Extending tie rods.

[IanS]

Anyone else out there ever needed to extend the front tie rods? I widened the track on the front of the race car, so the factory tie rods are no longer long enough to engage the outer tie rods. I've added about 3 inches to the front track width (1.5") per side.

I've done a bit of looking, and I have found a spacer for the outer tie rod on miata's or other Mazda's, but I'm not sure if the thread pitch is the same. Still need to check.

I am hoping there is an off the shelf inner tie rod for a different application that will solve all my problems. I don't like the idea of a spacer, because its just another failure point. I am sure there are others running modified geometry or extended lowers or the like who have found themselves in a similar situation.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Why not just extend your inner tie rods? Make a sleeve that has a slip fit to your inner tie rod's OD, cut the inner tie rod, slip the sleeve over the rack side, weld it, then slip the rest of the inner (outer side) in the other side of the sleeve, and weld it?

Key words: weld it

[CJH]

I've done a bit of looking, and I have found a spacer for the outer tie rod on miata's or other Mazda's, but I'm not sure if the thread pitch is the same.

Why not buy a 240 spacer? There are tons of them out there. Drifters use them all the time. I know in the midwest, many people call Touge Factory out of chicago and order them. But I'm sure you can find them at many places.

[IanS]

Why not just extend your inner tie rods? Make a sleeve that has a slip fit to your inner tie rod's OD, cut the inner tie rod, slip the sleeve over the rack side, weld it, then slip the rest of the inner (outer side) in the other side of the sleeve, and weld it?

Key words: weld it

It is an option, but I wanted to see if there was a simpler solution. I bend a lot of tie rods, so I'd need to make multiples, and its tough to get them exactly the same length I think. I often change them mid event and its nice to just count turns, and not screw up the alignment.

Why not buy a 240 spacer? There are tons of them out there. Drifters use them all the time. I know in the midwest, many people call Touge Factory out of chicago and order them. But I'm sure you can find them at many places.

All of the drift spacers I have seen have been meant to increase steering rack travel for better angle. They are only about 1/2" wide, so I would end up stacking 4 or 6 of them to achieve desired length, which is something That scares me.


I have also thought about a longer rack. So the tie rods could renewing the same. Only problem, would be finding one with the same or shorter ratio. That reminds me, I need to find another HICAS rack. I destroyed my other one, and I miss the short ratio.....

[sultan]

93 mazda mpv rwd outer tie rod and z32 inner tie rod are supposed to be longer but i can't remember how much. can't find the ancient thread on another forum where mikespeed talked about running those because he needed longer tie rods, but that is what he said to run.

[daemonyk]

Granted, it's still mainly for increased steering angle, but would something like this space it out far enough? http://www.ebay.com/itm/S13-S14-S15-Wid ... vi-content Seems like a sturdier option than the standard washer spacer.

[CJH]

All of the drift spacers I have seen have been meant to increase steering rack travel for better angle. They are only about 1/2" wide, so I would end up stacking 4 or 6 of them to achieve desired length, which is something That scares me.

You are correct and that would worry me also. If I were you, I would have custom ones made at a machine shop.

[Ajax]

You're looking for a HICAS rack? email me. My car is in the shop currently, but you know I've converted as much as I can to non-HICAS, but the rack remains. Maybe we can figure something out.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I bend a lot of tie rods, so I'd need to make multiples, and its tough to get them exactly the same length I think. I often change them mid event and its nice to just count turns, and not screw up the alignment.

Jig it up!
I would think a jig for this would actually be quite easy...

[Razi]

Getting longer off-the-shelf inner tie rods would be simpler, I'd think.
96-99 I30 tie rods are longer, but I think they're only about 1" longer than stock.

The 03-08 Maximas are about 2" longer than stock but I'm not 100% sure that they have the same thread pitch.
I guess you could go check out a pair at Autozone by threading your outers onto em.

Both of them should be thicker than S13 rods too, so that's a plus.
And if you bend em, you can just go pick up a pair at a parts store.

[IanS]

You're looking for a HICAS rack? email me. My car is in the shop currently, but you know I've converted as much as I can to non-HICAS, but the rack remains. Maybe we can figure something out.

Why would you want to get rid of your HICAS rack?

Getting longer off-the-shelf inner tie rods would be simpler, I'd think.
96-99 I30 tie rods are longer, but I think they're only about 1" longer than stock.

The 03-08 Maximas are about 2" longer than stock but I'm not 100% sure that they have the same thread pitch.
I guess you could go check out a pair at Autozone by threading your outers onto em.

Both of them should be thicker than S13 rods too, so that's a plus.
And if you bend em, you can just go pick up a pair at a parts store.

