My car cant be aligned?!?

[steddy]

Well, we're just full of freakin' solutions this morning aren't we? LOL. Trust the guy who's been under the car for 159 out of 160 hours this week.

[meissen]

Best way to learn it is hands on!

[sman]

THANK YOU BRIAN! Mine looks like the top one in the picture, the other one is obviously a v8 one. This means that my car WAS aligned to begin with, because it drove good, just the steering wheel was off 90*, so its all jacked up now, gonna see if a local bone yard has one and ill get this straightened out!

[00firebird]

if i switch a 00 3.8 to an 00 ls1 am i gonna have this same problem.. or is this because you were using different rag joints or whatever.. im confused. havent heard of people having this problem until now.

[steddy]

Yeah, it's usually what they don't tell you that's a pain. Much like when I put LS6 springs in my 3.8L and come to find out, if they weren't the stock springs the spring seats had to be machined.

[meissen]

If you look at the v6 and v8 rag joints in the picture, the bolt and hole on the right side is 90* off from eachother. So yes, if you swap from your v6 rag joint to a v8 rag joint, your steering wheel will be off.

And Spencer, I hate to say it, but I'm not saying that's why they won't align your car - that's just why the steering wheel is 90* off... according to that same person who posted those pics and info, he said that it can be adjusted with an alignment of the tierods.

Edit: Nevermind, I forgot you're using a v6 ragjoint with a v8 rack. You might be OK when you put it back together, but it was always my understanding that if you do an engine swap and drop the kframe you had to get a frontend alignment.

[JoeliusZ28]

I hate to say it Spencer, but do you know the condition of the car that steering rack came out of? I'm surprised you used the v8 rack? I used my v6 rack and steering. Do you still have the v6 rack that you could try swapping it out?

why wouldnt you use a V8 rack? they are different steering ratios, i would use one if i was doing a swap... might as well if you want "v8" suspension.

[sman]

Brian, this will for sure fix my cars issue. As they were able to align my car at the shop perfectly, just the steering wheel was off by like 90* EXACTLY. Weird how that is huh. So the shop re did the whole car using the tie rods to straighten the wheel, its not perfect but will work till tomorrow when I get my v8 intermediate shaft and they re do the alignment, which they offered to do for free.

To whoever posted about the swap, yes this will happen to you as well, you will need a v8 intermediate shaft, which upon calling the dealer is a discontinued part, I found one at a bone yard and am picking it up for $20 tomorrow morning.

[meissen]

why wouldnt you use a V8 rack? they are different steering ratios, i would use one if i was doing a swap... might as well if you want "v8" suspension.

I haven't read up on this that much so I'm a total clueless when it comes to this - what exactly is the difference between the steering ratios? My steering wheel still turns the wheels, what's the diff?

http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/show...10&postcount=2

If both suspension RPO codes are FE2 then yes they are the same. The WS6 though is almost gaurenteed to be a FE7 or 1LE, which is different. The ratios are the same on all rack and pinions. I happen to have a FE2 (which is almost 100% yours) rack and pinion for sale.

[MP81]

The V8 steering rack has a higher steering ratio - when you turn the steering wheel, the front wheels turn more than the with the V6 rack.

It's a quicker ratio.

[meissen]

I'm starting to think BS on this. I've now read 3 completely opposite opinions from eachother.

I've read they're exactly the same, I've read the v8 has a higher steering ratio, and I'm now reading that the v6 has a higher steering ratio. You're only talking from wheel lock to wheel lock, for the price it seems completely useless to buy a v8 steering rack when doing a swap.

[sman]

Brian, it depends on what options were ordered on the car. The y87 v6's (i belive) got the v8 rack. The v8 rack IS quicker, coming from someone who had a v6 and now has the v8 rack, its MUCH quick if you ask me. Takes alot less steering wheel movement to get the wheels to turn. I can get anywhere im going, even most parking without turning the wheel more than 3/4 a turn, probably less if I actually went out and checked. I espesially noticed when pulling out from somewhere, I turned in a bit to far on several occasions and it really cought me off guard. Really have to be carfull on the e way, its just not what im used to.

Also, GM lists 3 racks, base v6 rack with the F41 suspention, the base v8 rack(quicker ratio), and another rack only for v8 cars that have option 1le or fe2, 6,7 or 9. Its listed as Heavy Duty. Yet to dig up an info on it though. Hope it helps.

[JoeliusZ28]

yea i notice it too, especially in parking lots. Sometimes it seems like i want a suicide knob on my V6 - whereas the Z28 seems to take less effort. I will say however that it isnt *that* big of a difference. I'd be interested in seeing some solid data on it... could be even just a difference in tires

[meissen]

What I found was that there was the FE2, F41, and the 1LE. FE2 is the LT1, F41 is the v6, and 1LE is 1LE.

[sman]

Well coming from my intrepid that ive been driving all winter that would go like 5 lock to lock it takes some time to get used to.