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No one here needs to be told of the importance of the correct rack length but achieving it can be quite hard. I saw a different take to the problem on another forum which I thought was quite neat. The Audi some Vauxhall and Saabs have a moving center section on their racks that they attach the tie rods ,as below.



All you need to do is attach a bar to this with the desired balljoint centerline and you have the perfect one rack fits all. just make the bar correctly and your done.

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Mancave http://s1116.photobucket.com/user/mypic ... ow/mancave

Now that's unique!

Who says there's just one way to skin a cat? (although I'm not sure why you'd want to skin a cat, I know the cat wouldn't like it)

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mobilito ergo sum
I drive therefore I am

I can explain it to you,
but I can't understand it for you.

i have used this type of rack with a beam axle as well, they are very common on rear steer front wheel drive cars and morgans with sliding pillar suspension, also various sand rails and buggies use them because the control arms on their suspension are so long.
the first time i saw one was on a hillman imp.
all because of the shallow arc of the tie rods.

the downfall as used in the picture is that the beam that has been added to the center causes a vertical load or twisting force on the center of the rack.

if you use a rear steer rack for front steer you must move the steering wheel to the other side of the car and invert the rack, i would think that in England you could just get a left hand drive european rack and invert it for right hand drive from someone like german and swedish, which, looking at the rack that is the case

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this story shall the good man teach his son,
and chrispin chrispian shall ne'er go by,
from this day to the end of the world.
but we in it shall be remembered.

I think the Chrysler intrepids used a rack like that
Dale

Did someone say Dodge?
A bit wide but maybe you could use it as part of a front spoiler mount.

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"There are times when a broken tool is better than a sound one, or a twisted personality more useful than a whole one.
For instance, a whole beer bottle isn't half the weapon that half a beer bottle is ..." Randall Garrett

More stress than you'd get on the rod ends of a traditional rack?

_________________
mobilito ergo sum
I drive therefore I am

I can explain it to you,
but I can't understand it for you.

Another short rack that I came across is the 944 porsche , it has the same threads in the rack as the escort so will accept the same array of extensions etc.
http://www.motorsport-tools.com/ford-es ... ?mode=list

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Build Log viewtopic.php?f=35&t=16640&p=187700#p187700

Mancave http://s1116.photobucket.com/user/mypic ... ow/mancave