Steering rack

[Andy Sykes]

Hi guys what steering racks are you using ?

Cheers andy

[Airspeed]

My beetle came factory with a steering rack, so maybe you choose the wrong model? 

J/K of course, but didn't you have a red9 front suspension with a rack & pinion? Can't you modify that?

[Andy Sykes]

Hi I've sold the red 9 front end I think it used a transporter rack I will have a look at the part number on it

[Airspeed]

Ok, I also remenber seeing a post about racks on the aussie veedubbers or ultimate aircooled forum iirc. Lots more options then I thought there would be showed up.

[richie]

Andy

if you really want to put a strut front end on it why not use the late super beetle version,with rack as Walter mentioned and just weld on the frame head to match?  I know you like doing things the hard way but really you should just bolt a beam on it and be done,the front is not going to touch the ground after the startline anyway

The availability of aftermarket drag race RHD racks seems virtually non existent,the common one used is LHD and called a stilletto rack,dont think its from a sunbeam stilletto though ,but getting geometry using one is going to be an absolute bitch,they are all too long and leave really shorts steering arms

cheers Richie

[Neil Davies]

Have you seen the polo one that is a centre jointed rack? There's one in the build threads section. Gives the longest arms...

[Lee.C]

Have you seen the polo one that is a centre jointed rack? There's one in the build threads section. Gives the longest arms...

90's opels have the same set-up 

[modnrod]

Yep, here in Oz it's the Camira.

GMs worldwide 4cyl sedan from the '90s, short rack, centre-steer.

[mychatype3]

I use a Vauxhall ( ) power rack on my earlybay, they are there also without power!!!

[MeXX]

Hi

Centered R&P in high quality and easy to get is from  the Porsche 914 or early 911.
It is adjustable too

MeXX

[Andy Sykes]

Cheers guys thanks I think I need to buy a few and see what fits lol

[benssp]

Red9 buy T25 racks from us, not sure if that's for the type 2 or bug

[whirligig]

we just fitted a polo rack to the drag bug,thats with a 2ins narowed beam and the pinion is the correct angle to line up with column.short and long track rods from lh side .only down side is not sure if stock tank will clear.Napstok customs can supply brackets .

[Andy Sykes]

Cheers guys thanks for your input it helped a lot


I think I have found the steering rack fiat



Tiny bit too long



With a bit of re-engineering I think this will work nicely

Cheers andy

[-Alex-]

I'v been making also rack brackets for type 1, bracket uses vw polo 86c rack.  All parts for the bracket are lasercut.


You need with this:


-Polo 86c rack with steering rod bracket

-U-Joint

-One beetle steering gearbox clamps

-Two polo rack clamps

-Steering rods made from steel or alu with M12 and M14x1.5 threads

-Two stock outer steering joints

-Two male uniball M12 joints, Hirschmann or Fluro preferred.

[Lee.C]

Can this fit on a stock car

[-Alex-]

Yes it can, sometimes  may be tight fit fit with a tank, but can be installed most of time easily.

[181]

Alex, can you build a complete kit for sale? I would be interested.

Thanks.

[Lee.C]

Alex, can you build a complete kit for sale? I would be interested.

Thanks.

Me too

[-Alex-]

Hello,

I can build almost complete kit. I can provide easily these parts:


-Welded bracket from lasercut parts, with rivet nuts for ease installation. 130€

-Steel steering rods with joints. 40€ rods + stock outer joints 35€ + quality inner uniball joints 90€ (these include shipping)

- VW polo 86C new rack. 120€  (with shipping)



You would have to find universal joint or fit stock joint from vw 1302/03 etc and mate it to a steering shaft.

Also there is available lot of universal steering joints with weldable shaft pieces etc.


http://woodwardsteering.com/images/steering%20universal%20joints.pdf

http://www.nfauto.co.uk/steering_uj.htm

http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/index.php?cPath=900_1670

If you cannot find any suitable joint, if i would be you, i would buy from a rallydesign one escort RD820F - Group 4 Coupling - Forged Steel and one RD849 - STEERING COLUMN SHAFTS and adapt them to rack and steering shafts.  You have to weld them, i recommend that you let them weld by professional welder and possibly do it with a lathe.

-Alex

[Sepi]

I used the set from Alex and even it is a bit difficult to collect the right parts with right splines etc I'm quite close to finish. I had to modify the set for my beetle K&L beam and the R-P is not exactly at the center - about two inches to the right. But that made it possible to use Polo tie rod for the other side. To the left, I shortened about 6 inches the original beetle long tie rod with Polo joint to steering rack. Steering column needs a bearing and that is what I'm going to do today. Universal joint shaft - again from Polo is quite long, I had to shorten it about one inch and the original steering shaft more than 8 inches - almost to the pipe of steering column. I cut the shaft of old worm gear (from original steering box) and pressed it about half way inside of the original shortened steering column. That is very tight connection and hardly needs any welding and now the column has correct spline shaft for universal joint.
The result is 2½ turns from tap to tap and immediately response - but how this is on the road will be known later. Bump steering is BTW quite minimal and that is not the reason of how long tie rods are, but the rack seems to be almost ideal position for the radiuses of suspension.
Sorry about my poor English explanation...

[-Alex-]

Thanks SePi, this helps others  Yes, my bracket is for balljoint frontaxle, mainly for LHD cars. I can make RHD kit also, but RHD beetle is not exact mirror from LHD car

I still recommend using uniball joints at inner end, they give little better steering response.

[whirligig]

thats sort of what we have on the race bug!!!!!!!but our brackets weld to the beam and we found that the column lined up so didnt need a uj,will try and get pete from KNAPSTOK CUSTOMS to post pic.