I used parts from the CV steering to hook to the rack and pinion. Cut and welded and got it to work.

 

That looks doable, unfortunately I don’t have the donor car to pull from. I’ll start looking for other sources. Hopefully explorer have some usable parts as there a ton of them in the local yard. Is there a collapsible section on the linkage?

 

The joint next to the Rack will flex some. But not like collapsible if you wrecked.

 

That does look like a tight fit for what I did on my last project. I’ll get there sooner or later.

 

I’m new to the Vic front end so as much as I look these pics over I can’t seem to find anything concerning. Anybody with more experience have a minute to check them over?

If anyone see a reason why I would want to grab one unit over the other let me know.

Frame tubes and bolts. Speaking of bolts, my YouTubing has me under the impression that these are one use bolts- correct?


Thanks

 

Are they from different years? Castings look different on the tops of the springs.
I see some steering linkage on the lower one.

 

I’m curious about the spring hats too, the ribbing would likely be for strengthening? I haven’t found anything specific about the difference year by year. Both are supposed to be from police cruisers.
Somehow I had missed the steering linkage on the lower one- that’s why I was asking for other people to take a look. Thanks Spurredon.
The lower one also has an intact high pressure hose, so that another bonus. It does have a good amount of oil buildup on the passenger side, but that may be from the engine?

 

Does anyone know how I close the poll at the top of the thread?

 

From a 2008 PI. It has the ribs.

 

Well going with the newer is better philosophy and it’s a bit more complete, I’ll take the ribbed unit.
oh that doesn’t sound right…

 

Is 1 wider that the other?

Even in the other picture from the other side? they look different.
Dave ----

 

i assumed that was an angle of the pic, but I’ll take a tape measure to be sure.

 

I bet its like that rainbow optical illusion where two identical ones but the item on the bottom always looks bigger than the top one.
OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science & Industry) can blow someone’s mind...

 

I hope your right, ‘cause I bought the front one. All kidding aside, I bought front one. It looked to be in better shape in person. The other one had what looked to be a boogered rack and pinion, so the choice was easy.

Since I bought it and a Mustang IRS…

…I might as well buy some wheels. (Obliviously, this is just mock up). The wheels were cheap enough to justify as rollers, so they’ll do. They have their own kind of patina- bald mismatched tires and peeling paint…

Into the shop at work it goes- with a little help from the forklift.
I’d like to say there were some surprises, but it seemed a typical tear down: most bolts came off, a few broke. I found more rust, but not to much more than you’d expect. True to the farming theme, there is a fair amount of bailing wire and even some barb wire. This spring bolt was either under sized or lose, the hole is pretty boogered. It put up a fight, but the torch proved more capable.
The pitarm took me a bit, the knuckles are frozen and it was difficult to get the pitarm to the point I could the pinch bolt past box mounting bolt. After giving a puller a shot, I went back to removing the bolt. With persistence I finally got the bolt out. I can’t say I’ve ever seen a pitarm come off that easy- after the pinch bolt came off. I had applied some heat, maybe that helped.
So here’s a glory shot from most of the way through the day.
What came off today.
Tomorrow I’ll be back at it. Hopefully, I’ll get the cv and irs units in place enough to roll it around. I think some clamps will get me there. If time allows I’ll get the cab off as well- any tips on removing the steering box?

 

remove steering wheel and pull box and column out through cab.