Chevy & GMC Vans

That Skips the trick !!!!

Digging up this post again. Since my steering box is loose, and I will be mucking around installing a V-8 this spring, I figured now is as good of a time as any to do this mod. So Skip used a '98 Mustang rack and Rebel used a '94 (according to his sig), so I got that range of 'stangs to look for at least. I'll be grabbing a rack from the j/y, so other than the rack, do I grab the hoses and the steering shaft too? Is there any other parts I should grab from the donor?

Skip or Rebel, do you have a pic of just the rack mount welded on w/o the rack in place? I saw the pics of the mount in pieces and once it's all together and mounted, but none of just the mounts attached. I was just wondering on the exact placement of the mounts.

Thanks in advance, hope to have R&P installed soon.

-Andrew

Andrew,,,,good luck on the mod. No,,I don't have any pics of mounts only installed,,just the parts pic and after install. On your hoses,,,you'll have to go from a Ford to GM fitting which all I did was cut the Ford tubing and soldered the GM fitting on that goes to pump. You won't need any other Ford parts from donor car that I remember,,,isn't that right Skip. Think it's mentioned,,,you'll need to take the stops out of each end of the rack,,small plastic round pieces if I remember correctly which will allow more turn radius that is needed. You'll also need to shave the top of the spindle arm to allow room for tie rod end to be installed. Good luck and other than that,,,think that's about it.

anybody have a copy of smiliesafari's instruction sheet for this? im trying to investigate whether or not i can do this on an AWD. figured that sheet is a good place to start.

Think most all is on this thread and not an instruction sheet out there for this mod. All is scattered through this thread as we went through this mod.

This mod was a classic Larry, from the golden era of ASV...

Keith,,,,you're to kind but have to give credit to our man Skip down in the Sunshine State. He birthed this idea and was the first and my teacher. Miss the ol days,,,,do ya hear from Darren on the left side ?

Rebel wrote:Keith,,,,you're to kind but have to give credit to our man Skip down in the Sunshine State. He birthed this idea and was the first and my teacher. Miss the ol days,,,,do ya hear from Darren on the left side ?

Yep, full credit to Skip didn't mean to leave him out. Darren and I stay in touch thru FB and email...he seems to be doing well for himself and having fun. He mentioned he would be back to ASV

ok, so is there a certain set of years of mustang R&P that i should be looking for? i keep crawling around under the van and can see no reason at this time why this wouldnt be doable on an AWD.

nog00der wrote:ok, so is there a certain set of years of mustang R&P that i should be looking for? i keep crawling around under the van and can see no reason at this time why this wouldnt be doable on an AWD.

You would be the first (at least on this board) to do an AWD rack & pinion install... and many of us will be watching.

well im just sick of buying pitman arms. although this will prolly have to wait until i figure out if i can make some custom CV axles to work, with real inner CV joints. gonna check out some 930 CV joints at my local off road shop and try to mate them to the inner shaft...

I followed Skip's lead on choice but I went with 94 GT unit and if not mistaken,,,the GT unit has a wider turn radious but still need to remove the plastic stops from inside each end which will give you required radious/

Smiliesafari wrote:Some things to consider:
1...The rack must be from a vehicle of close to equal weight of an Astro/Safari.

Just starting to think out loud here (dangerous I know!) about R&P on my AWD. My immediate concern is whether the Mustang unit and the Voyager tierods will hold up to off road abuse and large tires?

Also wondering if the inner tierod ends will have enough articulation for full travel of the suspension.

and does a Mustang really weigh as much as an astro? What's in those things??

photo_van wrote:

Smiliesafari wrote:Some things to consider:
1...The rack must be from a vehicle of close to equal weight of an Astro/Safari.

Just starting to think out loud here (dangerous I know!) about R&P on my AWD. My immediate concern is whether the Mustang unit and the Voyager tierods will hold up to off road abuse and large tires?

Also wondering if the inner tierod ends will have enough articulation for full travel of the suspension.

and does a Mustang really weigh as much as an astro? What's in those things??

You just keep thinking out loud my friend! I can tell you this for certain, if I was RWD I would be R&P for sure. That is such a boss mod. Yes that was a nod to the 'Stang.
1994 gt curb wt 3452lbs
1999 GMC Safari curb wt 4428lbs

how about keeping it in the family with a R&P from a 1500 Silverado or Express? 4463 pounds and our tierod ends "might" just screw right on. May have to shorten the tierods some. http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detai ... &ppt=C0031