Steve Rose from KA Customs...
Steve Rose from KA Customs finished the steering system swap, including the hand-fabbed gussets, in about half a day.
When's the last time you looked underneath an early hot rod with a tube axle or I-beam axle and found rack-and-pinion steering? More likely, you saw a Vega box or Mustang box-but rack-and-pinion is now an option for rodders.
We've been hearing about the Cross Steer rack-and-pinion system from Unisteer Products ever since it was named Best New Product in the Street Rod/Custom Car category at the SEMA Show in 2003, but we had yet to watch a swap being done.
That changed when we found out that KA Customs was ready to install a Cross Steer system on Joe Torres' full-fendered '31 Model A sedan. The car was running a worn-out Mustang box and definitely overdue for an upgrade. Instead of replacing the box, Joe decided to go a different direction, to eliminate bump steer and lose some of the sloppy steering feeling sometimes associated with boxes.
The Cross Steer system, to put it simply, uses the mechanics of a rack-and-pinion, combined with the side-steering method of a box and drag link set-up. This one-sided rack mounts to the framerail on the driver side and a chrome steering tube (included) connects to the steering arm on the passenger side spindle; a tie rod connects right and left steering arms. The Cross Steer rack going on to Joe's '31 is designed as a direct replacement for a Vega box with a 6-inch pitman arm, and features a bracket pre-drilled to fit directly to the Vega box mounting bracket. Since the sedan was running a Mustang box, not a Vega box, the mounting bracket was welded to the frame instead and reinforced with a pair of custom-fabricated gussets, adding a tiny degree of difficulty to an otherwise simple installation.
As Kevin Francis at KA Customs pointed out, and the photos illustrate, this swap works best with a four-bar front suspension, so that the steering can run in between the upper and lower bars. Wishbones or hairpins would probably interfere with the tie rod and drag link. Otherwise, no suspension adjustments were required. If replacing a Vega box, the job might not require any steering column modifications, and you can probably retain the same U-joint as well. Of course, Unisteer recommends that you check your front suspension before making the swap, to ensure that you get the best performance.
In addition to '28-34 Ford applications, Unisteer also offers a '35-40 Cross Steer system. The package being used here came complete with the rack-and-pinion, coupler, chrome steering tube for use as the drag link, and hardware. The installation was a half-day job (at most) and required no special tools or talent, with the exception of some welding, which would not be necessary if replacing a Vega box. While a steering rack might not be the perfect look on a traditional open-wheel hot rod, it's virtually unnoticeable on a full-fendered car, and is an easy upgrade.
The old Mustang box has been...
The old Mustang box has been removed and the new Unisteer Cross Steer rack and pinion is ready to be installed. Note the three mounting holes on the bracket, which are the same as a Vega box bracket.
When removing the steering...
When removing the steering box, remember to secure the steering wheel and front wheels in a straight-ahead position. The tie rod that had been used with the box will be retained for use with the Cross Steer system.
This swap required a pair...
This swap required a pair of new steering arms, so Steve removed the existing arms from the spindles using a cut-off tool and then smoothed the spindle with an angle grinder.
In their place will go these...
In their place will go these deep drop steering arms from the Speedway Motors catalog, which will allow the drag link and tie rod clear the 4-link radius rods.
Steve pulled off the brakes...
Steve pulled off the brakes for easy access to the spindles before installing the replacement steering arms, which bolt from the outside of the spindles. The double-hole steering arm (shown here) goes on the passenger side of the car; the single-hole steering arm goes on the driver side.
With the new steering arms...
With the new steering arms in place, the brakes were reinstalled and the tie rod remounted between the steering arms as shown here.
The Unisteer Cross Steer rack...
The Unisteer Cross Steer rack includes a 90-degree mounting bracket. On the Vega box replacement system, the mounting bracket is drilled for installation in the existing box mounting holes on the frame. Since a Vega box was not previously used on this car, the bracket was removed from the rack and clamped onto the frame. The rack and drag link were temporarily installed to make sure the position of the drag link was parallel to the tie rod, in order to prevent bumpsteer. With the sedan lowered onto jackstands and the weight of the car on the suspension, Steve checked to make sure the tie rod and drag link were, in fact, parallel and level.
Once Steve confirmed the bracket...
Once Steve confirmed the bracket was in the correct position the frame was marked. The paint was ground off of the bracket and it was welded to the boxed frame.
Because the bracket wasn't...
Because the bracket wasn't bolted to an existing Vega mount, a large section was unsupported below the framerail. Side steer puts some stress on the frame, so Steve knew it would be a good idea to reinforce the steering bracket with some custom gussets. On Joe's sedan, the front crossmember has been welded and the 'rails were boxed to help prevent any potential flex from the steering. The gussets were a way to add a little more strength and also dress things up a bit. A piece of scrap cardboard was used as a pattern.
Steve used 1/8-inch steel...
Steve used 1/8-inch steel to create the pair of gussets. A few drilled holes add some aesthetics to a functional part......
.....A grinding disc provided...
.....A grinding disc provided the template for the arc shape and a guide for the plasma cutter while cutting. The finished pieces were deburred and welded in place.
All of a sudden that ordinary-looking...
All of a sudden that ordinary-looking bracket looks like a trick part. Once it's fully welded and painted it'll blend right in with the frame.
The rack was then installed...
The rack was then installed in the bracket and the chromed tube drag link was fastened to the passenger-side steering arm with a tie rod end, castle nut, and cotter pin. The other end of the tube is threaded to the output shaft of the steering rack. Half the threads from the output shaft should extend into the tube. At the steering arm end, half the threads from the tie rod end should extend into the tube. The tube should be adjusted so that an equal number of threads are showing at each end, before tightening the jam nuts.
On this application, connecting...
On this application, connecting the ididit column to the steering unit with U-joint (also from Speedway) was a straightforward job.