Rack and Pinion steering radius

[uncleaud]

Hi everyone, new kid on the block here so to speak. First post anyway. Quick intro: 62 years young, building 57 thunderbird, got the motor done, frame painted, body on the rotator and busy makin parts I can't buy better. Two things I would like to change while I have the car in this condition is the transmission and the steering. I'v decided that probably the rack solution is the one I will go with. Now for the question.

All the information that I'v seen mentions the fact that the turning radius is sacrificed but can't find any info on how much it changes or what the travel of the rack would have to be to improve it. I'm looking at possibly using a Chrysler Intrepid rack as it is also center take off and may have more travel because of the larger car size.

Any info from someone who has made this change or some direction as to where I may find it here on the forum would be helpful. I'v searched here dilligently but like I say being relatively new I may not be looking in the right place. Thanks

By the way I am on a couple of different forums and this one has to have the best down to earth info of any of them. Appreciate it.   UncleAud

[bagboy]

I have a 57 RW with a rack from Wurith-it. Yes there is slight loss of turning at far ends of lock.Not a problem,drives great.Also , be carefull who you deal with.Don't put faith in BBB!

[uncleaud]

not as much atctivity as i thought.

[Frankenstein57]

The power steering options so far have been the cavalier (wurthit) rack, and the GM Saginaw 605 box. Not to many guys fabing stuff themselves, mostly buying kits and installing them. Does the t-bird have the same stance/ track as the full size Fords? If its any narrower, the Cavalier rack may be a better fit. I'd be curious to compare the intrepid, you may be onto something. I'm building my own stuff, nobody has addressed the amount of bumpsteer Henry built into the 57, they just copy the tie rods and bolt it on. Two wrongs don't make a right. Keep us posted, Mark

[JPotter57]

Remember that the T-birds are front steer, and the `57 is rear steer.  Because of that, the tbird rack wont work unless you do a substantial re-engineering of the front suspension.