner than the stock arms. Since I have a Speedway disc brake conversion that is designed for stock arms, I had to rearrange where the washers in the R&P kit were placed.



One side per directions. A washer on each side of the new steering arm. That is the dis brake mounting bracket on top.



To account for the thinner steering arm, had to space it out with washers.



Here it is with the steering arms and disc brake brackets.

 

The next step was installing the unit on the axle. That involves centering the steering, installing the rubber bushing on the driver's side and then installing the R&P onto the axle. That's where issue #1 came up. The spring perch I built and welded onto the driver's side of the axle would not allow me to mount the system to the axle. The axle needed to move away from the axle at least 3/4" so the bellows cleared the perches. I mocked up some spacers to get an idea on what to do. That's when issue #2 was discovered. I cover that in the next post. Here are the pics.


R&P is genuine FoMoCo. I like that...



All the parts.



First step is to center the steering. Turns easy with the steering knuckle slipped on.



The driver's side has a rubber bushing under the mount.



Easy on....



Bracket is a tight fit though.



Passenger side is just a zero tolerance pinch fit.



Brackets installed on the R&P. It helps if you have them on a known flat surfae otherwise you need to leave them loose until you get them on the axle.



Uh Oh! Doesn't fit but I expected some adjustments because of my axle/spring modifications.



I have spring perches welded under the axle where the R&P is supposed to go. Needs to move 3/4" away from the axle.



Made some spacers for mock up.



Spacing is good but ran into another issue. Covered in next post.

 

(Continued)...

So after I mounted the mocked up R&P with the spacers, I discovered that I had brackets for a straight axle and the R&P dropped down 3/4" on the passenger side because of the dip in the middle of the axle. I found out they have different mounts to account for this style of axle but the other mounts drop the driver's side instead of raising the passenger side which would not have worked for me. This created issues of the front mounts sitting square with the axle but the rear side being cocked so the bolt holes didn't line up. It also left me very little clearance over the passenger side leaf spring. Probably the biggest issue was my OCD couldn't stand that it wasn't parallel to the ground or the axle.

After a few failed ideas, I decided to build spacers out of the same material that the brackets are made from to move the axle back 3/4" and to bring the rack up to the right height. With the modified brackets, the rack now sits parallel, the mounts fit square on the axle, the driver's side clearance issue is resolved and there is more clearance over the passenger spring. Of course after it was mounted, I discovered issue 3. There was very little clearance between the R&P and the new long tube headers I installed. Scrap the current headers and buy shorties. Looked on eBay and found a set of shorties that someone bought for a project but didn't use. Got them for a screaming deal too. Mounted them and finished the exhaust today. I covered this in an earlier post.

I also cleaned up the hubs and calipers and painted them up real pretty. Looks way better. So anyway, the R&P is installed. All I have to do is build the pressure and return lines (I build them for tractors so this will be easy) and set the toe. Here are pictures (2 separate posts).

.
Before the modified brackets. Tilted down 3/4" between brackets to the passenger side.



With the tilt, bolt holes won't line up on the top.



.....or the bottom...



This give a better view of the tilt an the very little clearance over the passenger leaf spring.



Rough draft of the passenger side spacer with the drop before I cleaned it up.



Driver's side spacer.



Another view. The second piece from the top is what I made. Still rough.



Front view.



Took them off and cleaned them up. Ground all the corners to match and scuffed up the rest for paint. Actually like them like this though. For now, I am leaving them like this and mounting the R&P so I can get the exhaust done. Will most likely pull them off and paint them red but clear coating them is an option too.

 

Here are the rest of the pictures of the R&P install. Really came together nicely and I really like the look. I'm actually glad I had to change the headers. The shorties look way better and they are chrome which mean it will go faster.....


Front view with the modified mounts to show the offset.



Front center view.



Rear view. It now sits parallel with the axle and the ground.



Driver's side. Lots of clearance now.



Passenger side. Lots of clearance here too.



Ooops...Not so much clearance here..... Looks like shorty headers are in order....



Shorty headers installed. Lots of room. Also shows lots of room for the steering knuckle and shaft.



Cleaned up the rotor hubs. Were rusty. Shoulda done in when I installed them.



Cleaned up the rotors too. Again, shoulda done it when they were installed.



Looks much nicer. Driver's side.



Passenger side.



With the wheel on. Driver's side.



Passenger side.

 

 

 

Martin, nice job on that R&P kit! Looks good!

 

Yesterday I tackled the front left corner rust repair and cab support. I had started it before work became all consuming and now that it is slowing down, I can get back on the build. Here are some pictures. I'll break it up into 2 posts so it doesn't freeze up....


This is what the corner looked like before I cut out the rust when I did the passenger side.


The outside was pretty bad.


Here is the passenger side I did earlier.


Here is where I started yesterday. Had previously cut out all the rust and painte it with rust reformer.


I used some sheetmetal from the old cab. Worke out great. Fitting the first piece.


Here is the first piece tacked in. At first I tried to cut and bend 1 piece to fit but realized it will take me half the time to cut several smaller pieces.


Side view. Made sure to paint the inside and backside of all the pieces with rust reformer paint.


Rust Reformer Paint.


2nd piece. Tack welds daisy chained together. Also a bunch of filling holes where is burned through the thin parts.


Looks better after cutting it down and hitting it with a grinder. This will all be undercoated and hidden so I am not too concerned with the welds as long as they are structural.


Inside view welded up.

 

Here are the rest of the photos of the corner repair.


Easy stuff done, This piece is a weir shape with an outward curve.


Pretty close.


Everything in place, welded and ground down.



Inside welds cleaned up.

Looks much better than what I started with.


Inside ready for the cab support.


I'm using part of the original cab support which will weld to this. 1/8 plate should provide a solid base for the cab to sit on. Also every piece I make out of plate means the truck will be a little lower. Bonus!



Perfect fit.


I like the fit.


Tacked together.


Welded and ready for paint.


Painted and welded in place. Not a bad days work.

I think I will cut and weld in the floor piece before I put it on the frame. That way I can weld it to the cab brace easier and get the undercoat done without laying under the truck. I also decided to put in new steps versus boxing them in.

 

Are you going to use flat metal for the steps or do you have or will replicate the (not sure correct term) ridges?

 

 

Diamond plate would be easier to get and would look good in this build.