Power Rack for straight axle trucks

MountainMoparRobin · Post by **MountainMoparRobin** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 11:53 am

Well through last year, I had at one point entertained the idea of putting a Rack on the straight axle for power steering, I don't know if the company read my post but they did it

go to http://www.nolimit.net click on powersteering and here is my idea exactly

now in production

MountainMoparRobin · Post by **MountainMoparRobin** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 11:55 am

and some said it couldn't be done

TedWitt · Post by **TedWitt** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 3:58 pm

I asked the question if this could be done a few weeks ago and got no response. I'm wondering, would the rack and pinion bolt to the axle on the back side?

zdatdodge · Post by **zdatdodge** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 4:55 pm

It looks pretty good but then when I look at the price and and a disc brake convesion it just makes we want to wait until I can do a whole ifs conversion while Im at it.

I was also looking at the air ride kit. Will that work on our front axles and help with the ride quality a significant amount?

TedWitt · Post by **TedWitt** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 5:58 pm

I put 235/75/15 radials on mine and run them at 32psi, the pressure is supposed to be 35psi. The only think is it's hard to turn going really slow or sitting still, parking is a bugger, but it rides good. That's why I'm thinking of power rack n pinion steering.

fosh69 · Post by **fosh69** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:06 pm

I'm glad they finally got it done. I've been dying to know what the cost would be... earlier this year I read an article on a 195? Ford that the owner wanted to keep the straight axle and nolimit was doing the custom build...(in one of the classic truck mags). Anyway... I emailed nolimit and asked them about kits for other straight axle trucks and at that time they had their kit available for the fords, but nothing else.

Soon after that, the kit went into "available soon" satus and now it seems to be for all straight axle trucks. I'm thinking they got bombarded with requests like mine and had to go back to the drawing board, because on their inital email reply they told me they probably wouldn't do anything for Dodge trucks... I replied saying I'd do the R&D myself and figure out how to use their current kit (at the time) on my Dodge axle... of course I didn't get very far, but I was hoping there would be enough people requesting a universal kit. Now that it's here... my truck is gonna get it after I have Dave Mann in Phx drop my axle... at least that's my plan

Sure, it may cost more than an IFS, but hey... I want R&P on a straight axle.

MountainMoparRobin · Post by **MountainMoparRobin** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:43 am

yes the rack will mount were you currently have your drag link and bolt up to the axle, then they have the telescope tube (just like in the 2000-up Mustangs) so when your doing your drive it moves with the axle. Yes I read your post, I didn't respond for a year or so ago when I brought up the Rack, it recieved alot of negativity, saying it wouldn't work, so instead of getting a big debate going I just let it go

The airbags can be put on the front, some of the kits would eliminate the leafs and use like a 4 link system, with the airbags no need for leafs anymore, they have more load capacity than the leafs, as far as the ride quality??? never ridden in a just bag, truck to see, but everyone claims the ride is better???
I don't see how the rack, and drop axle is close or more than the IFS???? the rack $649 and drop $480.00 and the least exspensive Mustang II is 1600.00, plus you have to buy rims that are 1" offset, so and a few hundred more. the rack and drop is still cheaper. plus you could get a usuable rack at the yard.

cudajimmy · Post by **cudajimmy** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 6:00 am

Looks like this will probably be the p/s kit of the future.

zdatdodge · Post by **zdatdodge** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 5:34 pm

I was thinking more like
rack system 649
drop 480
air bags 300?
disk brakes 350?
plus odds and ends?
and still no ifs
how significant is the no ifs? i dunno
Id go with a Scotts suspenion anyways so more like 2500 but it really is nice.

RH62 · Post by **RH62** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 10:16 pm

i dont know what you guys are talking about.... dodge is not one of the trucks that they list a kit for at nolimit. Available for: '47-54 Chevy Pickup; '55-59 Chevy Pickup; '48-52 Ford F-1; '53-56 Ford F-100; '57-60 Ford F-100

soopernaut · Post by **soopernaut** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:48 am

RH62 wrote:i dont know what you guys are talking about.... dodge is not one of the trucks that they list a kit for at nolimit. Available for: '47-54 cheby Pickup; '55-59 cheby Pickup; '48-52 ferd F-1; '53-56 ferd F-100; '57-60 ferd F-100

Would any of these trucks have an axle that is about the same as ours?
In the magazine with BigDad's truck they install a drop axle in a late 50s Chevrolet. I don't see why something like this wouldn't work in a Sweptline. The parts would be cheaper for these more popular applications too.

