Steering Rack Conversion Into R30

[ydr030]

Car handled well enough to win it's class in a 3 day classic rally and win numerous hillclimb events outright.

thankyou...

Another option you could look at is using your original r30 x-member and welding on rack mounts. You could either just cut each rack mount off your r33 x-member and weld them on or cut the entire middle section from both and swap them. Using a jig ofcourse to keep everything straight.

Try to find a suitable rack that has as close as possible the same length pivot to pivot as the spacing of your inner LCA mounts on your x-member.

yea i thought about that, i reckon it would be better as well, but like u say the pivoy to pivot points had to exactly the same, if not then ud get all sort of problems, my mine reason to go withh a r33 (or a31/r32) member and rack was to avoid that problem, using the rack thats designd for that member, having the correct pivot points already.

i no wat u sayin dennis, but at the moment im out of pocket $240.00. still alot cheaper than gettin the box rebuilt, and i still needed a new drag link, which i couldnt find ne were.

ne ways found sum r31 arms, heaps shorter than r30, castor and sway bar mounts up same,

im thinkin there a lil to short, so goin to try s14 and s13 ones when i can, or even later on bite the bullett and get adjstable driftworks lcas.

but for now this will do

cheers

[rb26zed]

but like u say the pivoy to pivot points had to exactly the same, if not then ud get all sort of problems, my mine reason to go withh a r33 (or a31/r32) member and rack was to avoid that problem, using the rack thats designd for that member, having the correct pivot points already.

Actually most factory cars are not exactly the same. I haven't looked at an r33 but I doubt it would be either. It's not a priority for normal street cars, just improves things when on the track. You don't need it to be exact just as close as possible, at the very least as close or closer than factory. Shouldn't be too hard to find a suitable length rack. Just go down to the wreckers with a measuring tape. You can redrill your inner LCA mount holes if you need to.

[noddle]

I came across this the other week, I put it in the maybe useful "list"

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/forums/showthread.php/2205-Lower-Control-Arm-Measurments-amp-Compatibility?p=110379&viewfull=1#post110379

Nigel

[ydr030]

Actually most factory cars are not exactly the same. I haven't looked at an r33 but I doubt it would be either. It's not a priority for normal street cars, just improves things when on the track. You don't need it to be exact just as close as possible, at the very least as close or closer than factory. Shouldn't be too hard to find a suitable length rack. Just go down to the wreckers with a measuring tape. You can redrill your inner LCA mount holes if you need to.

im confused now i really dont wont to muck around with old racks ie r31 and s12s (which i think will be closest ) there lock is poor and u carnt get much aftermarket goodness 4 em. the 33 rack is dirt cheap, and u can get a host of good aftermarket bits 4 em + since im running modified s13 hubs to suit the dr tie rod ends, r33 are the only ends that i no of will fit in the hubs. i really dont want to fork out the cash 4 new hubs, if i do i may aswell go 5 stud, whichl be good, but i like my wheels to much

I came across this the other week, I put it in the maybe useful "list"

http://www.ae86drivi...ll=1#post110379

^cheers nigel very helpful, s13 seem the go. im told s13 are about 20mm longer than r31, and r30 is longer again, getting a set of s13 lcas during the week, will measure up and confrm.

cheers

[noddle]

Maybe these will fit a R30, or maybe my 240K.

http://www.futofab.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=74:datsun-z-car-adjustable-lower-control-arms&catid=28:datsun-z-car-suspension&Itemid=86

Nigel

[ydr030]

^ NICE!!!, very cool, balljoint setup looks different?

ok ive slowed down a bit on progress, but have confirmed crosmembers in the right spot. when i get my hands on welder ill finish it off.

started to have a go at the column side of things, and yea not as easy as i first thought...

^ i was hoping i could swap the inards of each colum, so i coukld use the original mounting points, and combo etc. still possible just would need to cut and and shut..

