Im So Frustrated

[radrambler]

GUYS

the radrambler project
this project is driving me crazy....
i just ran into another problem that is just makes my stomach turn..
its my fault for not checking somethin when i test fitted the original lsx motor with no oil pan (because i didnt have it at the time )..so i guessed ON MY APROX. CLEARANCE.DUMB ASS MISTAKE.
my pinion shaft on my rack is so close to the pan rail i cant get the universal on the pinion SHAFT....so i called flaming river ....and came to a conclusion..
im kinda DICKED..i have to offset the rack to the left and now im building in a bumpsteer issue for a car that supposed to handle great........
fffffffffffffff

i know i wont have alot of travel in the suspension because its set up so tight . so how much it affects the car i wont know until i put it all together and drive AND HIT BUMPS......GREAT

all this because i had to have an ls1..AND I SHOULDA WAITED UNTIL I HAD THE CORRECT PAN TO TEST FIT.
SOMETIMES I DONT KNOW WHEN TO CUT MYSELF OFF OF THE LATERAL-G JUICE..:lol: ...IT LIKE A DRUG....ALWAYS WANTING MORE AND BETTER

everything worked fine before
this was built around the lt1 i had when the front suspension was built...no problems..MODIFY ONE HEADER TUBE AND THAT SETUP WAS GOLDEN.
NO I HAD TO MAKE THE CAR LIGHTER !!!..LS1 ..YEAH...

NOW IM JUST SICK.....PISSED ...MAD AT MYSELF ...:willy:

SO LET ME HEAR HOW STUPID I AM...CAUSE I NEED A GOOD ASS WHIPPING ABOUT NOW.......

anyone else feel my pain..

radrambler

[Payton King]

We all have had problems like this.

Post a picture so folks can take a look. Maybe we can come up with an alternative.

Instead of a universal at the rack how about a solid shaft extension to a place where you can put a universal on? Is it a flaming river rack or an ARG? Would a different rack solve the problem? I may know of another rack kit that might work.

[radrambler]

payton


thanks man.. i need a serious pep talk...
the rack is from sweet mfg...its a circle track manual rack...
ive been studying the problem that last few minutes...since its has to be corrected..
i can raise the motor up some and get more clearance (make new mounts) .can only raise a fraction of an inch at the trans because the it hits the tunnel in one spot .(that could be clearanced)
i can take a little off the pan rail.like 3/16 .it stick out pass the block right where i need clearance..
the universal starts to go on the splines but it gets fat to quick and thus will not go on......
i turned on my camera ...battery is low . gotta recharge..
ill post a pic...asap

radrambler

[Payton King]

The input shaft is more towards the middle of the rack than a mustang II style rack. You may be able to get a mustang style rack that is dimensionally the same as the rack you have, but the input shaft is moved further out away from the motor. That is going to cost you in the $400 range. 3/16 does not sound like a lot to take off. Maybe grind on the pan, slot the motor mount holes on the drivers side and raise you motor 1/4 to 1/2 just on one side.

Pictures will help

[radrambler]

payton

as soon as i found this problem i thought the same thing call flaming river get specs buy new rack and done. NOT..gave the tech guy the info he needed and he said looks like your gonna have to move the rack left of center to gain clearance....
ive been studying this and if i raise the motor some and maybe use a coupler at the rack pinion and then a piece of shaft then u-joint .coupler seem to be about 1 inch in diameter 2 INCHES LONG that would get me connected and up beside the block then put ujoint....
ISNT CAR BUILDING SO MUCH FUN.......:willy:
thanks for trying to help ..its not solved yet. but im working on it

RADRAMBLER

[Payton King]

I dropped my car 1 inch in the back and had to mill a little off of each wheel spacer. I also need to clearance my tail pipes and have them recoated and trim my bump stops.

Yea this stuff is fun. Keep us posted.

The LS1 was worth it. It makes great power, you will get 26 mpg, easy to mod and you will save a little weight.

