LocostUSA.com

I managed to locate a miata diff and rear uprights so i have ditched the idea of using the ford 8.8 irs stuff i have. Easier to just use the miata stuff as the plans are already done for it.

Ive found all the details about depowering the miata rack but i have not been able to locate a dimension in either the saturn or vodou plans for shortening it. Does that mean that the dimension in the gibbs book is accurate for the miata rack too?

Also, i have nb front spindles and the upper ball joint normally used with the na doesnt seem to be long enough to get a lock nut on it, much less a cotter pin. Are there any alternatives to the moog part that works with the nb? Or do i need to machine the upper part of the spindle so its thinner?

Eddy-
I used the attached sketch to determine the position of the rack ends, trying to keep the ends inline with the upper control arm and lower control arm inner ends. With this dimension I shortened the rack itself by cutting the rack at one end and having a machine shop re-thread the cut end. I then cut the rack cylinder, removing the same length from the middle of the cylinder. I welded the new shorter cylinder back together.

I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for or not.

Cheers,
Roy

_________________
Build log http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=16510

Don't know anybody using NB. If you wan tot find out what might fit, you need to precisely measure the hole id on top of the spindle, the depth of the hole, and the hole id at the bottom to compare to tie rod applications that are listed. UBJ and LBJ are not listed except for racing applications.

Other options are to drill to fit a standard rod end, ream to fit a oem type balljoint or tie rod, drill and insert an off the shelf taper insert to fit an oem joint, use as-is or modify NB UCAs, or use na spindles (90-98).

Merkur sierra spindles are what the haynes/gibbs is built around, not miata so even if the miata width is 533mm inner ball to inner ball (don't remember off the top of my head), that doesn't mean it is correct, but having the right spindles to go with the control arm dims and frame mount location is more important than a perfect width rack. Gibbs used a euro market "escort" rack.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

Eddy-
I used a Miata NB front upright. I had to find an outer tie rod end that would fit the upright. I'm not sure which one I finally selected but the Moog catalog has a whole host of options.

https://www.moog-suspension-parts.com/universal_outer_tie_rod_ends.asp?gclid=Cj0KCQiAjc2QBhDgARIsAMc3SqTyhLIHibMxgRUXw5GPy-QFtTkoHjSwHdKrDXb9ikc_uKX523ln_XQaAlOrEALw_wcB

You need to match the thread you need (either male or female, metric or not) and the height of the tapered stem plus the actual taper (most are 7 degrees, I believe).

What are you fastening the tie rod end to?

If you need to drill and re-taper, I've got a 7 degree reamer I can loan you.

Good luck,
Roy

_________________
Build log http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=16510