Weird Randall's Rack Issue

[Jimjific 23]

Hello All,

 

So now that I have brakes, I'm onto the next issue. I have the Randall's Rack installed now. I'm using Randall's power steering pump too. The rack unit is a second hand unit and although the guy said it was never used, I don;t believe it. I had to by a reconditioned rack to get new lines that I modified to fit. They were ugly but they would work to see how well the system works.

 

So I hooked up the power lines and it seemed to work until I went lock to lock and then the lines blew. I figured that they would leak since I worked them. The weird part is that the lines didn't leak where I thought they would. Instead they were bent in the middle.

 

So...

I went to my local shop and had them make me some new lines that were straight. I got the rack installed again and started it up and everything was good except the more I used it, the more it seemed to fight me to change direction. Then I went lock to lock and again it instantly bent the lines and pissed out all of the fluid. The pictures are of the new lines after they got bent.

 

Has anyone heard of such a thing? I'm at a loss. The lines from the pump can only go on one way so I think they are right unless the guy I bought it from made them wrong. Can anyone who has a Randall's Rack tell me which port the return and pressure ports that go to the pump are?

 

Any ideas or help is appreciated.

 

Jim

 

These used to be straight

 

[jmlay 80]

Is the rack moving in the mounts?

[Jimjific 23]

It is pretty solid. I've driven it with the pump lines off and it handles nice. It seems like it is over powered, and bursts the lines.

 

Jim

[69gmachine 15]

Just some observations:

 

1) The lower U-joint looks to be very far down on the splined shaft. If it was ever in a bind (because it came in contact with the rack) and someone forced it to turn, the rack (internally) is bent and you need to replace it.

2) The large lower fitting on the GM J-car rack is the input from the pump, the smaller fitting is the return line.

3) Randall uses a KRC pump. I prefer the early Fox Mustang Ford pump with the plastic housing (I believe later pumps have metric threads). It has the same 3 bolt pattern as the old style pumps and with some slight clearancing will bolt right into the factory brackets. It weighs a lot less than the old iron pumps and is perfectly matched to the J-car rack wrt pressure.

 

Can you get the car up high enough to observe whats going on with the rack when turning? The lines shouldn't bend or burst. I don't have a Randall's rack, but I do have a J-car rack, and I've turned it all the way stop to stop too many times to count. No bent or burst lines ever.

[Jimjific 23]

Thanks for the feedback. I will look to make sure that non of the things you mentioned are issues. I'm in SC on business right now for a couple of days so I won't have answers for a bit. I do know that the lower joint sits where it is designed. The clmaping bold goes through the groved part of the shaft.

 

I have the extra rack that I bought so I could swap it out. But the area where the lines hook up is clocked differently. I'm not sure if Randall changes this for pump line clearance or not. Did you make any changes to the rack you put in?

 

Jim

[MAD IN NC 21]

the lines I have are the .... i don't know - the mesh covered rubber lines... not solid!

 

Came with the setup when I bought the rack... Had one bad fitting which Randal replaced in 3 days....

[69gmachine 15]

Thanks for the feedback. I will look to make sure that non of the things you mentioned are issues. I'm in SC on business right now for a couple of days so I won't have answers for a bit. I do know that the lower joint sits where it is designed. The clmaping bold goes through the groved part of the shaft.

 

I have the extra rack that I bought so I could swap it out. But the area where the lines hook up is clocked differently. I'm not sure if Randall changes this for pump line clearance or not. Did you make any changes to the rack you put in?

 

Jim

 

No, I use a completely unmodified stock rack. The early racks have one of the fittings on the passenger side end and the diameter of the tube is much larger than the late style rack. I'm using the late style rack and the (metal) lines fit perfectly with the way I have it clocked. You can see pics of my rack installation on my cardomain website.