Something wrong with DSE rack!!

[Z06vet]

This was what I was trying to say in my earlier posts, but did not word it as well as Steve. Its at least worth spending some time double checking, as it took me making adjustments throughout a weekend before I got everything right on my old wayne due setup. I was able to get me DSE rack squared up in just one afternoon moving a spline at a time. There could still be a problem with your rack, but you can confirm it by doing what steve explained. I know you can get it sorted out.

[badazz81z28]

So do you all have even threads exposed on your set-ups? If the rack is center on the frame, the steering is centered, wouldn't the exposed threads be the same?

[TheJDMan]

So do you all have even threads exposed on your set-ups? If the rack is center on the frame, the steering is centered, wouldn't the exposed threads be the same?

Please don't assume you will end up with the same amount of thread exposed on each tie rod, you may or may not it just depends on a lot of parts that make up the entire steering system. To be honest, I never measured to see how much tie rod thread I have exposed because it's just not important. But in order to answer your question I went out to the garage and roughly measured my tie rods. One is showing 2 1/4" of thread and the other 2 3/8" and like I said it does not matter because my rack is centered and I have the same amount of travel left and right and that is what does matter. My steering column and alignment are both based on this center position of the rack. What I know to be a fact is that if you have more travel in one direction than the other your rack is not centered.

I'm not trying to be an A-hole, I'm simply trying to get you going down the right track. By trying to maintain equal tie rod threads(which is meaningless), you are setting up a false center on the rack which you then want to compensate for by installing a limiter on one end.

I would also add that I personally got very little help from the DSE phone tech when I was trying to figure out this same issue a few years back. I drove the car nearly 5000 miles before the light bulb when on one day and I figured out why I had a shorter turning radius one direction than the other.

[badazz81z28]

Please don't assume you will end up with the same amount of thread exposed on each tie rod, you may or may not it just depends on a lot of parts that make up the entire steering system. To be honest, I never measured to see how much tie rod thread I have exposed because it's just not important. But in order to answer your question I went out to the garage and roughly measured my tie rods. One is showing 2 1/4" of thread and the other 2 3/8" and like I said it does not matter because my rack is centered and I have the same amount of travel left and right and that is what does matter. My steering column and alignment are both based on this center position of the rack. What I know to be a fact is that if you have more travel in one direction than the other your rack is not centered.

I'm not trying to be an A-hole, I'm simply trying to get you going down the right track. By trying to maintain equal tie rod threads(which is meaningless), you are setting up a false center on the rack which you then want to compensate for by installing a limiter on one end.

I would also add that I personally got very little help from the DSE phone tech when I was trying to figure out this same issue a few years back. I drove the car nearly 5000 miles before the light bulb when on one day and I figured out why I had a shorter turning radius one direction than the other.

It's not about about equal threads, but it is about an extreme difference to the point I have little thread engagement on the passenger side. I pulled both wheels off, and did the centering procedure. I have nearly 3" of exposed threads on the driver side and barely an inch on the other after adjusting. That's a far difference from your 5/16" difference. DSE set this rack and frame up. It started with 2-1/4" on each side...

[andrewb70]

Maybe you have the wrong inner tie rods...

Andrew

[badazz81z28]

Something Wacky is going on!! I drove the car yesterday after re-setting everything, straightened the steering wheel...and half way to work today and the steering wheel pops back off-set to the right and the tire is hitting the control arm again. Checked the tie-rods and they have not moved....WTH is going on! The rack is even making a little noise with turning slow.

[andrewb70]

Is the rack itself moving? I don't mean the tie rods, I mean the rack housing.

Andrew

[badazz81z28]

Is the rack itself moving? I don't mean the tie rods, I mean the rack housing.

Andrew

Ill check it out tonight. I dropped it off at the Base Firestone to get the alignment done again and see what happens. I guess the lifetime purchase is worth the money,,,,

[andrewb70]

........and half way to work today and the steering wheel pops back off-set to the right and the tire is hitting the control arm again. .....

Really the only way I see that happening is if the whole rack shifted....but how is that possible? Isn't it bolted down by big bolts to the front crossmember?

Andrew

[TheJDMan]

OK now I'm completely confused. In the first post you said you had 2.250" of thread showing on each tie rod. Now suddenly you have 3" on one side and 1" on the other?

[badazz81z28]

OK now I'm completely confused. In the first post you said you had 2.250" of thread showing on each tie rod. Now suddenly you have 3" on one side and 1" on the other?

I took the wheels off and did what you said. Turned the wheels all the way from lock to lock. Got 2.5 turns. Centered it and straightened the wheels back. Thsts what I now have for threads.

[dontlifttoshift]

The idea is to get the steering wheel centered on the rack. If your tie rod measurements vary that much, your steering wheel is not centered on the rack. If you have 2.5 turns lock to lock, your rack travel is perfect and you are not missing limiters.

I usually do this with the tie rods removed from the steering arms. It takes any outside interference out of the equation. With 2.5 turns lock to lock you will have 1.25 turns from center in each direction. So with the wheel centered, 1.25 turns each way. If you have more/less on one side than the other you have two options to correct it.

1. Reclock steering linkage. The rack is 3/4-36 spline, so each tooth gets you 10 degrees of steering wheel correction. Columns vary, not sure what yours is on the firewall side.

2. You can also reclock the steering wheel/hub at the top. This only works with an aftermarket column as the oem ignition lock ring will not allow easy clocking of the turn signal canceling cam. The nipple for the horn wiring must remain at the 10:30 position for the turn signal canceling cam to work properly.

[killer69]

if you can bring the car here we will figure it out, Firestone sure won't be able to.

[andrewb70]

if you can bring the car here we will figure it out, Firestone sure won't be able to.

This^^^

Andrew

[dhutton]

Speedtech offering to help with a DSE subframe. That's a heck of a lot more than DSE did...

Speaks volumes about the two companies IMHO...

Don

[badazz81z28]

Well headed to Reno today, so I'll have mess with it when I get back.

[MonzaRacer]

I know with stock parts there are usually mechanical stops other than the steering box, at least I know my Monte Carlo had them and other cars have them. But when you swap in lots of other parts those mechanical parts are gone. Then you depend on internal stops. So why not make some new stops out at steering knuckle/control arm.
I know Crown Vic front end has adjustable stops, they also grind and squeak when dry.
These are used to help set the cars up for different diameter and width rims. Kind of a fail safe over the steering box and they dont have to build multiple boxes between 15in, 16in,17in wheeled cars.