Solid-solid/rack-and-pinion contingency

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Bret Schmerker
I finally get the smurf thing
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Solid-solid/rack-and-pinion contingency

Post by Bret Schmerker »

:-k I've seen fit to draw up a new contingency powertrain for my M11006. Ford Motor Company used to manufacture high-pinion 8" axles for the F-100, F-150 and Bronco (possibly the Ranger); don't know whether Currie Enterprises supports the high-pinion 8. The rack-and-pinion steering I envision for this contingency is actually inspired by the state of the art in Class 7 and 8 heavy-duty trucks; some builders direct-mount a steering rack to the 12,500# GWR 8"-drop beam steer axle, with the column shaft reaching the pinion via U-joints and a telescoping section. And y'all know about the rear Currie 9" full-float I mentioned in other articles. Of course, if the HP8 is unavailable, dual nines are a fallback, having been used on the F-150 and Bronco. The simplest way to build the solid-solid/R&P would be on a full-length set o' rails from Chris Alston Engineering (Stockton, CA, USA) designed to take the M-body unit-body on the stock-rubbers' studs and packing 2" receivers integrated into the first and last crossmembers, using multileaves fore and aft (shackles away from the transfer case). Power for the rack-and-pinion would be convenient enough with extension hoses to the existing hydraulics; the pump and divorced reservoir came stock my M11006 along with the Hydro-Boost for the brakes; and I can fab a telescope steering shaft, using Spicer joint at the end of the stock column and the pinion flange. Besides the brake hydraulics, electricals and powertrain plumbing, is there anything I'm apt to miss?
1997 GMC M11006 (Safari SLE, 2WD, V6-4300/4L60-E/7.625" 3.73:1 open)
Acquired Jul 2018 / In service Sep 2018 - Nov 2022 / down due leaky valve(s) #5 cyl.
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