SN95 Rack/A-Arm install July 01, 2010, 11:12:24 PM I'm trying to get some clarification on this but no threads have given me enough confidence in these parts. Supposedly my steering rack is shot after less than a year and possibly my ball joints are also an issue. The Ford dealer also claims something is wrong with my front control arm bushings but I'd think it just needs some thick grease. Anyways, I'm going to see if I can verify any noise coming from any of these parts. If they must be replaced, I figure it's as good a time as any to go to an '03 Cobra rack and M-3075-D A-arms. I'm sticking with 4 lug so I saw that the stock spindles must be machined down 0.1" to get enough thread engagement.My question is the tie rod ends - what is the story on them? Do sn95 ones work at all or are stockers necessary?As for my problem - I've got nasty grinding/sing noises that are there most of the time when going over any type of medium sized bumps (such as speed bumps), random creaks up front, and a pop whenever pressing down the gas when coming out of a turn - I guess right turns mostly. Everything is reasonably new up front and generously greased up with Amsoil NLGI #2 grease. Bolts, including the k-member, have been pulled out, cleaned, and retorqued with no help - if anything, the sound is worse. I get creaks whenever applying or letting off of even the slightest of braking.The most beneficial thread I've found so far: http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?t=15335Keywords: cobra rack steer steering pinion 2003 03 2004 04 noise control arms tie rod end ends boot ball joint joints sn95 fox mustang shaft convert conversion lug 4lug Quote Selected
SN95 Rack/A-Arm install Reply #1 – July 01, 2010, 11:56:04 PM Basically if you are going to stick with the four lug then swap the ball joints over to the Fox units. The SN-95 rack will bolt right up but I would suggest you remove the inner tie rods from the Fox rack and install them on your SN95 rack. The threads on the SN95 inner tie rods are metric where the threads on the Fox inner tie rods are standard. This will allow you to use your existing outer tie rods not to mention the SN95 inners are longer than the Fox inners. If you are going to alter the ride height I would suggest that you get a bump steer kit which will replace the outer tie rods. I have heard that the SN95 inner tie rods combined with the SN95 outer tie rods are too long for the Fox Mustangs. I have an SN95 rack with Fox inners and Fox outers on my 93 Coupe and it worked very well so I did the same thing with the Bird and was very satisfied with the results.When it comes to choosing an SN95 rack I would suggest you go with a '99-04 units as these racks were improved over the '94-'98 racks with the addition of reduced-friction internal bushings. The Cobra R racks have the highest steering effort but if you can find one you will pay out the nose for it. Next highest steering effort is the Cobra units which are pretty nice on the street and offer a good feel on the track. Here is how you tell them all apart, its call the SPR number:Here is where you find the SPR number:Here is how you decode the SPR number and desirability where 1 is the highest effort and 6 is the least steering effort but it will still be higher than the Fox units:I would also suggest that you use the Maximum Motorsports hybrid steering shaft:http://www.maximummotorsports.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_14&products_id=461Here is a shot of my car with the new suspension mocked up showing the bumpsteer kit and new rack with Fox inners and no alignment:Darren Quote Selected Last Edit: February 19, 2020, 08:53:51 PM by Aerocoupe
SN95 Rack/A-Arm install Reply #2 – July 02, 2010, 12:37:58 AM No lowering and I still have new inner tie rods sitting in a box (didn't install them on my "new" rack that I put in last fall). Why not just shorten the tie rod with a cutoff wheel? I thought there was some benefit to the sn95's ball joint design over the fox ones or something?I already plan on getting a new steering shaft - I haven't yet since I figured I'd get a sn95 rack already. My rag joints are mush. Quote Selected
SN95 Rack/A-Arm install Reply #3 – July 02, 2010, 01:56:15 AM Also, where would you guys recommend I get a steering rack from? Apparently both Napa and Autozone racks are . Quote Selected