^ dr has larger mounting points than s13.

the s13 colum needs to be supported at the firewall aswell, the original s13support angle is way off, but can be moded to suit. im goin to try a r31 column when i get my hands on 1 and c if they are a closer fit?

on the positive side of things, the angle of the steering shaft to the rack doesnt look to be too extreme, and will only need to be made longer to fit once the steering column positon is sorted out.

cheers

[ydr030]

back on track, binned the s13 colum, got my hands on a pintara colum, sooo close to bolting straight up, needs a couple of minor mods to fit!

i only need to drill an extra 2 bolts in the firewall, two already lined up !!, but i might drill them all out to 12mm. all i need to do is move the colum height adjuster down 25mm. and she be done.

steering wheel boss is differnt.

i was able to swap the igniton switch outa the dr and into the r31 barrel, just need to get a key!!

havent tried with trims, or combo yet but shouldnt be to hard.

when my camera works ill post up sum pics.

like r34 said, surprisingly straight forward when u got the right bits!!

[ydr030]

ok so columns all mounted, drilled a extra 2 holes in the firewall, and drilld out the existing studs. got a few pics,

ive compard the angles to other skylines and silvias and it actually looks better !, only problem is now i need to shorten the splined section.

have decided to use s13 control arms aswell, just that lil bit longer than r31.

in the pic it goes r31,s13,r30.

pretty much once the splined section is shortened ill be able to steer again! yay! still need to sort out a few lil things, but can do later.

also sourced factory pwr steer lines etc, so theyl go in soon after the bays painted. hopefully when fully completed, to the untrained eye it will look like r30s, came with rack n pinion

[Factory 5]

Good work!

I'll have to come to Syd to check it out...

[ydr030]

^cheers , yea im wanting to have it ready 4 all japan day (whenever they re organise it!) u could check it out there...

more progress, shortened, all bolted up car turns !!!!!!!! YYEEEWWWW!!!

big props to my mate, bag26n, 4 all the machine work, the guys a wizard!

^not as much lock as i wanted, but slightly more. this is still with standard steering, i need to grind lock stops down and do a few more things. already having clearence trouble with the wheel archs, so looking into moving the front wheel archs forward? ne ideas?

with s13 lcas, sits pretty well. still tempted to go s14, and get sum bolt on flares but not sure ..

[Silent Shadow]

looks mean bro!!

the million dollar question is though... how does it drive??

[ydr030]

Cheers, yea still in the process of building the motor and painting the bay I'm keen to see how it drives hopefully I haven't destryod my d r! Will keep it posted

[chinna]

hey mate

if it helps i am putting r31 steering in my r30 as its the easiest fit that's what i found any way

i also had to re-drill all the hold to make sure it was 100 right, i ended up cutting the end off my steering column and welded the small uni joint from the r31 column to make it sweet

all in all if u have mate or the know how its easy and i think a much better set up from factory as may ball joints for the r30 are hard to get

hope this helps

[ydr030]

cheers buddy, yea it has been a surprisingly straight forward conversion. i used the pintara column so i wouldnt have to cut/weld major steering components.

got the tape measure out and did a "make shift" w/a . centralised the rack, gained more lock! looking 4ward to drive it. this is still with all standard bits!!

also got a bit exited and am moving inner gaurds forward to gain more clearence:

[ydr030]

ok, so been a awhile DRs finally up and running again!!! to answer the million dollar question i got the car wheel alignd on the weekend and took it 4 a spin, cars still needs a tune, so i carnt push it yet, but so far so good. wat a differece, no movement ne where in the steering! steering is not to light, about the same as before, the car has more lock, and even room to run knuckles and gain even more. so far not one sign of bumpsteer. car is 100x better already! looking forward to push the limits of the set up.

[Silent Shadow]

f**k yea bro that's sick. do you get any bind?

[ydr030]

Zero bind as yet. I havent fully pushd the set up but i did a small bit of sliding last night and it was unreal I kept over steering it need to reduce the amount of steering I put in. Man I'm hanging to push it so hard to try to skid it and not being able to rev it hard. But yea so far so good

[MyR33GTS-T]

Anyone got any idea on where that forum went about tightening up the steering box? Click the link nowadays and it takes you to the forum menu!

Looking at making some minor improvements to the steering, nothing like the above.. Just making it abit tighter!

Everyone loves tight things!

[currymeister]

Hi chaps,

Just joined sau to chat with you and the other guy about the conversion you have both done

1.with the crossmember and silvia suspension swap did that bypass the ball joint problem many r30 owners have when converting to s13 coil overs and hubs? in regards to the tie rod end not being able to bolt up to the hub properly and not having enough thread to be able to put the split pin in?

sorry for the bombardment of questions

Regards

[ydr030]

The whole front end is basically all s13 now just with a r33 rack. No more dodgy tie rod end angles