TedWitt · Post by **TedWitt** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 7:35 pm

It looks like i'm gonna have to take some measurements and go to Pick-A-Part and take some more measurements and clear this up.

MountainMoparRobin · Post by **MountainMoparRobin** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 4:54 am

Well we already know a 78 ThunderBird rack will work for this truck has one

and it has the exact same wheel width as the regular draglink, I first got the idea when I saw the powerrack from a Sundance laying on the shop floor, had the worker measure it for me, I couldn't believe it looked as the exact length of our existing drag link, it came out to 48 1/2 with no tierod ends, If your not into doing something that no one else has done, like if you need direction and un-insprired to do something, then don't try it. If you like something because it comes in a kit, then wait and do it another way, cause you've got to be able to plan it and see it in your mind, other than that wait and someone will come out with a kit with directions.

CLIFF · Post by **CLIFF** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:45 pm

MountainMoparRobin wrote: If your not into doing something that no one else has done, like if you need direction and un-insprired to do something, then don't try it. If you like something because it comes in a kit, then wait and do it another way, cause you've got to be able to plan it and see it in your mind, other than that wait and someone will come out with a kit with directions.

well said! Im thinking the DIGDOUG way is a pretty good option also, Mid 80's Ford truck powerbox

its probably about the same amount of work. Wouldnt need the telescoping shaft either.

CLIFF · Post by **CLIFF** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:49 pm

MountainMoparRobin wrote:Well we already know a 78 ThunderBird rack will work for this truck has one

Man thats the stance i want to acomplish. So this truck still has a striaght axle in it with a thunderbird rack and pinion??...Any clue on how he got the front down so low??

MountainMoparRobin · Post by **MountainMoparRobin** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 2:46 pm

No CLIFF that truck still has the Sweptline frame, but, but, he did just as I would if I was going to do IFS, keep our frame and just weld the needed parts to it, just like the "C" body cars-there frame is the exact width, there only difference is they have IFS.
That truck used the 78 T bird rack because very little done to make the tie rod ends work and the tire to tire width is the same as stock

There are a few powersteering options now, I'm going to power steering and fliping the axle and shortening the pitman arm so no "bumpsteer" and Disc brakes

bearstoys · Post by **bearstoys** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 7:53 pm

hey guys got a power @#% steering on my 68 camper special dont who put it in butit is looks like a ferd system off a granda small ferd 2 door made late 75 or early 76 with 302 got some pics of mind if you want to see

TedWitt · Post by **TedWitt** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 9:31 pm

Put some pics on so we can see.

RH62 · Post by **RH62** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 10:26 pm

i emailed no limit and asked if they had a kit for my d100.... heres what i got.

Rich,
I am sorry, we do not make anything for a Dodge.

Good Luck on your project.
NLE

just figures.....

If your not into doing something that no one else has done, like if you need direction and un-insprired to do something, then don't try it. If you like something because it comes in a kit, then wait and do it another way, cause you've got to be able to plan it and see it in your mind, other than that wait and someone will come out with a kit with directions.

Not everyone that has a dodge sweptline has fabrication or mechanical experiance. That doesnt mean that they dont want power steering! Who woudlnt want a profesionaly fabricated setup for there truck?

Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 5:45 am Post subject: Re: Power Rack

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MountainMoparRobin wrote:
If your not into doing something that no one else has done, like if you need direction and un-insprired to do something, then don't try it. If you like something because it comes in a kit, then wait and do it another way, cause you've got to be able to plan it and see it in your mind, other than that wait and someone will come out with a kit with directions.

well said! Im thinking the DIGDOUG way is a pretty good option also, Mid 80's ferd truck powerbox

its probably about the same amount of work. Wouldnt need the telescoping shaft either.

Cliff the setup your talking about is a kit. That is the protech kit that they no longer make.

MountainMoparRobin · Post by **MountainMoparRobin** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 4:12 am

RH62,
I put that there because this swap is going to take the measure and fabrication to make it work, one could take what NoLimit has and make it work, wait for awhile longer maybe by February I will have the Toyota box mounted, its the easiest of all, and an adapter plate, along with a pitman arm, and it will just bolt in

Sweptline.ORG