[ironworks]

If it was easy everybody would do it. Why do you think so many cars look like crap and have such crappy engineering, Cuz some body would actually offset the rack and never even consider the consequences. Mavel engineering can custom make you a rack, or I know woodward sells there own U joints for there racks that are smaller then the flaming river units. You might also buy like an ATS oil pan and just notch the corner to gain some much needed space. Could you move the rack just a tic forward? Is the rack you are using power or manual? Could you adjust the steering arms and make the steering a front steer set up? you might have to do combo of like 4 things to fix it right, but a proper fix is always the best. Have layed out your exhaust yet? That is another issue to address at the same time along with steering column location. Change one thing and modify 10 other items.

Rodger

[68protouring454]

get a sweet rack with a remote servo, or better yet tell us the width of your pivots on your current rack, if its been designed to have good geometry, all you need to do is match pivot height and width, then build steering stops

[radrambler]

If it was easy everybody would do it. Why do you think so many cars look like crap and have such crappy engineering, Cuz some body would actually offset the rack and never even consider the consequences. Mavel engineering can custom make you a rack, or I know woodward sells there own U joints for there racks that are smaller then the flaming river units. You might also buy like an ATS oil pan and just notch the corner to gain some much needed space. Could you move the rack just a tic forward? Is the rack you are using power or manual? Could you adjust the steering arms and make the steering a front steer set up? you might have to do combo of like 4 things to fix it right, but a proper fix is always the best. Have layed out your exhaust yet? That is another issue to address at the same time along with steering column location. Change one thing and modify 10 other items.

Rodger


roger ..the rack is manual and its a circle track rack.it is front steer setup.. the rack mount just under the pan .pan works great.. just i didnt have it in place when i built the mounts plates .
this is what i should have done.
so i should have raised the motor and trans slightly more all together.
then fabbed the motor mount plates that go on the block. and had the clearance for the joint next to the pain rail.if i would have set up the engine /trans higher in the frame i wouldnt have run into this...but lowers the better for c.g.
what i need is a joint 3/4 36 spline thats about 1 inch in diameter for 2 inches then the ujoint then joint goes to round for shaft.
its just tight next to the pan edge flange and block there.

i looked at woodward joints they do look smaller in diameter...
thanks for input rodger....:thumbsup: ..

radrambler

[ironworks]

Oh I thought your steering was in the rear. I know Woodward makes a female couplers that are just straight couplers. I use them to connect the servo box directly to the rack input shaft. If you could come up with some splined shaft to slip inside the coupler, that might solve your problem also.

Rodger

[Spiffav8]

Sounds like one of those moments that involves throwing tools or beating your head against the garage floor. Take 5, count to ten, breath deep and realize that anyone who has ever built a car has felt your frustration and disappointment. You've done a lot of work on what's going to be one bad azz car. If that doesn't help...keep in mind that issues like this make the finished product all that much better, gives you great conversation topics and you learned some thing new. If your still not feeling better about it....I'll buy you a drink when you get here for SEMA. Not coming to SEMA...I'll mail it to you, just send me your address.

:thumbsup:

[radrambler]

Sounds like one of those moments that involves throwing tools or beating your head against the garage floor. Take 5, count to ten, breath deep and realize that anyone who has ever built a car has felt your frustration and disappointment. You've done a lot of work on what's going to be one bad azz car. If that doesn't help...keep in mind that issues like this make the finished product all that much better, gives you great conversation topics and you learned some thing new. If your still not feeling better about it....I'll buy you a drink when you get here for SEMA. Not coming to SEMA...I'll mail it to you, just send me your address.

:thumbsup:

oh..it was one of those moments where you just want to yell at the top of your lungs etc etc. .and i marched in and started my rant on here....plus..
where you think to yourself ...is all this really worth it...
oh, yeah i have to much time and money invested .
ive had to make or modify everything but the doors and roof and trunk on this car to make it what it is now ( a modified rambler:lol: ). so far i have two aftermarket items that "bolt on" with no mods ....master cylinder and rear brake kit...thats it
everything else has required a mod or fabrication of some sort and when you run into something that makes you back up or do over, it takes away from the progress and fun..
and the wife doesnt understand how it feels or whats gouing on ,so venting with her doesnt make things better..so i get on here where you guys get it and blow off steam.......oh and maybe even solve my problem...

