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ShelGame
01-31-2006, 11:32 AM
OK, I posted this a while back on TD.com, but this seems like a really good place to put the info on TM.

I wanted to convert my Daytona to manual steering to save weight and a little power. Finding a rebuilt manual rack was no problem. I got mine off of eBay for $50 shipped. They come up from time to time. You can even get a rebuilt one from Napa or the like, but for significantly more money.

The problem is, the manual rack uses a unique coupler (different from the power racks). And, the coupler is not available new from Mopar (or anywhere else). I searched the boneyards for a used one (even through an on-line search). And came up with nothing. So, I did a little research into our manual coupler. It turns out, the rack spline is common with the Pinto/Mustang II manual rack (9/16" OD x 26 splines). And, there are a ton of aftermarket, steel and aluminum couplers available that fit that spline. But, the upper portion of the u-joint is obviously different. As luck would have it, the u-joint and needle bearings just happen to be the same as stock in several of the aftermarket couplers. So, it's simply a matter of carefully dis-assembling both the Chrysler and aftermarket coupler U-joints, and then putting the aftermarket lower end on the Chrysler upper end.

The coupler I bought was made by Borgesson, but there are others. The Borgesson uses the same Torrington needle bearing (P/N 59500) and "T" as the stock Chrysler part. I think they must be standard Torrington parts. The Borgesson coupler does not have the "D" feature on the spline that the rack has. But, that won't keep the coupler from going onto the rack. It will, however, make it harder to center your steering. You will have to carefully find the center of the rack, and center the steering wheel before slipping the coupler onto the rack. The "D" takes care of that in the stock coupler. The set-screw on the Borgesson coupler fits perfectly into the groove previously used for the roll pin.

The bearings for the Chrysler coupler are staked in place. Which makes them difficult to remove. Since I had no need for the bottom yoke when I was done, I disassembled the original Chrysler u-joint by simply cutting the bottom yoke loops. That left the "T" and bearings attached to the original upper. The Borgesson coupler also was staked together (you can see the stake divets in the pictures). But, in this case, I needed the lower yoke to be re-useable. So, I carefully ground the stake divets with my dremel tool. Once they were ground down far enoguh, I pushed out the bearings with a similarly sized socket and hammer. A press would be better, but I didn't have access to one at the time. There are also aftermarket couplers that hold the bearings in place with a small screw. Which would be much easier to use for this conversion. After I had the lower yoke free, I put the Borgesson lower onto the Chrysler upper and staked it back together. Make sure to take all of the side play out of the bearings. If you don't, it will show up as steering wheel slop.

That's basically it. I didn't take enough pictures of the conversion. It went too fast. I had the new coupler together and on the car in less than an hour. I do have some pics of the completed installation that I'll dig up and post later.

ShelGame
01-31-2006, 11:27 PM
Here's a pic of the completed coupler installed. Hmm, it looks a lot less filthy in person...

METZ
02-03-2006, 11:15 PM
Great job figuring out the coupler. I was going to go with manual steering on my Rampage. How hard is the steering with the manual, or is not that much different?

ShelGame
02-04-2006, 01:31 AM
Don't know yet. I'm sure it's more difficult. But, I don't care - my car is track only now...

Opticon
02-06-2006, 02:16 PM
Any chance you might know the size and spline count on the old power rack coupler? I'm looking to install a steering quickener on my power rack and I need a coupler to mate the quickener and the rack. Thanks.

ShelGame
02-06-2006, 02:32 PM
The power rack coupler (for the Daytona anyway) is a 3/4" x 36 tooth spline. The L-Bodies might be different...

Opticon
02-06-2006, 03:29 PM
When you say 3/4"-36 (0.750") could it possibly be 0.735"-36? That's the closest I could find and would be great if it fit. That's the standard size of the 1.5:1 Steering quickener I'm looking at.

ShelGame
02-07-2006, 10:54 AM
Probably. The nominal OD for a spline is rarely the same as the actual OD. They're undercut a little so that you can slide the mating coupler on easily.

