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 Post subject: ATV steering rack??
PostPosted: December 17, 2020, 5:49 pm 
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Joined: June 25, 2020, 11:06 am
Posts: 7
So instead of shortening an existing rack from a car has anyone here tried using an ATV rack? Dimensional wise they look they they will work perfectly. I'm sure outer tie rods will have to be modified to work with car tie rod ends, but aside from that it looks pretty straight forward. The only thing i'm having trouble finding is the rack and pinion ratio. I'm not sure how fast/slow the steering would be.


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 Post subject: Re: ATV steering rack??
PostPosted: December 20, 2020, 10:22 pm 
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Joined: September 30, 2020, 11:44 am
Posts: 112
Location: Eastern Oregon
+1

I am curious about this as well. A lot of ATVs don't have power-steering so I thought this may be a good place for a doner. They also take a fair amount of abuse in their native setting so I'd think they'd be adequate for a light locost.

Any builders on here have any insight?

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 Post subject: Re: ATV steering rack??
PostPosted: December 20, 2020, 11:01 pm 
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Joined: July 17, 2008, 9:11 am
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Location: West Chicago,IL
An ATV rack will only work if the rack design matches your requirements. If you have to modify one for length, it is just as easy to modify a donor's rack IMO. But if an ATV rack matches what you need in width and turns per inch travel (lock to lock is meaningless IMO) front/rear steer geometry etc, then I see no reason not to use one.

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 Post subject: Re: ATV steering rack??
PostPosted: December 21, 2020, 7:59 am 
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Joined: January 2, 2009, 1:45 pm
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Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
I would advocate a different approach. Make a list of available racks, and their inner lengths and then design your suspension to fit one of those racks.

I did a baseline design using Staniforth's string computer and then compared its ideal rack length to what was on my list. After that I adjusted my control arm mount positions and even track a bit, and iterated the suspension design to make the suspension fit one of the available racks. For me it was MGB, but the choice is yours. Could be an ATV, or perhaps one of the side-by-side UTV racks.

Why modify a rack if you don't have to do so?

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Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11601


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 Post subject: Re: ATV steering rack??
PostPosted: December 22, 2020, 3:31 pm 
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Joined: April 19, 2010, 8:40 pm
Posts: 9
I'm working on a single seater design so the center pinion position of a dune buggy/ATV rack also seems to make more sense. I have a miata rack but even shrinking it does not make much sense to me. My front suspension geometry will be designed around whichever rack I end up using. Kind of sucks because I already came up with a damn good one based on the miata rack but oh well. The only thing that concerns me is the speed of a buggy/ATV rack. I'm having trouble finding specs on them and I think they may be a little too fast.


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 Post subject: Re: ATV steering rack??
PostPosted: December 22, 2020, 4:05 pm 
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Joined: December 17, 2010, 1:24 pm
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Location: Gainesville, Mo.
mgnb18c wrote:
I'm having trouble finding specs on them and I think they may be a little too fast.


There are always "Steering Quickeners" available through many racing supply houses. Normally installed as a "Quickener" to speed up your steering response, they can be reversed to become a "Slower Downer"! Generally a 2:1 ratio, some are available with a 1.5:1 ratio. Available from Speedway Motors as well as other outlets! :wink: Good Hunting!

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 Post subject: Re: ATV steering rack??
PostPosted: December 22, 2020, 5:31 pm 
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Joined: April 19, 2010, 8:40 pm
Posts: 9
Mike, I had no idea such a thing existed! Thank you very much for the info. I actually just bought a tube notcher from speedway motors. Looks like they may be getting some more of my money soon!


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 Post subject: Re: ATV steering rack??
PostPosted: December 22, 2020, 6:48 pm 
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Joined: November 15, 2009, 9:58 pm
Posts: 470
Location: Port Angeles. Wa
You might look at these guys https://secure.chassisshop.com/partdetail/C42-339/
I bought one for my SkaytR6. Very high quality, different ratios and different rack lengths if I remember correctly. Easy to make spacers to lengthen the rack. I only needed a 14" rack. Narrow mounting pad might be a problem.

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 Post subject: Re: ATV steering rack??
PostPosted: December 22, 2020, 11:40 pm 
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Joined: June 25, 2020, 11:06 am
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Kartracer, so you used that setup with clevis joints and had no issues? I saw some of these on some dune buggy sites and was considering them. 12 to 1 ratio seems about right. Pretty sure the miata is about 13 to 1


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 Post subject: Re: ATV steering rack??
PostPosted: December 23, 2020, 12:22 am 
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Joined: December 17, 2010, 1:24 pm
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Location: Gainesville, Mo.
mgnb18c wrote:
I actually just bought a tube notcher from speedway motors.


I'm going to be in the market for a notcher in the near future. Let us know how that one works out! :cheers:

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 Post subject: Re: ATV steering rack??
PostPosted: December 23, 2020, 8:17 am 
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Joined: June 25, 2020, 11:06 am
Posts: 7
Mike, it works great with a corded drill. Just had to slightly shim it to get a nice, accurate cut


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 Post subject: Re: ATV steering rack??
PostPosted: December 23, 2020, 6:13 pm 
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Joined: November 15, 2009, 9:58 pm
Posts: 470
Location: Port Angeles. Wa
I originally bought a Mini Buggy rack, it felt fine at first but after playing with it I noticed a considerable amount of play (thick assembly grease???). Talked to the Chassis Shop about clearances on their racks and they said they hand fit to keep tight tolerances.
I machined a couple of clevises to mount on the ends of the rack rather than the stamped steel or use the supplied rod ends. System is working well with no slop.
As a note, I am using the Rod End Supply filled rod ends as sold by Kinetic (always good prices) for ALL my project cars.

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My build log viewtopic.php?f=36&t=10658&start=0 NOW NAMED =The Wycked 7

My other build log viewtopic.php?f=18&t=15162 The Skayt'R6


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 Post subject: Re: ATV steering rack??
PostPosted: December 31, 2020, 4:37 pm 
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Joined: April 19, 2010, 8:40 pm
Posts: 9
So I just picked up a steering rack from a Yamaha Rhino. After measuring, it has basically the same rotation to linear motion ratio of a miata rack. The pinion is closer to the center of the rack and it is quite a bit shorter than a miata rack. The tie rod ends also have the same thread pitch as miata tie rod ends (M12 x 1.25). These can be had fairly cheap as well. $80-$150. I hope this information helps some of you guys out. It looks like its going to work for my application and be much easier than having to disassemble and shorten a miata rack.


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 Post subject: Re: ATV steering rack??
PostPosted: January 1, 2021, 11:38 am 
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Joined: December 4, 2011, 6:19 pm
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mgnb18c wrote:
The pinion is closer to .....and it is quite a bit shorter than........


Can you provide measurements? That would be handy.

Happy New Year!

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 Post subject: Re: ATV steering rack??
PostPosted: July 29, 2021, 6:35 pm 
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Joined: February 20, 2014, 12:36 pm
Posts: 26
Location: Cntl Coast, CA
Looks like the Rhino and the Polaris are rear steer.

some more UTV racks available here:

https://atvpc.com/c-1389232-suspension- ... nents.html


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