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Rack and pinion in Alpine

Alpine66

Alpine66

Donation Time
In a word Ugh!!! Have an MG rack sitting on top of the front my cross member and not a flat/vertical/straight surface anywhere to fit or weld a bracket to attach this thing.

Anyone have a pic or pics on their brackets? I earched the web and all I could fnd was tiger cross members or M2.

Thanks in advance!
 
C

Chuck Ingram

Donation Time
There is a lot more to installing a rack and pinion then just bolting it to the crossmember. Steering rods need to be reversed. Making the steering column to fit. Ackerman angles Ned to be addressed. Tie rods need angled

Have done this 3 times.
 
65beam

65beam

Donation Time
alpine

why in the world are you wanting to install a rack in an alpine??? alpine steering is too good to mess with unless you're doing some kind of engine conversion that requires major mods. the tiger crossmember is a modified alpine unit.
 
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Alpine66

Alpine66

Donation Time
must be bad mood Thursday in here...

Yes I have a V6 and 5 speed installed with the computer and a good bit of the car wired , exhaust is operable, and I need to get some helpful pics /info on how to install and fab brackets for the steering rack so I can move onto either the brakes or the fuel.

You have any pics or info?
 
P

pcmenten

Donation Time
Steering rods need to be reversed sounds like the opportunity to put the Mustang II spindles on the Alpine crossmember. Fiddling the steering column is done with U-joints that extend the steering to the rack.

The crossmember itself is in the way, so cutting out part of the crossmember and refitting some steel to stiffen the cut-out part seems like what's needed.
 
B

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
There was a guy on here a couple of years ago that made a Lemons car. It was an Alger. He documented the build pretty well, but damned if I can remember anything that would allow a search.

Not even the subforum he posted in. Maybe someone will help us out.

Bill
 
DanR

DanR

Diamond Level Sponsor
Alpine with V6 Chevy?

Alpine 66, Eric G has an Alpine that someone started the chevy conversion on and stopped.

Maybe He can help you,
 
M

miket

Donation Time
Well I know a little about this as I put a R&P in my car.

I know now that the R&P should be directly between the end of the steering arms so that it can maintain a constant length. Moving it forward makes this impossible.

To me the root of the problem is that the Sunbeam cross member is a hoop that goes around the front of the oil pan. Vs the MG style which goes under the oil pan. The "hoop" makes it impossible to have the R&P in an ideal position.

So I've concluded that the best solution is to somehow buy/fabricate another Crossmember. There is a company in Toronto called welder Series that sells an inexpensive kit. But when you add the A-Arms etc. It will be no less than $1000.

If anyone has a better idea, I would be interested in reading it.

Mike
 
B

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
miket said:
Well I know a little about this as I put a R&P in my car.

I know now that the R&P should be directly between the end of the steering arms so that it can maintain a constant length. Moving it forward makes this impossible.

To me the root of the problem is that the Sunbeam cross member is a hoop that goes around the front of the oil pan. Vs the MG style which goes under the oil pan. The "hoop" makes it impossible to have the R&P in an ideal position.

So I've concluded that the best solution is to somehow buy/fabricate another Crossmember. There is a company in Toronto called welder Series that sells an inexpensive kit. But when you add the A-Arms etc. It will be no less than $1000.

If anyone has a better idea, I would be interested in reading it.

Mike
Click to expand...
Well, you could pop for one of Dale's crossmember's, 5K (complete) and it still has reverse Ackerman. But I suppose you could argue it is "improved" reverse Ackerman.

Bill
 
Alpine66

Alpine66

Donation Time
I got started last night night and decided to go with a bracket that angles to the mount on the crossmember that the motor mount attaches to, but not to the same place.
I hereby name it the motor mount base.

Toughest part will be welding the lowest part of the bracket onto the crossmember and then an extension over to the motor mount base. Likely will drop the whole K member to do the finish welding.

With the height of the rack as low as I can get it on the cross, it might be ok for clearance and operation, will soon find out.

The rods and arms are close enough I can use an extender which was very hard to find, and a short piece of rod .

Also found extended tie rod ends from another car but would require a bit of opening up of the attachment points on the hub arms as well as beveling. So stayed with extending what I have.
 
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M

miket

Donation Time
I've also used the 3.4 for my conversion. In my case the harmonic balancer is about 3/8" abover the crossmember. I placed the engine first before placing the R&P to be sure the shifter was in a good location.
All to say there isn't much real estate left over.
Alpine66, if you want to PM your number to me, I'll gladly tell you more about my experience.
The Tiger crossmember has a deep notch in it to get the steering closer to where it is needed. But as I said, there should be a straight line between the steering arms (I used the MGB arms) and the rods should be parallel to the lower A-Arm.
 

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P

PROCRAFT

Donation Time
rack

The Steering Rack needs to be horozontal in an up and down plane and fore and aft in an over head plane,inline with the seeering arms talk to Flaming river the'll explain this in more detail, we've built our own crossmembers for some time now(as a lot of you know) an Dales crossmembers might be a tic more than 5 grand when you factor in all the bits you need to complete.
 
Alpine66

Alpine66

Donation Time
I set mine a bit lower than you Mike, so far so good. Trans/pinion angle I think will be good...that can change as I continue.
Have my engine almost touching the firewall to get it back as far as possible and leave as much room as I can for the radiator and fan.

Good pic on the rack, nice looking brackets.


miket said:
I've also used the 3.4 for my conversion. In my case the harmonic balancer is about 3/8" abover the crossmember. I placed the engine first before placing the R&P to be sure the shifter was in a good location.
All to say there isn't much real estate left over.
Alpine66, if you want to PM your number to me, I'll gladly tell you more about my experience.
The Tiger crossmember has a deep notch in it to get the steering closer to where it is needed. But as I said, there should be a straight line between the steering arms (I used the MGB arms) and the rods should be parallel to the lower A-Arm.
Click to expand...
 
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