SN95 Rack/A-Arm install Reply #4 – July 02, 2010, 12:51:44 PM I have purchased both of my steering racks from O'Reillys and have had zero issues with them or any of the Fox racks I purchased from them in the past. The 03-04 Cobra racks are nearly impossible to find and if you do they are a mint of money.Here is a thread from the Corral that is good read on the inner and outer tie rod issues:http://forums.corral.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1213539&highlight=SN95+rack+advantageYou did not mention what the outer tied rods you have that are new are for i.e. car, year, etc. From what I can tell if you do not want to run a bump steer kit then use the Taurus outer tie rods as I am not one to start cutting up steering parts to make them work when you can get unmolested parts off the shelf that will work. If you do want to run a bump steer kit then I would strongly suggest that you use the Fox inners and a Fox bump steer kit. This will keep a person from hacking up a high dollar bump steer kit.The benefit of running the SN95 rack over the Fox is is that the SN95 racks have a stiffer torsion valve in them. This gives much more weight when the car is going straight and reduces the assist level when the car is turning. I can attest to this as the Fox steering was completely over boosted. You can also install an SN95 V-6 power steering pump which will slow the pump speed down and further decrease the assist.I am pretty sure you car is not an 83-86 car so the Fox Mustang specific control arms would not solve your ball joint issue but just in case someone else reads this here you go:http://www.summitracing.com/parts/FMS-M-3075-A/?rtype=10If you have an 87-88 car I would think your only choices are to mill the spindle or to replace the ball joint with a good MOOG or TRW Fox ball joint from a parts house.Darren Quote Selected
SN95 Rack/A-Arm install Reply #5 – July 02, 2010, 01:52:08 PM Quote from: Aerocoupe;327069I have purchased both of my steering racks from O'Reillys and have had zero issues with them or any of the Fox racks I purchased from them in the past. The 03-04 Cobra racks are nearly impossible to find and if you do they are a mint of money.Cardone? $225 from O'Reilly.Quote from: Aerocoupe;327069You did not mention what the outer tied rods you have that are new are for i.e. car, year, etc. Currently I'm running a stock rack in my 88 with moog outer tie rod ends but I kept the reman inners on although I purchase mood inners also. Quote Selected
SN95 Rack/A-Arm install Reply #6 – July 02, 2010, 02:12:43 PM When I bought my SN95 rack the list cost was $174.56, the net was $100.93, and the core charge was $90.00. I returned the Fox rack with the SN-95 inners on it and got my core charge back. So the cost was about $100.00. It is an A1 Cardone part number 22-216.Darren Quote Selected
SN95 Rack/A-Arm install Reply #7 – July 02, 2010, 02:50:14 PM Quote from: Aerocoupe;327071When I bought my SN95 rack the list cost was $174.56, the net was $100.93, and the core charge was $90.00. I returned the Fox rack with the SN-95 inners on it and got my core charge back. So the cost was about $100.00. It is an A1 Cardone part number 22-216.DarrenSomewhere, somebody bought a Cardone Fox rebuild and wonders why the hell his tie rod ends won't thread on correctly! :p Quote Selected
SN95 Rack/A-Arm install Reply #8 – July 02, 2010, 02:50:50 PM I guess a question I have is how the inners are replaced. I'll have to look that up really quick. If the ball joints check out okay (and I've had two shops previously check for free and they both claim the ball joints are in good condition), doing this swap may be easier than I had originally antited. Of course I won't have the improved control arms but that would also be easier to replace on its own at a later date.$200 for a steering rack isn't exactly a "mint of money" to me but I've gotten used to throwing money at this thing over the last 3 years for one reason or another. What's another $200 when I lost some $4000 in problems that originated from a bad machine shop. :pPerhaps this would let me put Type F fluid in the power steering while a shop claims they put in normal ps fluid in everything they do and the manuals state to use it. Their pump whines more than the autozone one I had (which lasted all of a few months before blowing out all over the engine bay). Had to get it replaced at the above shop and it has a 5 year warranty but still - the whine is annoying! Quote Selected
SN95 Rack/A-Arm install Reply #9 – July 02, 2010, 04:02:42 PM I have the 03-04 Cobra control arms on my car. They fit fine (besides the spindle/ball joint issue) and have firmed up the front end a bit. The control arm bushings are stiffer but not like it would be with poly bushings. The spring pockets area bit deeper so the front end is lower by about 1/8"-1/4". The suspension geometry is still fine and the car takes an alignment fine. Quote Selected
