Pacer rack&pinion???

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   Hot rodders use Mustang II through T-bird racks. All the Ford racks are similar. Toe rod ends interchange and you can get screw on spacers that fit between the ends and rack ends to adjust the width. The spacers can be used on one end or both. Check with hot rod sources. Speedway Motors is my fav, don't know for sure if they carry the spacers though. I modded a T-bird rack for my 63 Classic. Lots of work to get it right! I made steering arms, but have found since then that Pacer steering arms are the right length to use with the Ford racks. Several people have used them when making their own R&P conversions like I did. The Ford racks are all similar, just different widths as you mentioned. The T-bird rack was just the right length for my Classic, the bigger car rack might be closer to a Pacer. If not you can use the spacers. 

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farna Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Supporter of TheAMCForum Moderator Lost Dealership Project Joined: Jul/08/2007 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 19672	Post Options Post Reply Quote farna Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jul/02/2015 at 3:44pm
	Hot rodders use Mustang II through T-bird racks. All the Ford racks are similar. Toe rod ends interchange and you can get screw on spacers that fit between the ends and rack ends to adjust the width. The spacers can be used on one end or both. Check with hot rod sources. Speedway Motors is my fav, don't know for sure if they carry the spacers though. I modded a T-bird rack for my 63 Classic. Lots of work to get it right! I made steering arms, but have found since then that Pacer steering arms are the right length to use with the Ford racks. Several people have used them when making their own R&P conversions like I did. The Ford racks are all similar, just different widths as you mentioned. The T-bird rack was just the right length for my Classic, the bigger car rack might be closer to a Pacer. If not you can use the spacers.
	Frank Swygert

mantonas Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: Mar/21/2015 Location: Knoxville, TN Status: Offline Points: 196	Post Options Post Reply Quote mantonas Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jul/02/2015 at 6:02pm
	It seems to me that the major challenge is mounting the Ford rack to the subframe. Is there some kind of a kit or a set of plans for how to mount one of these racks to a Pacer subframe, or do you have to just grab a welder and a bunch of steel plates and have at it?

304-dude Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Sep/29/2008 Location: Central Illinoi Status: Offline Points: 9082	Post Options Post Reply Quote 304-dude Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jul/02/2015 at 6:46pm
	In my own experience with installing a Mustang rack from scratch... I supported the engine and dropped the cross member, after measuring steering arm mounting hole distance to lower ball joint. I kept the lower control arm and removed the spindle from the ball joint. Once I had the cross member off I laid it flat with the engine mounts facing up, and the lower control arms flat. I placed the rack so that the tie rods were equally matching up on distance from the ends of the control arm. Since I did not have rack and pinion to begin with, I had to make a tunnel through the engine mount for the steering shaft to meet up with the input shaft. I used some segments of scrap metal to space the rack against the cross member and carefully adjusted the space until the tie rod end stud when straight out, was the same distance from the ball joint center measured at the steering arm. Once i got the proper spacing... It was 2 inches for my install, I then created from thin cardboard cutouts to fabricate mounting brackets, that fit in between the rack mounts and crossmember. One of which was complex to get around the camber adjuster and angle of the bend going up to the frame.. Once I created the proper shape, I unfolded the cardboard and used it as a template to trace over some steel square tubing. I used 4"x4" and cut out 2" sections. I have some info in my 65 inch wide track thread... Will search for a link. http://theamcforum.com/forum/65-wide-track-javelin-build_topic50429.html I found that 2006 or 2008 Ford F150 has a removable mounting brackets that seem to be about 2 inches from the cross member. You may look on EBay for pictures of a complete rack. From the looks the rack is very much like the Mustang rack but has heavy duty tie rods and serviceable end seals for tie rod replacement. Edited by 304-dude - Jul/02/2015 at 6:53pm
	71 Javelin SST body 390 69 crank, 70 block & heads NASCAR SB2 rods & pistons 78 Jeep TH400 w/ 2.76 Low 50/50 Ford-AMC Suspension 79 F150 rear & 8.8 axles Ford Racing 3.25 gears & 9" /w Detroit locker

greasygt III Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: May/27/2014 Location: Florida Status: Offline Points: 676	Post Options Post Reply Quote greasygt III Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jul/02/2015 at 6:56pm
	I have a rebuilt TRW power rack for a Chevette/ Pontiac T 1000/6000 that supossidly is what I have heard is what you are looking for. I DON'T know for sure so do your research.
	83 Spirit GT 79 Ranchero GT 460

