Unisteer rack problems!

[ilovefirstgens]

Well after waiting over a month after ordering the rack i finally got it yesterday. so today i went to install it after a while worked in the lca bolts and went to mount the rack and ran into the following problems.

1. the holes in the rack to mount to the sub are easily 1/2" too wide, ive spent the last 3 hours loosining one side then the other, just trying to squeeze it on, to no avail. Sny suggestions on that, im hesitant to drill out the holes as it is afterall the steering!

2. one of the banjo fittings on the rack goes just where a pan bolt on the ls1 does, so i ground the crap out of one of the stock bolts, it still didnt fit, so looks like ill be cutting a good part of the head off the banjo fitting as well.

Im about ready to take a hammer to this thing after 7 hours of work, on the plus side the radiator fits pretty well....

[nancejd]

Are the rack mounts seated against the subframe when you try and put the second bolt through? It was tight on mine, but it went through. Have you checked your frame to make sure it matches factory specs?

Can you push the LS-1 and trans back in the car at all? I don't think I would want to grind on the banjo fitting.

[Steve1968LS2]

What did Unisteer have to say?

[NovaPwr]

Well after waiting over a month after ordering the rack i finally got it yesterday. so today i went to install it after a while worked in the lca bolts and went to mount the rack and ran into the following problems.

1. the holes in the rack to mount to the sub are easily 1/2" too wide, ive spent the last 3 hours loosining one side then the other, just trying to squeeze it on, to no avail. Sny suggestions on that, im hesitant to drill out the holes as it is afterall the steering!

2. one of the banjo fittings on the rack goes just where a pan bolt on the ls1 does, so i ground the crap out of one of the stock bolts, it still didnt fit, so looks like ill be cutting a good part of the head off the banjo fitting as well.

Im about ready to take a hammer to this thing after 7 hours of work, on the plus side the radiator fits pretty well....



Mine took some persuasion as well. Because the LCA bolt holes are angled I clamped it as tight as I could with no bolts at all. Then I got one bolt in like one thread then started the other side. I even beveled the end of the bolts to help them start easier. Eventually I had to elongate one side of the mount hole about a 32nd of an inch. 1/2" sounds way too much though. Good luck with it.

[ilovefirstgens]

well after a lot of "negoitating" i got the rack to fit. (but theres some powdercoat missing....:hmm:

I had to pretty much grind off all of that oil pan bolt, and took off some of the material on the banjo fitting, but it'l work.

and i just put back on my old baers, and they look TINY behind the 18s... if anybody has some c6z brakes sittin around ill take them off your hands!

[justforfun]

Looks you gave up waiting on a possible GP. I am at least 8 months behind you on a similar project, so i have a little time. Which pan & motor mounts are you using? With all the mixed reviews about racks out there I will probably put my manual box back in till the last minute.

Keep us updated.

[steeryourite]

Sorry for the problems you had. Did you call us for assistance? Hanging the Camaro kit is a little tricky. You have to follow the direction very carefully. The lower control bolts are angled, so yohave to put in 1 bolt at a time. Also Ive seen some cross members have oblonged holes from worn out control arm bushings. My advise to anyone tha has installation problems please call us. Ive installed 6 of these myself, and have run into all kinds of interesting situation.
Dave Batke
Unisteer Performance

[mrfixit58]

Hi guys... new member here...

I purchased the Unitsteer for my 68 RS project and had simular difficulties as described above. I had new Poly bushings and still had to bevel the sides of the holes to get the longer bolts through the bracket. I also had to slot the left side motor mount bracket and move it forward slightly so the U-joint coupling would clear the motor mount bolt.

[Steve68]

And a friend of mine wants me to put a Rack unit in my car, I'm glad the steering box still bolts right in, sounds like you guys are having way to much trouble doing this, yikes,

[silver69camaro]

What did Unisteer have to say?

Ditto.

[OneslowZ28]

maybe im pointing out the obvious and i assume this was thought of but wasnt there 2 different widths on the racks for a mustang type rack? one being 15 1/2" and the other 16". when measuring the bolt hole do you measure them from the center of the hole to center or outside of the hole to outside?

[zuess4u]

The problem a lot of people are having with LCA bolts is not un common, but like someone stated, the rack has to flush to get then started. Keep in mind some of us are swapping these racks in with the whole front end/engine/trans/radiator, this makes for a little tighter work space.

Another note that most of us know, is that GM had two different sized motor mounts, one set was taller or shorter then the other, and wider, could be for big block verses small blocks, but regardless GM sorta threw them into the mix and were not always specific.

This could contribute to oil pan clearances with the rack installed.

If you read the directions Unisteer provides, its pretty clear about the LCA bolts, its not to say its easy, but if you follow them as close as you can, you may be suprised.

I have not been on the site in a while, but I still havent heard any feedback from how this rack performs, and was it worth the trouble.

Ours is in and funtional, but we have not driven the car yet.

And as far as a GP, I started one a while back, if anyone is interested, PM me and Ill speak with Dave and see if he might want to do it again.

[Jinks]

"one bolt at a time" haha i guess i need to pay better attention.. that makes sense.. the only thing is.. im having one other problem.. it seems like hte lip on my frame sticks out to far and the rack is going to hit it ( the spacers arent big enough ) the steering linkage is really close to my engine mount as well.. ill see what happens when i actually get the thing seated properly though!

man LCA bolts are hard to get back in when you've never done it before.. they say to just hammer one through and back through again the other way.. but you just dont have any room to hammer anything with the front crossmember being where it is.. doesnt help that i had my coils in still :D

[MrQuick]

I know this is old but its good for others that might have problems.

I haven't read the instructions but we had to remove and install a set up. I found that if you back out both bolts till they are flush with the frame then fit the rack bracket up to the frame hold it there and have someone slowly and equaly tap the bolt through the frame and the rack bracket. I used an old extension and socket to tap the bolt back through.

You might have to trim the lip or the frame abit. Use the bracket as a template. Also check to see if your braket holes line up with the bolts pushed back flush with the frame.

Start all necassary bolts, spacers and nuts then tighten evenly.

[Jinks]

my rack is creaming my motor mount.. cant figure out why.. its a good inch into the motor mount where the banjo fitting WILL go on... ( its hitting without any fittings on )

anyone else have this problem?

[restomodbird69]

i have a 69 firebird and i installed the unisteer rack with no troubles.i am using the enrgy suspesion motor mounts and it all fits good.i also have hedman 2 1/8 headers on and as soon as i get the body back i will finish it of.if you want i will take a close up pic of my clearance for you

[Jinks]

that would be awesome..!

[MrQuick]

clam shell mount with bop Jinks?

[Jinks]

i dunno it's just the stock mount in the stock location! something funny is going on.

[Jinks]

ok so I DO have clamshell mounts on here... Can i just change to the other "early model" gm mounts? is the bolt pattern the same? Can i still buy everything i need new? ( the part that bolts to the block and the part that bolts to the frame )

The guy at unisteer said to try different engine mounts, or just shim up the ones i have.. Id love to say it will just need new mounts :D

any suggestions? anyone have any pictures of a nova with the non clam shell mounts???

thanks
kevin

[MrQuick]

you can actually trim the lower edge of the upper mount (shell) to fit. Its not the torque side. send pictures to [email protected]