SN95 Rack/A-Arm install Reply #10 – July 02, 2010, 04:51:43 PM JeremyB,One would hope that A1 would check this as part of their QC and correct this but for the most part the only difference between the racks is the stiffer torsion valve so its not like they are getting hosed on the core. Then again not everyone's QC is like factory.Seek,The inners are pretty easy to replace. I like to leave the old rack on the car as this makes it easier to get them off. You can remove the rack but you will need a pipe wrench or a big vise. To remove the dust boots you have to get the metal strap that attaches the boots to the rack frame off. This can be done with tin snips, a cut off wheel, or just use some adjustable pliers and fatigue the metal strap. Slide the boots off and now you will see the large nut on the inner tie rod. I believe the wrench size on the inner tie rod is a somewhere around a 1-1/4" but a large crescent wrench will do the trick as well. Depending on the rack the inners may or may not have a roll pin hammered into the nut so it does not back off the rack. Do not worry about this as it only creates a little more force to remove the inner and I have never put one back in after replacing a set. Once you have them off then install the new rack and do this procedure again to remove the SN95 inners. Then simply reinstall the Fox inners on the SN95 rack and begin to reassemble your steering. Do not put the boots back on the rack frame just yet if you run the rack limiter clips, read on and I will explain further. If you do not run the rack limiter clips (I do not on either car) then push the boots over the rack frame and secure with large zip ties.Don't forget to install the hybrid steering shaft before you install the new rack or you will just have to take the rack back off. The steering shaft R&R can be anther major pain but it is well worth it.I run the Valvoline synthetic power steering fluid in my remanufactured A1 Cardone pump and have had zero problems. I typically do the following and have had zero failures:Flush the pressure and return lines with new fluid, install the new rack, install the new pump, install the power steering lines with new teflon seals, and fill with a quality synthetic fluid. Hand prime the pump without turning the wheels lock to lock. This will allow the pump to remove any air it has internally. Next, I put the front of the car on jack stands and set the ebrake and chock the back tires. Now here is where the boot thing comes into play. If you need to run rack limiter clips then remove them. Start the car and slowly and gently turn the wheels lock to lock. This will purge the air from the rack and any other parts. If you keep the rack limiter clips installed then you will not get all the air out. Once you are satisfied the air is purged then reinstall the rack limiter clips. Push the dust boots over the rack frame and secure with large zip ties.Darren Quote Selected
SN95 Rack/A-Arm install Reply #11 – July 02, 2010, 06:02:15 PM Good information here. Too bad it isn't as quick to install as it takes to read that post I wouldn't pull the inners out of the old rack, just put my spares on the sn95 one. I guess I can pull them out to practice on since it'd be a core only :p I'll have to show you guys the splines on that thing - they hardly exist. Quote Selected
SN95 Rack/A-Arm install Reply #12 – July 02, 2010, 06:05:53 PM Quote from: Aerocoupe;327094JeremyB,One would hope that A1 would check this as part of their QC and correct this but for the most part the only difference between the racks is the stiffer torsion valve so its not like they are getting hosed on the core. Then again not everyone's QC is like factory.Cardone and QC mentioned in the same sentence! lol That wasn't a dig at you, just making fun of Cardone. Quote Selected
SN95 Rack/A-Arm install Reply #13 – July 02, 2010, 06:08:02 PM Quote from: JeremyB;327104Cardone and QC mentioned in the same sentence! lol That wasn't a dig at you, just making fun of Cardone.Hey! My Cardone reman booster has been going strong for 6 days so far - that's like 60 miles! Quote Selected
SN95 Rack/A-Arm install Reply #14 – July 02, 2010, 06:40:12 PM Offhand, does anyone know if the rack limiter clips can be used to keep your tires from rubbing on the control arm? I didn't notice anything of the sort when I had the boots off my rack. Are they adjustable? Quote Selected
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