How many of you have used a Taurus Rack?

[chepsk8]

Since there has been a few recent threads on steering again, I'm curious on how many have used the Taurus rack. Mine has been in my car for over five years now, mostly trouble free, but has had to be "tweaked" along the way. For those who have, what have your experiences been? How did you connect to the column? Curious to compare....

 

[67efivert]

im very curious myself im planning on trying one this winter

 

[chepsk8]

Taurus Rack

Lots involved, good and bad, when you are serious, let us know.

 

[67efivert]

im defintally gonna do it and as far as fab work its no big deal thats what i do for a living just got to find the time and money at the same time but im sure everybody knows that feeling
oh and my buddy at the junk yard is supposed to find me a rack this week i read somewhere that its only 86-88 models that work is this true or will the 86-91 work? thanks

 

[chepsk8]

Taurus.

It's fun, I have some pics of mine if you want.

Couple of tips from my experience:
1. Mount as high as possible
2. You WILL have bump steer due to the width of the rack. Use the Baer Kit on the outer ends.
3. Your turning circle WILL increase ALOT, unless you use one of the bump-steer kits that also moves the OTR mounting point in.

BUT..........

Dang, does it steer nice on the highway!

 

[67efivert]

dang did u read my mind!!!!?
how bad is the bump steer really?

 

[RGS0907]

im defintally gonna do it and as far as fab work its no big deal thats what i do for a living just got to find the time and money at the same time but im sure everybody knows that feeling
oh and my buddy at the junk yard is supposed to find me a rack this week i read somewhere that its only 86-88 models that work is this true or will the 86-91 work? thanks

It's funny. I have a Taurus & I'm not crazy about the rack!

 

[daveoxide]

I think I have had mine actually in the car for a little over 3 years now and I have had ZERO problems with it since initial install and tweaking .

The worst part about it is the increase in turning radius, but that is easily overlooked once you take it through some aggressive twisties , it rocks!

Chepsk8, you are the one and only person I got the idea from to try it myself! I saw your webpage many moons ago and decided to take a stab at it! It was one of the only resources I could find on the internet about the swap, and it helped me greatly. It also seems that there are only a select few who actually did the Taurus swap, we should get a medal or something .

I have some old pictures of how I did mine on my webpage. That link between the column and the rack was a big pain initially, but once I figured out how to do it with the parts I had available, piece of cake .

The only thing I want to do now is add the little blocks that bolt onto the spindle that also move the tie rod end forward. That would help greatly in the lack of turning radius plagued by us rack people . But alas, that whole time and money thing..... maybe this summer, maybe......

 

[chepsk8]

More notes...

67 fivevert - My bump-steer was wicked originally, becaues I had mounted the rack lower so the fluid lines would clear the oil pan. Any big bump resulted in a guessing game of where the car would dive to. It was caused by the tie rod ends being level to the ground, even slightly upwards, while the lower control arm was still downwards. The addition of the BAER kit made those two parallel, and the bump-steer disappeared. I wrote an article in Hemmings Mustang Guides covering all this, and I can post a before & after pic if needed (if the new-fangled picture nonesense here will let me.... )

RGS - I had three Tauruses, hated them all! Blown transmissions, heater cores, water pumps, electrical, I'll NEVER own another.

DaveOxide - Great minds think alike I'll check your webpage tonight.

 

[DarkBuddha]

chepsk8, something I've been meaning to ask you recently... with several new relatively reasonably priced (under $1000) rack&pinion conversions out there now, do you think you'd do your DIY conversion again, or pop for one of the new ones? Basically, what was the outlay when you did the conversion yourself?

Also, I've noticed you mention the Tempo rack or J-car racks in a couple posts recently rather than your tried and true Taurus rack... any particular reason? Are either of the other racks better for some reason?

Finally, I keep hearing all this stuff about turning radius loss... I'm thinking I'll want to do a r&p conversion eventually, but I really can't afford to lose any turning radius (parking lots in Seattle are very tight...). I know I need to do more research, but what is the actual source of the turning radius problems? Is it a matter of the racks not having adequate travel, or something else?

Thanks...

 

[67efivert]

thanks for the help
and do any of you know if the 89-91 racks were the same as the 86-88 the list calls for? thanks again

 

[daveoxide]

Also, I've noticed you mention the Tempo rack or J-car racks in a couple posts recently rather than your tried and true Taurus rack... any particular reason? Are either of the other racks better for some reason?

Finally, I keep hearing all this stuff about turning radius loss... I'm thinking I'll want to do a r&p conversion eventually, but I really can't afford to lose any turning radius (parking lots in Seattle are very tight...). I know I need to do more research, but what is the actual source of the turning radius problems? Is it a matter of the racks not having adequate travel, or something else?

The Taurus racks (and all rack and pinions, even the TCP one) don't have the same amount of equivalent travel the original steering box did. The Taurus is the worst out of the bunch at about 5.25" of travel. The new Flaming River one is allegedly 5.4". Next comes the Cavalier (j-car?) and the TCP at about 6.5". I think stock was about 7.5" of travel.

So, no matter which rack you choose, it will increase your turning radius and will neccesitate (sp?) the use of something to move the tie rod on the spindle closer to where the spindle pivots.

 

[daveoxide]

thanks for the help
and do any of you know if the 89-91 racks were the same as the 86-88 the list calls for? thanks again

As long as the rack doesn't have that variable assist thingy on it, you can use it.

The one I used was for a 95+ Taurus, I imagine they are all pretty darn similar throughout the years...

 

[67efivert]

thanks dave

 

[chepsk8]

Turning

Dave,

You correctly addressed the rack part of the deal, but there is also a difference at the spindles. Seems there is a difference in length fron the centerline to the OTR hole, further contributing to the larger turning circle.

DB - would I do it again? YES!! I like doing these things on my own, enjoying the challenge of figuring it out! Anybody can buy, only dimented geniouses figure it out! Seriously, when I am ready to do it again, I will see what's available at that time.

 

[67efivert]

thanks for the pics chepsk8 i think i got it all figured out now just need to get a rack walked the yard yesterday and guess what the only one that still had a rack got crushed 2 weeks ago o well have to call some regular priced yards wish me luck

 

[D.Hearne]

I've got a rack setup from a 94 Saturn that I salvaged, I wonder if it'll fit my 68 Merc?

 

[67efivert]

who knows take a few measurments u might get lucky