Guys,
Is Rick Wurth still in business. I tried sending him an email from his website and the page didn't come up. Also, has anyone out there used his rack and pinion stearing on a Fairlane 500 with power steering. Jim
JIM, ARE YOU GOING TO COLUMBUS LABOR DAY WEEK END. WE WILL HAVE OUR RACK AND PINNION ON DISPLAY. BETTER QUALITY AND COSTS LESS THAN WIRTHS. EASIER TO INSTALL ALSO. THANKS TOM
I can vouch for Toms kit, very nice, complete kit. I'd go with Tom's....
Tom,
Have you got a website, if not, email me ( jpnolan@embarqmail.com ). If JP likes your conversion I probably will too. I don't know if I'll go to Columbus or not, either way, I'm looking to improve the handling of my Fairlane. I've sent a letter to Eaton Detroit for advice on the front springs. I need to get my Fairlane level again. The 390 and AC causes the front to ride low. I want my car level and while I'm tearing it apart, I'd like to get rid of the jerky feeling I get with my car in a turn at higher speeds. That's where I hope you'll come in. Jim
Jim, I've installed "Wildhogs" power rack/pinion kit on my Courier,have waited to say anything until I put some miles on it to make sure everything works as should(freeway,around town,and turning).I've installed it and have driven with it for a few hundred miles and can say it's worth every penny of the cost! During install I had a few problems but called John(he was there every time) and they(John/Tom) helped me with each problem wether it was theirs or mine(most of it was due to previous owners work).At one instance I thought that the tierod bars were to short(didn't feel there were enough threads inside the bars from the tierod ends)so I called John to express my concerns and he told me he'd go to the shop and check it out and get back with me in a few hours,called me back like he said he would and said they'd make them 2" longer and send them to me(yah sure- a month later probably)not soo! Mailed them by ExpressMail and I had them in my hands in 3 days(Thanks guys!). As far as I'm concern John/Tom are a pair of stand up guys who handle their product/customer service better than some larger companys I've dealt with.As I'm not a mechanic,when I say it was a simple bolt in conversion that's an understatement--hardest part was connecting the steering column to rack(due to Lincoln Continental sterring column didn't have splines--another story).Now I also dealt with Rick Wurth(why am I running Wildhogs Kit you ask)the words flake,conman,ripoff,can disappear faster then Chris Angel,etc.come to mind,no problem with his kit as some members can attest,just him and his business ethic or lack of!Hope this helps anyone who"s been undecided and sitting on the fence waiting for more info on Wildhogs kit,this truely is a bolt in kit with quality parts(no off shore parts here!)KIDKourier--PS. Try using '58 Ford station wagon springs running the 332/352 FE motor with air cond-Eaton makes them!
PS.S--- Anyone wants to look the conversion over on "Wildhogs rack" I'll be at Route 66 --San Bernadino on Sept.19th--space #998 on 2nd street just around the coner from Arrowhead Ave. going East toward Meadowbrook Park (southside of cruise)or will be cruising the 35 blocks of the event(this can be Heaven or Hell depending on traffic controll or lack of)! KID
KidKourier,
Thanks for the information. When it comes to products we buy, it's best if we hear from the people in the trenches. After all, the success and longivity of a product is determined by the user, not the supplier. It sounds like John and Tom understand that.
As to the springs. I'm waiting on Eaton Detroit to see what they suggest. Someone else said the same thing you did about a 58 spring.
Thanks again for the information. Jim
Jim, I'll vouch for Tom's kit also. I've been to his shop, and he has several kits boxed up ready to ship. And add to that no run around or B.S, good folks. Mark
Wildhog, please provide information on your system. I contacted Rick Wurth years ago and never got
any help. John
Guys,
I looked at the pictures of the ranchero that Tom did and I have a question. Can you install this rack and pinion steering system and still use the original Z bar? It looks like the Z bar location would interfere with the steering column shaft bearing mount. Am I looking at it wrong. Jim
Hello again Jim, At this time I'm running the Z-bar with the 4 speed and the bracket that holds the steering support swivel goes under the bracket for the z-bar ball using the existing frame holes but with longer bolts supplied with the kit. On mine I had to extend the threaded shaft on the swivel support due to the location of the steering shaft to Lincoln column which puts the top of the swivel barely touching the z-bar(which I can Feel a slight bind in turning) but I think I can fix it by either tightening or loosening the nuts on the threaded support shaft to adjust the steering shaft(agin,I added to the length of threads on the support shaft by 2") probably wouldn't be an issue on stock setup! I've got a T-5 I'll be installing with J.Mummert's trans adapt. and I might go with a hydralic clutch sysrem instead of the Z-bar setup allowing more room for header clearance! KID
JIM, THE BRACKET FOR THE Z BAR MOUNT IS DIFFERENT, THAN THE ONE SHOW IN THE RANCHERO BUILD. THIS IS FOR AN AUTOMATIC. I HAVE BEEN BUSY GETTING READY FOR COLUMBUS. BUT WILL TRY TO GIVE YOU A CALL TOMORROW, OR YOU CAN CALL JOHN AT 815-742-6365. I WILL HAVE A COMPLETE SET READY TO GO AT COLUMBUS. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF WAYS YOU CAN KEEP YOUR 57 STEERING WHEEL. I WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW. THE MONEY YOU HAVE IN THAT STEERING WHEEL , I WOUND'T WANT TO LOOSE IT EITHER! THANKS TOM
Tom,
Thank you for the reply and the pictures you sent me. A picture is worth a thousand words. I'll call John if he dos'nt call me first. But nevertheless, I will be at the Columbus shootout this weekend. I don't want to take up a whole lot of your time due to your involvement in the meet. Just make sure you bring me a kit. I think this will enhance the driving of my car and if people knew how much fun driving that car was they'd have stolen it a long time ago. Jim
Tom,
Did John get the money I sent through Paypal. I just thought I'd better check before I got over there and found out something was wrong. Jim
I guess I'm a :dumbass:.........what is a "Z bar"?
It's on standard shift trans cars that connects the clutch pedal to the clutch release lever that operates the engagement of the throwout bearing(also called the Equalizer bar),located on drivers side which rotates on 2 brackets,one attached to the frame,the other to the engine block.If you have a Ford shop manual see chapter 3 page4--clutch. KID
I don't run a stick shift, but it's got to be part of the clutch linkage. Like a bell crank that runs from
the frame to the bell housing,
Didn't see above post Kid. Can't figure out how to delete. :dumbass: