Steering Rack Identification Help

[Nick.Jayjock]

I need some help identifying what kind/brand steering rack we have in the garage and have been designing around.

Here is a pic from our rack.
https://twitter.com/#!/UK_Raci...658844913665/photo/1 (https://twitter.com/#!/UK_Racing/status/185403658844913665/photo/1)
Here is a similar pic (assume its the same rack) from WWU's 09 car.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh...tSSGa0N7G-fkicIRHbmQ (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/mPtSSGa0N7G-fkicIRHbmQ)

Ran into a problem with a Borgeson steering part that was supposed to be 5/8-36spline, however didn't fit. Trying to determine if this is an issue with the rack or adapter. 5/8-36 ARE the measurements on the rack I measured however, the adapter was about ~1/16 (this is from memory, already returned the part) to small for the male end on the rack.

From my research, my best guess is a Strange Engineering Dragster rack. Can someone confirm this?
If anyone can help me out on this it would be greatly appreciated.

-Nick

[Nick.Jayjock]

I need some help identifying what kind/brand steering rack we have in the garage and have been designing around.

Here is a pic from our rack.
https://twitter.com/#!/UK_Raci...658844913665/photo/1 (https://twitter.com/#!/UK_Racing/status/185403658844913665/photo/1)
Here is a similar pic (assume its the same rack) from WWU's 09 car.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh...tSSGa0N7G-fkicIRHbmQ (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/mPtSSGa0N7G-fkicIRHbmQ)

Ran into a problem with a Borgeson steering part that was supposed to be 5/8-36spline, however didn't fit. Trying to determine if this is an issue with the rack or adapter. 5/8-36 ARE the measurements on the rack I measured however, the adapter was about ~1/16 (this is from memory, already returned the part) to small for the male end on the rack.

From my research, my best guess is a Strange Engineering Dragster rack. Can someone confirm this?
If anyone can help me out on this it would be greatly appreciated.

-Nick

[mech5496]

Looks really similar to the Stilleto rack we used back in 2008, I think it was bought from Chassis Shop... Not quite sure though. Take some quick measurements on the main dimensions so I can confirm we have the same rack.

EDIT: Take a look here... http://secure.chassisshop.com/partlist/6108/

[Nick.Jayjock]

Chassis shop sounds right. I know the old team (5 years ago) bought a lot through the chassis shop so this is highly likely. Even so, here are the dimensions .

Thanks for the help!

Case Dimensions - Aluminum Part
Pinion Case 2.75in depth
Bolt Mount Depth 1.25in
Mount Width 2 in
Max Width 2.5 in

[mech5496]

Our pinion case depth is 1.75in, are you sure you didn't make a typo?! Everything else matches, except the max width which I cannot measure (the rack is on the car) but seems about right.

[scruff.mcguff]

Nice picture, that's right off my Google Page. That steering rack is actually off the 2008 Western Michigan University car I worked on. We had two racks exactly like that which were made by SWEET MFG out of Kalamazoo, MI however they stopped making these small mechanical racks a while back.

The team bought a couple in the past from ChassisShop.com and DesertKarts.com. ChassisShop has an exact replacement for us so you should be able to find what you need there (the picture you have looks just like their stock picture on the website). Ours definitely isn't 2.75" in depth though unless you are measuring from the edge of the pinion.

If you want a good set of spine adapters for your rack, take a look at SWEET MFG (website - sweetmfg.biz). They supply to Lane Automotive and dozens of other warehouses around the company. For FSAE teams they will help you out if you give them a call. We usually buy a couple of their U-Joints for the small stiletto racks and cut/weld them just to salvage the spline since we know it works.

[Nick.Jayjock]

Thanks mech and scruff!

Depth was a typo. it is 1.75.
http://t.co/I5jZk7O2

Greatly appreciate the info and I'll take a look into Sweetmfg and see what I can find.

[Dr Tron]

a quick note on that style rack,

a design judge mentioned to me that he prefers if a rack is mounted NOT in some built up center mounting location due to the high forces concentrated at one point. Soem people take racks like that and mount them at both ends modifying them to mount to the frame rails. From what I hear they prefer that.

[Bhaskar]

Dr Tron, can you please send me any photo of mounting rack(at both ends to frame rails) at this email - bhaskar2choudhary@gmail.com