Rack and Pinion switch

[Handfull 54]

I have a 54 truck with an original fatman crosmember 16" on center. I am switching to an 88 T-Bird power rack. I know I need the offset bushings or elongate the hole on the passenger side crossmember. The 88 unit looks different from my 76 power rack. Is their anything else I am going to have to change, like shortening or lenghthing the steering shaft. Please let me know if you have done this swap or have any suggestions. Also I use GM steering fluid and have had no problems. I am using a ford type rack just as I used with the old unit. Thanks for the help.

[lolife99]

Anyone?

[robnolimit]

The spline is the same, 3/4" x 36 spline. The P.S. hose fittings may be different. The T-Bird rack will have metric O-ring fittings. 14mm - pressure, 16mm - return. Earls, Summit, Motorstate, and us at No Limit have adapter fittings that convert the racks to #6 AN. You are correct that the drivers side mount stays in the same place. I'm not sure the offset bushings will do it all from the pass side. (don't know, but they sell two in a pack, so I guess that each has a 1/4" offset). You can cut the pass side rack mount off and move it.

[Handfull 54]

Originally Posted by Handfull 54

I have a 54 truck with an original fatman crosmember 16" on center. I am switching to an 88 T-Bird power rack. I know I need the offset bushings or elongate the hole on the passenger side crossmember. The 88 unit looks different from my 76 power rack. Is their anything else I am going to have to change, like shortening or lenghthing the steering shaft. Please let me know if you have done this swap or have any suggestions. Also I use GM steering fluid and have had no problems. I am using a ford type rack just as I used with the old unit. Thanks for the help.

hERE IS MY EXPERIENCE INSTALLING AN 88 T-Bird R&P. First those fittings you see for sale with the o rings only work on the non pressure side. The people i went to for some fittings said that this rack is not an o ring rack at all. He showed me what an o ring fitting looks like and it has a seat for the o ring to fit into. I bought a brass fitting that just screwed into the pressure side, no washers, o rings or anything else. Next I had to shorten my steering shaft from 14" to 12 5/8 ". Those offset bushings are not real easy to install. You have to put both sides in at the same time or the bolts will not go in at all. Not so easy if your working by yourself. The hoses I had fit onto the new -6 fittings with no problem, but in my case it was hard to get to. The steering joint fit as did the tie rod ends. Was it worth installing this rack twice? Yes!!! The steering is so much better. before i felt like I was steering a go kart. That's my story, yours may be different.