Rattlesnake
02-07-2006, 11:38 PM
When I coverted to manual rack I bought it from napa and they also got me the coupler, It took hard work to find it but they found it.:thumb:

Keito
02-21-2006, 07:41 AM
When I coverted to manual rack I bought it from napa and they also got me the coupler, It took hard work to find it but they found it.:thumb:

Part number???

Ondonti
02-21-2006, 10:41 PM
I would like to throw a manual rack into my P body. The PS pump is ripped out of the car and I dont want to fix it for a drag car. THere are a few 95 neons in the yards around here with manual steering.

Will this coupler conversion work for that?

Reeves
07-11-2008, 03:30 PM
L-body guys take caution.

The input shaft of the power steering rack that came out of my GLH measured .730ish" x 36 spline.

The input shaft of the manual (which is in the car now) if I remember right was a 17 spline.

2.216VTurbo
07-12-2008, 12:03 AM
Nice work Rob:thumb: A G body with manual steering and big sticky slicks is gonna be fun to turn at low speeds:D Good thing you're not autocrossing that rig:lol:

Mr.Mopar
11-28-2010, 07:41 PM
What manual rack did you use in your Daytona? I havent seen a manual rack listed anywhere for my 86.

ShelGame
11-28-2010, 08:30 PM
I got it off eBay; it was listed as being for an 80's K-Car (Reliant, Aries I guess).

mrbee64
11-28-2010, 11:05 PM
What manual rack did you use in your Daytona? I havent seen a manual rack listed anywhere for my 86.

I used one in my circle track car from a 88 daytona CARDONE Part # 231802
rockauto.

2.216VTurbo
11-29-2010, 09:41 AM
I used one in my circle track car from a 88 daytona CARDONE Part # 231802
rockauto.


Pics of the circle track set up!:eyebrows:

Reeves
11-29-2010, 03:35 PM
I used one in my circle track car from a 88 daytona CARDONE Part # 231802
rockauto.

Anybody have the part number for a manual rack for a van?

wallace
11-30-2010, 11:41 AM
Can you use any of the manual racks and just swap the tie rods at the rack end? I thought all of the housings were the same the difference was the length of the tie rods.

Reeves
11-30-2010, 11:44 AM
No, there is an L-body rack, a K-based rack, and then a Van rack. short, long, and longest respectively.

Keito
11-30-2010, 01:22 PM
You can send a power rack to Steer and Gear in Columbus Ohio and they'll
convert it to a manual, unfortunatly it will be the same ratio.
I think for around $200.
For my next GLHT project, I'm going to send them a regular Omni rack
to get converted.
Should be a little easier to turn than the Shelby rack.

csomni
11-30-2010, 11:03 PM
i want to get rid of my power stering on my daytona and glhs. whats the best ratio to get in a man stering

Reeves
12-01-2010, 09:46 AM
I have 22:1 in my OMNI and I love it.

R/T
12-01-2010, 11:26 AM
What we did to add the manual rack to RacinNathans Shadow:

Took the stock PS coupler (big shaft) and made a spacer sleeve to take up the space between it and the smaller manual steering shaft.

It is about 3" long - then had my pal Fabmaster Mike weld it all together - coupler to spacer, spacer to shaft.
We also added a "pinch" bolt to the roll pin hole for a second safety.

So now it's on there forever.... :nod:

Reeves
12-01-2010, 12:32 PM
What we did to add the manual rack to RacinNathans Shadow:

Took the stock PS coupler (big shaft) and made a spacer sleeve to take up the space between it and the smaller manual steering shaft.

It is about 3" long - then had my pal Fabmaster Mike weld it all together - coupler to spacer, spacer to shaft.
We also added a "pinch" bolt to the roll pin hole for a second safety.

So now it's on there forever.... :nod:

Did the exact same thing on Thad's "GodFather" LeBaron.