I guess it's off to the parts store I will go. Hopefully I can find them in stock some where's. I think an inch would be enough added length as there is quite a bit of thread in the tie rod to begin with. An inch per side may be enough. It's a good thing the managers at both autozone and advanced like me. This is going to be one heck of a request.

[IanS]

You're looking for a HICAS rack? email me. My car is in the shop currently, but you know I've converted as much as I can to non-HICAS, but the rack remains. Maybe we can figure something out.

Why would you want to get rid of your HICAS rack?

Getting longer off-the-shelf inner tie rods would be simpler, I'd think.
96-99 I30 tie rods are longer, but I think they're only about 1" longer than stock.

The 03-08 Maximas are about 2" longer than stock but I'm not 100% sure that they have the same thread pitch.
I guess you could go check out a pair at Autozone by threading your outers onto em.

Both of them should be thicker than S13 rods too, so that's a plus.
And if you bend em, you can just go pick up a pair at a parts store.

I guess it's off to the parts store I will go. Hopefully I can find them in stock some where's. I think an inch would be enough added length as there is quite a bit of thread in the tie rod to begin with. An inch per side may be enough. It's a good thing the managers at both autozone and advanced like me. This is going to be one heck of a request.

[Hijacker]

I don't know if the S13 outers would thread on. Z32 and S14 inners are thicker, and end up having a different threading, so S13 outers won't thread on.

[IanS]

I don't know if the S13 outers would thread on. Z32 and S14 inners are thicker, and end up having a different threading, so S13 outers won't thread on.

I have a set of S14 otters layering about here some where. I plan to bring them with also.

[mechanicalmoron]

I have also thought about a longer rack. So the tie rods could renewing the same. Only problem, would be finding one with the same or shorter ratio. That reminds me, I need to find another HICAS rack. I destroyed my other one, and I miss the short ratio.....

In the interest of pointless hardcore, you could try to find a rack that's cheap/common, sturdy, and has exactly the specs you want, and retrofit for it.

Seeing as racecar, and all that.

[fiznowler]

My car has a z32 rack in it. and it fit with factory s14 tierods. So I am guessing vice versa should work also. I don't recall if it was longer or shorter but it worked. I did it because I needed to change the angle of my steering shaft to a sharper angle downward to clear one of my turbos. So I am not sure a z32 rack will work for you because of the angle change.

[IanS]

I have also thought about a longer rack. So the tie rods could renewing the same. Only problem, would be finding one with the same or shorter ratio. That reminds me, I need to find another HICAS rack. I destroyed my other one, and I miss the short ratio.....

In the interest of pointless hardcore, you could try to find a rack that's cheap/common, sturdy, and has exactly the specs you want, and retrofit for it.

Seeing as racecar, and all that.

I would just use a Motorsports rack, but they are spendy, and I have already wrecked one, so.

In other news, I picked up a full set of I30 tie rods today. My S14 otters were trashed, and the I otters were identical other then being a 1/4" shorter. The inners are more then an inch longer, closer to 1.5, so they should work perfectly. The taper on the outer appears to be the same as well. I will take pictures as I install them.

[fundrive590]

FlatBlackIan.. i am wondering what your opinion is. Of me using ur method for the manual rack on my drift car,as far as the counter steering goes is this something that is difficult to do with do with the modded rack or fairly easy?

[IanS]

FlatBlackIan.. i am wondering what your opinion is. Of me using ur method for the manual rack on my drift car,as far as the counter steering goes is this something that is difficult to do with do with the modded rack or fairly easy?

I have no issue with counter steer or otherwise. I have never had any issues with the lack of power steering while on stage save for one. The feedback.

The reason I de-powered the rack in the first place was to increase steering feel, while simplifying the system, and eliminating the issue of the PS fluid boiling over during tight sections that involve lots of steering input.

This all worked great except I have discovered that on rough sections the lack of fluid in the rack acting as a buffer allows the steering to kick back very hard and fast. I find myself white knuckling a Lot, to keep the wheel from being ripped out of my hands. During the off season, I actually plan to scrounge up a pump and lines, and install a power rack with oversized cooler along with a steering quikiner to drop the steering below 2 turns lock to lock. I'd like to hand dance less on stage, that way it don't wear myself out as much on long stages.

[Hijacker]

Ian, have you considered trying to source a manual rack from another application that could fit? I know that's no short order, but it's also a pretty good solution if you can find a suitably sized one.

[IanS]

Ian, have you considered trying to source a manual rack from another application that could fit? I know that's no short order, but it's also a pretty good solution if you can find a suitably sized one.

I have, but I think its time to go power. The increase in caster/track, has also increased steering effort at parking speeds. This will only be compounded when I shorten the ratio.