:lateral: nothing like a captive audience.....

radrambler

[amaronut]

will lowering the rack help? Or will that disturb your bump steer geometry? Or, can you modify the pan to clear? Is the pan cast aluminum, fabricated aluminum or steel? Maybe this is you answer. If it hits in a spot where you can take some material out and build it back in around the pinion this would be the simplist. I wouldn't be afraid of modifying the pan, done it before.
Hope this helps.

[radrambler]

will lowering the rack help? Or will that disturb your bump steer geometry? Or, can you modify the pan to clear? Is the pan cast aluminum, fabricated aluminum or steel? Maybe this is you answer. If it hits in a spot where you can take some material out and build it back in around the pinion this would be the simplist. I wouldn't be afraid of modifying the pan, done it before.
Hope this helps.

its a factory camaro pan..cast... i ordered a different steering joint(not as wide) today.ill start there when it gets here ill see what needs to be done .probably have to raise the motor some by the way it looks now

radrambler

[Spiffav8]

oh..it was one of those moments where you just want to yell at the top of your lungs etc etc. .and i marched in and started my rant on here....plus..
where you think to yourself ...is all this really worth it...
oh, yeah i have to much time and money invested .
ive had to make or modify everything but the doors and roof and trunk on this car to make it what it is now ( a modified rambler:lol: ). so far i have two aftermarket items that "bolt on" with no mods ....master cylinder and rear brake kit...thats it
everything else has required a mod or fabrication of some sort and when you run into something that makes you back up or do over, it takes away from the progress and fun..
and the wife doesnt understand how it feels or whats gouing on ,so venting with her doesnt make things better..so i get on here where you guys get it and blow off steam.......oh and maybe even solve my problem...

:lateral: nothing like a captive audience.....

radrambler

Wow...I'm concerned we may need to call in professional help to deal with this. Here try looking at this for 10 min...you should feel better. Who knows you might not even remember your name let alone a problem. :lol:
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/67OZ/009.jpg

[Vegas69]

Happened to me a 100 times. Grab a beer or 12 like me and stare at that girl for 10 minutes...bone the wife and all will be forgotton.:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[radrambler]

curtis

i love this place.......
great taste:thumbsup:


im over it...thats what every man needs, for a few minutes :lol:

you found ole crosslins website also.....the dude can take some picks of hotties.....

radrambler

[Spiffav8]

curtis

i love this place.......
great taste:thumbsup:


im over it...thats what every man needs, for a few minutes :lol:

you found ole crosslins website also.....the dude can take some picks of hotties.....

radrambler


Yeah...that guy has a horrible job! :rolleyes:

[awr68]

Hang in there, you will figure it out and move forward! Trust me, we all go threw this....time and time again with one of these non-OE builds!

If there is a positive....other than Curtis' pic, it's that you found it now and not later!


Will this rack work better for you? It's a Unisteer power rack.

[GBodyGMachine]

You'll get everything figured out. Just TAKE YOUR TIME. Dont rush to get something done. I have the tendency to do this and I always regret it in the end. Like right now. I am driving my car in self etch, just because I wanted to drive it. I regret it all ready, because I hit a puddle. AGH.
Take your time man, work through the issues, not around them.

JEff

[novajess1972]

Geez, up until I read over some of the terms and tech talk in this thread, I kinda thought I was a pretty smart fella. Not anymore...LOL. I mean, I know that no one person knows everything, but I was catching on to some of the suspension and drivetrain lingo along the way. I guess I'd better stick to my old world carbureted engines, TH350/400s and stock suspension, and GM 12-bolts or I might find myself in worlds of trouble....and not to mention a BLOWN BUDGET!!!

:lol:

[Ummgawa]

This is what I call a upgraded rack!!http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh191/67OZ/009.jpg

Hahahaha

Hang in ther Rad. It will all be worth it when you take your child to Kindergarten in it.

[radrambler]

jim

id like to "take" the girl in that picture in it...:rofl:

im hangin...like a boy dog..


radrambler