7 RANCHERO UPDATE

[len]

57 ranchero update.ok guys.i cant send pics but gonna give a fairly lengthy update on ranchero progress.body off and on rotissary.putting in all 6 floor pans in the cab, L and r rockers inner and outer,l and r front cab crossmembers,third cab crossmember.have to rebuilt this crossmember as am having a hard time finding one although i can get the end pieces for it,LF AND LR AND RF AND RR 1/4 PANEL SKINS,L AND R FENDER REPAIR PANELS AND BRACES, L AND R FENDER FRONT TOPS,AND 10 OR SMALL PATCH PANELS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE.A BUDDY IS WELDINGIN ALL PATCH PANELS AT 25 DOLLARS AN HOUR.AND MAKING THE ONES WE CANT GET.BOY YOU SURE KNOW WHO YOUR FREINDS ARE.AS TO THE FRAME.I HAVE IT STRIPPED TO BARE AT THE MOMENT AN AM WIRE BRUSHING IT TO PREPAIR FOR PAINT.AS THIS IS HAPPENING I AM CURRENTLY TAKING SUSPENSION APART PIECE BY PIECE. AS I SAID I USED 77 T BIRD DISKS, REPLACING ALL THE BUSHINGS,TIE ROD ENDS,BALL JOINTS ETC.I THINK I AM GONNA USE A LATE GM RACK AND PINION AND TRY TO MODIFY IT TO FIT. I THINK THIS IS WHAT RICK WURTHER USES AND I AM SURE HE DOES A FINE JOB BUT AM NOT PREPAIRED TO SPEND 1700.00 ON IT. LOOKING AT PICTURES OF OTHER OF HIS UNITS I THINK THAT IS WHAT IT IS AND IF SO HAVE DOZENS OF LOW MILER UNIS IN MY YARD AND FAIRLY SURE I CAN MODIFY ONE. IF NOT WILL EAT A BIT OF HUMBLE PIE AND THAN PROBABLY ORDER A BORGESON 605 INSTEAD OF R AND P BECAUSE OF COST.IF I CAN FIND A 59 FORD FRONT SWAY BAR I WILL USE THAT.OTHERWISE WILL ORDER ONE FROM THUNDERBIRD BUT AS THIS PROJECT IS HAPPENING FAIRLY FAST I GOTTA GET ON IT.RUNNING A FAIRLY LARGE WRECKING YARD AND A CATTLE RANCH DONT LEAVE AN AWFULL LOT OF TIME TO WORK ON THE RANCHERO.I GUESS THAT WHY THEY INVENTED GETTING UP AT 4 AM. I HOPE I HAVENT BORED ANYONE.LEN

[RICH MUISE]

Thanks for the update...sounds like you're a busy guy. Just a little food for thought...of the guys buying a bolt-in kit for the R&P, most of the guys here are not using Wurthit's R&P, they are using a setup by one of our members here. It's really well made and about 700. less than Wurthit's at last price check, and you won't have any headaches getting one. I got mine about 2 years ago, and it was 995. incl shipping...but he may have had to raise prices since then.His contact info is in our links list, and it is STfabrications.(John Sparks if I remember correctly..he's also our "Wildhogs" brother in law)
Rich

[KidKourier]

   Rick Wurth and most others are using the rack from '87-'91 chevy cavalier,there's a quick ratio (3 1/4 turns) or standard,both can be bought at local parts store for about $100.If you have an interchange manuel you can cross reference that with other GM models.Hope this saves you some time and helps. KID

[gasman826]

Way back went ever, there was an article in a rod rag that featured the Wurthit kit.  When I did mine, Wurthit was the ONLY game in town but already in trouble and customer service sucked.  I looked at the pictures and made some upgrades.  Instead on using crude looking 6" structural angle iron, I made the frame brackets using 6" square tubing.  The angle iron has a sharp, square edge and is 3/8" thick.  Way too heavy duty.  The square tubing has rounded corners and is 1/4" thick.  Now that my prototype has proven out, I would weld and mould the brackets right into the frame and make it look like it was made that way and belonged there rather than looking like a 'kit' that could be removed and converted back to stock (ship already sailed on my car ever going back to stock).  Lighter too.  If my car disappeared, I would rebuild a power rack system on the next car in a heart beat!  Pictures are crap but you get the idea.  The chassis is currently being assembled so I don't have it out for a photo session.  If you have specific questions or design issues/measurements, I'd be happy to get you answers.  Nothing against the ST kit, but I like to fab stuff and years ago, the ST kit wasn't. If you're in the area, stop in...gawkers welcome.