304-dude Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Sep/29/2008 Location: Central Illinoi Status: Offline Points: 9082	Post Options Post Reply Quote 304-dude Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jul/02/2015 at 7:01pm
	http://www.theautopartsshop.com/auto+car-usa+parts/american-motors+pacer+rack-and-pinion-complete-unit.html
	71 Javelin SST body 390 69 crank, 70 block & heads NASCAR SB2 rods & pistons 78 Jeep TH400 w/ 2.76 Low 50/50 Ford-AMC Suspension 79 F150 rear & 8.8 axles Ford Racing 3.25 gears & 9" /w Detroit locker

Red1975pacer Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Oct/04/2012 Location: parma Status: Offline Points: 588	Post Options Post Reply Quote Red1975pacer Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jul/02/2015 at 7:03pm
	I just put stopleak in my 75 Pacer once every season. Has worked perfectly fine for the last 22 years.

mantonas Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: Mar/21/2015 Location: Knoxville, TN Status: Offline Points: 196	Post Options Post Reply Quote mantonas Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jul/02/2015 at 8:38pm
	I checked out this link and saw that their price for a rack & pinion unit was $91! My only question at that point was how many should I buy (answer: all of them!). Unfortunately when I put it in the shopping cart and tried to check out, it said "out of stock." Crap!

farna Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Supporter of TheAMCForum Moderator Lost Dealership Project Joined: Jul/08/2007 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 19672	Post Options Post Reply Quote farna Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jul/03/2015 at 9:49am
	Check hot rodder sites about how to mount a rack and pinion. The Ford and Chevy racks (at least the early Chevy) mount differently. The important thing is that the inner tie rod ends (or pivots) are as wide as the inner pivot bolts of the lower arms, and the tie rods are parallel to the lower arms From a line drawn between inner pivot and pivot point of the ball joint -- some arms have a curve on one end). If not you will have bump steer -- when a wheel hits a bump and moves up and down it will also move in and out a bit. A little bump steer is hardly noticeable, so if you have to mount the rack say 1/8" lower (or higher -- usually lower to clear the oil pan) than ideal it's okay. I had to mount mine about 1/4" lower and really wouldn't notice any bump steer if I didn't know it was there. There are "bump steer kits" that are just spacers for the outer tie rod ends to mount them higher or lower as needed. Fords generally mount with a 5/8" or 1/2" bolt through a large bushing, one bolt on each end. Factory mounts are usually a stud welded in, but I'm using a bolt and that works fine (has been since 2003). I wanted something I could take off if it didn't work out, so I used a piece of rectangular tubing (2"x3") to hole the rack 2" in front of the crossmember. I then welded 2" wide 1/8" thick steel strips sticking back over the crossmember, top and bottom. A vertical 3/8" bolt goes through the tabs and crossmember. The mounting bolt for the rack just goes through the outer surface of the rect. tubing. Another person did something similar but welded the tubing to the crossmember. There are other ways -- that's just one that's quick and easy.
	Frank Swygert

mantonas Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: Mar/21/2015 Location: Knoxville, TN Status: Offline Points: 196	Post Options Post Reply Quote mantonas Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jul/03/2015 at 2:55pm
	I found someone on eBay who is selling a rebuilt Pacer rack for more than I thought I would be spending but a reasonable price, I guess, since there is no core charge. I am going to buy it so I guess I'm going factory. However, I also have a line on a complete subframe, so I will probably buy that, and if my full plans for the Pacer come to fruition, including a 4.0 engine swap, then I will modify the subframe to accept a Mustang rack. Who knows when that might be, but at least this way I might get to drive my Pacer sometime this year.

Grey Ghost Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: Oct/11/2009 Location: Route 66 Il. Status: Offline Points: 158	Post Options Post Reply Quote Grey Ghost Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jul/03/2015 at 8:38pm
	My son has a 78 pacer that leaked very bad, he got a rebuilt unit from American Parts Depot
	Lets go racing!