C4 Corvette Sport/ZR1/NS 2 turn lock to lock rack

Real tech discussion on design, fabrication, testing, development of custom or adapted parts for Pontiac Fieros. Not questions about the power a CAI will give.

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draven
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C4 Corvette Sport/ZR1/NS 2 turn lock to lock rack

Post by draven »

ok... the stronger front bearing issue looks to be taken care of save for mounting and testing.

In the meantime I've been working on mounting the C4 Corvette sport rack to the 88 crossmember. I finally got a working mount for the rack and welded it up. Made out of a single piece of 3"x3"x1/4" square tube cut and ground to shape using a contour gauge and angle finder.

Contour gauge and angle finder

Image

Cut and beveled for welding
Image

Test fitting
Image
Last edited by draven on Mon Nov 12, 2018 9:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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draven
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Re: Corvette Sport/ZR1/NS 2 turn lock to lock rack

Post by draven »

Does anyone know of any good online or local machine shops that could machine some inner tie rod adapters?

I've already got the step files for the driver and passenger adapters built.

see below

Passenger
Image

driver
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draven
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Re: C4 Corvette Sport/ZR1/NS 2 turn lock to lock rack

Post by draven »

Local machine shop never returned phone calls after two weeks so I went with the same machinist ericjohn handed me to for the 88 to C5/C6 caliper brackets... should be done and in by end of next week for test fitting
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Re: C4 Corvette Sport/ZR1/NS 2 turn lock to lock rack

Post by draven »

Wow.. he's already done...

Image
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Re: C4 Corvette Sport/ZR1/NS 2 turn lock to lock rack

Post by Shaun41178(2) »

Nice.
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Re: C4 Corvette Sport/ZR1/NS 2 turn lock to lock rack

Post by The Dark Side of Will »

Snazzy... so the Corvette rack does end up off-center.

I bet that adapter could be lasered out of flat plate fairly easily.
The right mount just bolts up (other than being spaced out from the crossmember an inch?) and positively locates the left one?

Are you planning to measure bump steer when you get done?
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draven
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Re: C4 Corvette Sport/ZR1/NS 2 turn lock to lock rack

Post by draven »

These should bring the inner tie rod pivots to the identical location of the 88 fiero so minimal to zero bump steer..

These are for the most part the exact adapters Series used in his setup, just that the original creator RickAddy88GT from Old Europe no longer has his plans for the ones he created.
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Re: C4 Corvette Sport/ZR1/NS 2 turn lock to lock rack

Post by The Dark Side of Will »

Going to cut flats on them for easier torqueing?

ETA: I see flats on the render... did those make it to the parts?
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Re: C4 Corvette Sport/ZR1/NS 2 turn lock to lock rack

Post by draven »

good eye, yes he's cutting the flats....
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Re: C4 Corvette Sport/ZR1/NS 2 turn lock to lock rack

Post by The Dark Side of Will »

Could have made them out of aluminum to save weight :wink:
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draven
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Re: C4 Corvette Sport/ZR1/NS 2 turn lock to lock rack

Post by draven »

I thought about that, especially in T7075 for rigidity but both machinists I spoke to both independently decided that 4140 alloy would be the best overall choice for strength and durability.
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Re: C4 Corvette Sport/ZR1/NS 2 turn lock to lock rack

Post by ericjon262 »

looking good! this is something I want to do to my car one day as well.
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draven
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Re: C4 Corvette Sport/ZR1/NS 2 turn lock to lock rack

Post by draven »

ericjon262 wrote: Sun Dec 16, 2018 12:53 am looking good! this is something I want to do to my car one day as well.
If you want the 2 turn lock to lock they are getting a little hard to find... I had to buy mine refurbed 'with' core charge.... ouch...

The identifier for the Z51 sport rack like mine is an NS stamp on the housing...
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Re: C4 Corvette Sport/ZR1/NS 2 turn lock to lock rack

Post by The Dark Side of Will »

I'm looking more toward a fast manual rack + electric power steering added to the column.
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Re: C4 Corvette Sport/ZR1/NS 2 turn lock to lock rack

Post by draven »

I nicked a 2003 Mr2 Spyder power steering pump, far superior and self contained than the mk II mr2 pump, off ebay a few weeks ago at a very good price... going that way so the rack isn't overpowered from a standard GM power steering pump sized for having the majority of the weight in the front...

And it's been done before with a Camaro rack too with VSS and oil pressure sender cut on/off by Spoon on OE.
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Re: C4 Corvette Sport/ZR1/NS 2 turn lock to lock rack

Post by draven »

Got the steering adapters in...

looks like I got everything spot on but the OD of the shaft that the inner tie rods slip over... looks like I'll need to take out about .5mm from the ID of the inner tie rod pinch sleeves or hit the adapter shaft around the flats with an emory cloth to pull it in some...

pics to come..
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draven
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Re: C4 Corvette Sport/ZR1/NS 2 turn lock to lock rack

Post by draven »

Ok, while waiting on the 3.09 final drive F40 from the UK I'm getting back on the steering.

Spent some time mocking up some CAD brackets for EHPS mr2 spyder pump and started looking up the fitting sizes for both the MRS pump and Z51/ZR1 rack to make some custom hoses.
MRS side:
Pressure side is 16x1.5mm concave so looking at this:
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/produ ... RecID=5062

and a 16mm ID 20mm OD crush washer; found these:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GTW6YL4?ta ... rinsert-20

Corvette Z51 Rack
16mm x 1.5mm high side?
18mm x 1.5mm return side?
http://www.purechoicemotorsports.com/in ... prd347.htm

Excellent write up on conversion for an S14
https://forums.nicoclub.com/electo-hydr ... 68877.html

and
https://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/s ... 505p4.html
https://www.k20a.org/threads/ehps-conve ... 308/page-1
Last edited by draven on Sun Oct 27, 2019 1:39 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: C4 Corvette Sport/ZR1/NS 2 turn lock to lock rack

Post by The Dark Side of Will »

You can probably find the Saginaw fittings in ready-to-crimp hose ends rather than adapters. That would eliminate the potential leak path at the -6 AN fitting.

I dunno the Toyota fitting type, but I bet it's out there too.
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draven
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Re: C4 Corvette Sport/ZR1/NS 2 turn lock to lock rack

Post by draven »

hmmm... seem to keep coming up empty on those.... Could go banjo on the rack side?
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Re: C4 Corvette Sport/ZR1/NS 2 turn lock to lock rack

Post by draven »

Ok.. while restoring the area in and around the frunk and running wiring for the front mounted battery as well as templating a bracket for the Mr2 spyder EHPS.... While positioning the EHPS unit I began to wonder is running the EHPS really worth it vs running a traditional PS pump/pulley on engine with regards to weight and simplicity. I'm trying to save 'some' weight 'where' I can as well as maintain a level of simplicity where possible given the LF3/LF4 complexity etc..and the Mr2 Spyder, although wiring is very straight forward, I mean almost easy compared to Mk2 Mr2s and Mazda 3 EHPS's, the pump is a 15lb-17lb brick.

How much hp does a traditional PS pump remove from the engine? I can install one from an XTS, lickety split, and run the lines to the front.

The only drawback of the traditional XTS PS pump would that it is probably overboosted for the fiero front end but that could be remedied by a flow restrictor or would that put unnecessary strain on the pump?
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