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  #1  
Old November 20th 2005, 00:11
PJL54Oval PJL54Oval is offline
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Rack and pinon retrofit

Anyone here replace the steering on a 71/72 with a rack setup? I'm putting mine back on the road and would like to consider this modification.
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Old November 25th 2005, 00:02
Supa Ninja Supa Ninja is offline
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I've heard of guys doing that, '75 and on Supers have rack and pinion stock. I've heard of guys using 914 steering racks as well.
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  #3  
Old November 25th 2005, 14:49
JIMP JIMP is offline
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Hello,
I have some fotos of modification from box to rack but I don;t know how to post them. If somebody is willing to do this for me I could send the fotos to his e-mail. Hope for the fotos to be helpful

Jim
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Old November 28th 2005, 12:32
PJL54Oval PJL54Oval is offline
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Here are the photos. Could you explain what each is showing.


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Old November 28th 2005, 12:33
PJL54Oval PJL54Oval is offline
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Old November 28th 2005, 12:34
PJL54Oval PJL54Oval is offline
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Old November 28th 2005, 12:35
PJL54Oval PJL54Oval is offline
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Old November 28th 2005, 15:48
Supa Ninja Supa Ninja is offline
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I have a couple of questions. What did that rack come out of or is it aftermarket? And is that a pre '75 1302/03?
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  #9  
Old November 29th 2005, 08:33
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Steve C Steve C is offline
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Hi

I fitted one to a 1302.

It’s a hard job but I believe the benefits are worth it. First find a 75 1303 that has a rack fitted. Take some measurements to get an accurate idea where the rack will bolt to the chassis rails. This is important because the inner guard has some stiffening in it that weaves around the stock steering box and idler arm mounting points.

There is a cross brace that needs to be removed that runs across the base of the spare wheel well. The depression in the 1302 chassis that the rack fits into is not deep enough so you need to make this depression much deeper. I heated mine and flattened it down with a mallet. If I ever did again I would cut the section out and weld ½ circle of heavy wall tubing in there. The job on my car was made a little easier because I have no spare wheel well as it has been removed to fit a radiator. To hold the rack in place you will need to fit some captive nuts in the chassis rail, I just cut a slit in the outer side of the inner guard, fitted some captive nuts and then re-welded the slit. I have seen these mountings fitted another way, make some sturdy 90-degree brackets to bolt to the existing the stock steering box and idler arm mounting points and then the rack can bolt to these.

The 1303 steering shaft will also hit about ½ way along so the body will need a small amount of clearancing.

Steve

PS, who ever owns the photos above, could you please tell us more about the lock stops you have installed?
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Old November 29th 2005, 16:50
JIMP JIMP is offline
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Hello all,

sorry for the late answer but i was extremely busy.
About PJL54Oval's post-

fotos 1,2,3 fixing of the rack on passenger's site with the modification to accept the std 1303 steering shock absorber
foto 4 the hole needs to get bigger as in the std hole the shaft should hit the body tin (as Steve mentions)
fotos 5,8 fixing on the driver side with the lock stop visible and the wheel-body clearance achieved with it's help
fotos 6,7 In every way a tight fit!!!
fotos 9,10,11 ixing on drivers side

About Supa Ninja post-

It's a standard 1303 75' rack, reconditioned and modificated in the points of fixing the absorber and the lock stops. The car is a 1973 1303 (with steering box). For economy reasons, the rack is exactly the same as the Audi 80 or VW Passat (same lenght, diameter, working direction order, fixing of the steering arms) less the fixing points themselfs (which very easily can be converted to fit) and the drive axle fixing channels (requires a slight different shaft, also easily obtainable). Didn't check the drive ratio though between the two

About Steve C post-

The procedure for me was as you mention on your post. Two points though to mark: My car had already the depression on the body AND the holes WITH threads for the fixing exactly below the cross brace that has to be removed, so it was relatively easy for me to do it. BUT in a second 1303 car (probably with 1302 chassis?) none of the above were present so I had to fabricate them. The nuts worked the same way as you and the chassis job went in the second way you mention: First I cut the entire spare wheel well, I cut the chassis and rewelded (with interior strenghtening) to fabricate the depression and then I rewelded the well. So those minor?? details in my opinion should be considered before starting anything. About the lock stops, on the passenger side is easily obtainable as there is a cap of about 20mm which can be drilled and tapped. For the driver side the cap is made of thin tin, so I had to replace it also with a thicker cap to be possible to tap it to accept threads. The locks are 10mm allen bolts without head. So the only way to do it right is to have the rack dismantled.

As a general feeling, the steering is very strict (not any suspision of dead movement) very fast from side to side (don;t remember exactly but for sure less turns comp. with the box) and very light on the still turning: with a 225 tyre A LOT easier than a good box with 165 tyre. No info though on the street because the car isn't running yet. Hope to find out soon!

Friendly

Jim

PS - I did my best with my English, hope you get what I writed!!
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  #11  
Old November 29th 2005, 23:32
Supa Ninja Supa Ninja is offline
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Jim your English was superb, thanks for the reply (as the wheels turn in my head for another possible upgrade )

Nick
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  #12  
Old November 30th 2005, 14:17
PJL54Oval PJL54Oval is offline
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Yes Jim, your english is better than some floks I know who have lived here in the states for many years! Thank you so much as well as everyone else on this post. I am going to be searching for the rack, either the 1303 or the Audi/Passat. I am going to go at this conversion as a possible bolt on setup and will share any patterns/part numbers I come up with.
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Old April 30th 2006, 11:48
marzano marzano is offline
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Can I use steering rack in a 67 bug?
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  #14  
Old May 1st 2006, 01:09
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volkdent volkdent is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marzano
Can I use steering rack in a 67 bug?

Only if you want to do this:

Double Wishbone Conversion

or your converting to a Super Mac Strut set-up. The rack doesn't work with the steering angles created with the trailing arm setup.

Jason
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  #15  
Old September 19th 2006, 03:43
redhot redhot is offline
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Cant get the pictures above to work. Anyone have them and could repost them?

Going to buy a superbeetle. Choosing between a 1302, 1303 without rack or wait for a 1303 with rack

What would you guys prefer? Is it worth it to not retrofit the rack into the 1302/1303 or should I go for the most rust free and healthy chassis/body and graft in the rack eventually?

My blog: http://jtwe.skyblogs.be
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