I have heidts mustang ii ifs conversion installed in my truck. The guy I bought it from gave me everything tht he took off including power rack. Now I'm trying to reinstall the power rack but I can't seem to get it to fit. It seems to hit the frame on the drivers side where the splines come out to make the steering connection. I saw they sell offset bushings but I dont wsnt tp kick the whole power rack over and mess everything up. Has anyone had any experience with this?
I did a little research and it is in fact a mustang ii power rack.
I'm still new so I'm trying everything before I ask question but I'm stumped
It's the exact same as the website. But, if you look carefully at every picture it advertises a power rack but shows a manual rack Installed. That little notch on the input shaft case hits and keeps me from being able to line up the hole on the passenger side. I did just purchase another one but it's the same thing. I just wanted one in better shape
I see what you mean. Unfortunately after market parts almost never fit without modification. I haven't done an IFS conversion yet but plan to on my 49 GMC. In looking at your pic there seems to be enough "meat" on the steering housing and on the frame where it's contacting to do a little grinding to make some clearance. That said, someone may happen along with another fix/idea.
I was thinking that. Maybe I'll try it out since I have more than one now and report back. It is a full weld on system. The bolt you're seeing in the picture is the lower control arm bolt.
I wouldn't alter the steering gear- - - -just notch the frame slightly to allow the rack to bolt on. There looks to be plenty of material there- - - -losing half an inch or so wouldn't weaken anything I can see, but your perspective might be different. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Is there a reason why I shouldn't cut off that little notch on the r&p? Just looks like the case is thicker there. Just curious. I'd like to find a middle ground between cutting the crossmember and rack casing so I dont have to take too much off either. But, if there's a reason I shouldn't cut the case I won't
The crossmember is always way over-engineered. Cut/grind away what you need and don’t worry about it. When installing P/S on my ‘62 C-10 I had to cut a bit of the frame away to get it to sit where it needed to go. No problem just do it. ðŸ›
Martin '62 Chevy C-10 Stepside Shortbed (Restomod in progress) '47 Chevy 3100 5 Window (long term project) ‘65 Chevy Biscayne (Emily) ‘39 Dodge Business Coupe (Clarence) “I fought the law and the law won" now I are a retired one! Support those brave men/women who stand the "Thin Blue Line"! Hug a cop! USAF 1965-1969 Weather Observation Tech (I got paid to look at the clouds)
That projection on the rack MIGHT be hollow. No sense taking a chance on creating a leak and ruining a good unit when the crossmember isn't going to miss a little piece notched out of it. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Does the rack bolt to the cross member with two long 5/8 bolts or are there straps welded to the cross member with rack mount holes? Being a Heidt's it's probably the two long bolts. With this said there is nothing written in stone that says the rack must be center mounted. We offset one 4" on a 48 Plymouth/360 V8 combo and worked the suspension through it's full range with very little difference in toe in between the long and short tie rod sides. If welded on straps it would be very easy to move the rack for clearance but if it has long bolts through the cross member the process is involved. No more than you need could be obtained by replacing the rack mount bushings with home made eccentric bushings. Picture is a 1955 3100 with an unknown rack (probably a Speedway) with custom rack mount straps that hold the pinion (steering) shaft at an angle that doesn't require a bucket load of U-joints. You can see the rack housing has at least an inch of clearance to the cross member. On yours if you have the room I'd heat that area on the cross member to YELLOW hot and then dimple it with a BFH.
Sounds like i should notch the crossmember then. To answer your question coilover, yes it is bolted. Seems like a much bigger project moving the mount then to just notch the cross member. I was just concerned about causing future problems with strength. It is an extremely beefy piece of steel though.
Good point Jerry I never even thought that it may not be solid. I dug real deep and found another that had this issue. And he seemed to work through it fine notching the cross member. Although I doubt that he would come back years later to up date if it had failed. Either way the way I look at it, if it does fai in the future that will be my excuse to tear her down and put in some new cool suspension in.
A rosebud torch and a big crescent wrench used as a bending aid will let you fold the edge of the crossmember out of the way and you won't have to cut anything. That will actually make things stronger by turning the flat metal into a right angle. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
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Martin '62 Chevy C-10 Stepside Shortbed (Restomod in progress) '47 Chevy 3100 5 Window (long term project) ‘65 Chevy Biscayne (Emily) ‘39 Dodge Business Coupe (Clarence) “I fought the law and the law won" now I are a retired one! Support those brave men/women who stand the "Thin Blue Line"! Hug a cop! USAF 1965-1969 Weather Observation Tech (I got paid to look at the clouds)
If I'm following everyone on this, I believe I'll have the notch the frame on my 3100 to make room for the rack. That said, I plan on welding in an upside down U to box in the frame.