[gasman826]

Couple of FYIs:
- when searching for a donor rack, I found several GM racks that had the same ratio and fit several applications.  For some reason, there are several configurations for the shape of the spline on the input shaft.  I had found that there is only one application that uses a spline shape that there was a compatible Borgeson style ujoint.  Big deal if you are using after market parts.  The one I found also had a funny little extention tip on the input shaft...I cut it off and a Borgeson joint fit perfectly and has been NO problem.  Since I was ordering remanufactured racks and sending them back until I found the right one, cutting off the funny little thing kind of met that I just bought that rack.  I went through several racks and even called Cardone (the rebuilder...very helpful with flow and pressure questions) to find the right one.  I have forgotten the application and the Cardone number. 
- the right side clamp is NOT included with a reman...GM did not support the part number...Google search turned up one in a GM dealer somewhat and I bought it.  Since you have a yard full, save the clamps!!
- Russel and others make AN adapters for the hydraulic lines...the LARGE port is the pressure side
- since the rack is Saginaw, the older non-metric 'ham bone' Saginaw pumps are a flow/pressure match.  Since my stuff is 460 based, I use '70 Lincoln brackets and pumps.  It all matches up!!!

[gasman826]

Wonders never cease!!!  Checked the build folder and I DID write the part number for the outer tie rod ends. 

Moog ES-351RL

5/8" thread to use off the shelf ready made swedge rods for tie rod adjuster sleeves (Speedway Motors)
5/8" heims joints for inner rod ends

[Limey57]

Sorry for hijacking this thread, but.....  I've got the same Wurth kit on my Ranchero and I've got all the necessary joints to hook up the new system to the stock steering column, but how did you mount the end of the column to make it "rigid"?  With the stock system the column is solid mounted by the steering box being mounted to the chassis, but with the Wurth system the column now needs to be held solid to the toe-boards of the body or the universal joints will just let it slop-around.

I can't mock it up to see if theres an obvious solution at the minute as my body is off the frame.

[gasman826]

...thought that was part of the Wurthit kit.  If you are using the '57 column, you will have to shorten it and support the column to the firewall.  You will also fabricate a 'bearing' for the shortened shaft inside the column tube.  Final installation and adjustments need to be completed after the body is on the frame, mounts torqued, and weight on the wheels. 
I used a '70s Lincoln column and salvaged part of the firewall from the donor car.  I installed the salvaged part in the '57 firewall.  I also had to do the same mods to the Lincoln column as I would have had to have done to the OEM column.  As for the bearing, I used a modified, plumbing PVC bushing as a bearing.  10K miles and doing fine with no signs of wear.

[RICH MUISE]

check out a thread I hijacked a while back when I was finishing up mine..it may give you some ideas. The thread is in the steering and suspension systems, first page "rack and pinion systems" started by rockymountaincustom. go to page 3 there are some pics of a firewall support bearing I made that fits into the existing opening using a generic swivel bearing I found at a local 4x4 shop. I don't have my original steering shaft to look at, but I'm wondering if the outer tube can be cut shorter than the shaft so a bearing can be run directly on the shaft. I guess whether or not that's feasible for you depends on whether or not you're running column shifting linkage.

[Ford Blue blood]

I went to the NAPA parts house and found a bearing that had the 2" od and the 3/4" id, was thrust and radial, did the measuring, put a spot weld on the shaft, filed a flat on it, slid the bearing on, second spot weld, slid it up the housing and peened the housing on both ends of the bearing in two places and it has been in place for nearly 12 years.  This was on a 50 Chevy that got the rack and pinion set up that is being used for our Fords.

[Limey57]

Thanks, never thought to look in the right section......  I cut down the stock column before I removed the body, I found the correct size bearing at a lawn mower shop in Canada!!!!! I've made a frame support bearing very similar to the one Rich made and I'll fabricate a similar support for where it goes through the firewall.  I'm impressed with the cover you made up to seal the bulkhead where the column goes through, it sure looks "factory"!!!!