The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Power rack ?

Anyone ever put a power rack on a 46 or earlier truck with a straight axle. Changing from rear steer to front steer and fabbing the mounts will be no problem, Just worndering if it's worth the time and effort or if it will realy work well with the straight axle. The stock steering works well but I would like the ease of power for parking lots and backing trailers.

My opinion is a rack and straight axle do not go together. Where are you going to mount the rack? How are you going to connect the steering column?

It is not likely to work satisfactorly unless this is just a trailered show truck.

There is one rig, not a truck with a rack hanging off the back of an I beam in the PNW that has been around for years but as good as he says it drives it is still a bulky ugly mess hanging on the axle.

Reason for thinking rack?

Other options?

If I wanted power steering on that truck and had the room I think I would look into installing a cross steer setup using something like a Chevelle steering box mounted on the inside of the frame rail. Or a power steering box off of a GM 4X4 might even be easier to set up and pretty simple. as they run a drag link back to the steering arm on the axle the only big issue might be clearance between the tire and the steering box and linkage.

I helped a friend put power on a 54 useing a 4x4 gm box and had clearence problems with the left front tire and draglink. The 46 would be even closer and would probably even have to hack up the grill and fender to clear the box. The power rack looked like a good option mounted just behind the core support crossmember with the steering arms from the spindles flipped over and turned forward. The rack I have came from a 01 or so 3/4 ton pickup. Hooking up the column with some d shaft and a ujoint or two would be no big deal.

So you're thinking have the rack rigid to the frame and attach to each wheel?
That sounds like a poor idea to me, and more than likely unsafe. The toe in will be continually changing.

If you only attach one end and use a tie rod as original then I still think you'll have bump steer pretty bad.

So far I'm not a fan of rack and pinion on a straight axle either.

Grigg

Doesn't look like the toe in would change any more with the straight axle than the independent set up. What would be unsafe?

On an independent the steering links move up and down with the control arms in the same arc as the control arms the center link or the rack acting as the pivot point.

With the setup you are talking about every time the axle moved up or down the toe in will change.
Also to hang it up where you intend will cause the tie rods to be set at a fairly severe angle between the rack and the steering arm with further complicates things

This would not only cause excessive tire wear but most likely would cause some bad handling problems.

Racks and straight axles have been discussed before. bad idea on the prior posts, still a bad idea now.

Why not simply convert to a power box?

It will have severe bump steer to the point of being dangerous. Even if you use very stiff springs to cut down on axle vertical movement it will turn even though you hold the steering wheel in one position. The mid 80's Toyota 4wd power box is a small unit that can be mounted where your factory box is and works well. A search will show many posts on this. Flaming River is making an electric power column now that adds nothing inside the engine bay, it's under the dash and not bulky at all---about the size of a power window motor. Malibu's started using electric in 2005 so salvage units should be possible to find. No hoses, belts, pumps, linkage, and U-joints. If your old box isn't worn out the shaft from the electric unit could be grafted to it much easier that converting to a front of the axle set up.

toyota MR2's used electric steering in the 90's. The problem is the audi crowd has been buying them for rally cars for years.

The Flaming River steering column is really pricey. Plus the electric/hydraulic units require 90+ amps. Not sure what the pure electric servo assist like the Hondas and the Malibu draw.

There are a few on here that have built P/S brackets for the 216/235 and posted pics, etc. I myself will be adding a remote reservoir P/S pump on my small diesel driven off the front crank pulley with a coupler and a small anti-rotation bracket like most Inboard marine engines do for the seawater pump.