Steve Straus

I recently changed out my front bushings and ball joints. Upon doing so, I discovered that my drivers side A-arm had been bashed in at some point by a rock; decided to replace it with an undamaged one.

After putting it back together, I discovered that the tie rod off of my steering rack is now hitting the lower A-arm on the driver's side with the vehicle on the ground when you attempt to turn the vehicle to the right. The damage on the A-arm was the only thing that was letting the steeroids tie rod clear in the first place. After looking at it some more, the rack was actually in crooked this whole time, and mirrors almost exactly what Twin_Turbo in the following thread describes.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...pointment.html

I've been going back and forth with Speed Direct about this for almost 2 weeks now.

I installed this kit in 2003, which makes mine an early kit. They have changed the brackets over the years to address issues like this, and they want to charge me for replacement brackets. Part of me understands this a little, but part of me is also thinking, what the hell, this never would have worked in the first place if my lower control arm wasn't damaged. What do you guys think? I'm kind of hesitant to dump any more money into this kit.

ddawson

So it does not sit in the center like this with room to move left and right?



Maybe they can work out a deal if send your old ones back they can discount the brackets.

Steve Straus

It does that, and more.



They just called me back and are giving me 50% off on the brackets. It's still going to be like $150 when all is said and done, which is kind of irritating for a kit that I spent over a grand on to begin with, but we live and learn.

This is the damage on the arm that made me not want to put it back in.





Passenger Side tie rod clearance



Drivers side tie rod clearance

Dodosmike

I'm going to check my steeroids. I don't recall seeng that issue installing it.

Your frame square?

Dodosmike

Steve Straus

As far as I can tell. It doesn't dog track, always aligned just fine and nothing really looks weird. Car has never been wrecked as far as I know.

Raphiki

How long has that damage been there? That must have been one hell-of-a rock!

Steve Straus

Since before I owned it. Possibly before I was born. This car didn't move much since the mid 70's until I got it according to the previous owner, but who knows.

68-427Rich

Is that rack the one used on Cavalier, Grand AM, Beretta, etc.?

Steve Straus

That's my understanding.

mrvette

Yes, I got lucky in a Upickit junkyard, got a fresh rebuilt/new? rack from a '92 Grand am, even had the engine out.....this was winter 01-02.....I fabbed up my own mounts easy do far as I"m concerned, nice to have a cross support on the upper A arms though....the pass side is simple as pie, and the drivers side is just as easy....all I needed to make the lateral play on that input/left end was disappear was to take a diagonal steel bar from near the bottom of the bracket and back up at nearly a 45* angle to the forward outer bolt of the old power steering ram bracket on the bottom of the frame....I did it with just TWO universal joints that I made up from a bunch I bought from various vehicles for twenty bux, so like doing a driveshaft, I popped out the universals and greased them, putting together what was necessary to mate up the steering column to the input on the rack, the rack was tilted forward a lot to get the steering input up in the air far as possible, needed to cut a crescent out of the rear lower portion of the engine mount horn, up next to the frame......the output has unequal tie rods 19" and 21" because I did not want to put any clumsy long brackets on the rack due to torque/wear possibilities.... so the block I had made up was done at a local machine shop, bolts right on to the rack and uses stock tie rod ends not those open heim joints....all I did was cut the stock sleeves, drill them through the sides in a few spots, insert a 9/16 steel rod, and had it welded up by my buddy who did the mounts for me.....then we sleeved over with more tubing for weather/rust protection....

I can supply diagrams for the mounts if anyone wants, PM me....I will need your email though...