Tom,
The Ackerman relationship between the steering arms and the rack is governed by
the relative locations of the outer tie-rod end ball, the spherical joint on the
end of the rack, and the steering axis of the spindle. It doesn't matter what
kind of rigid linkage you put inbetween. The only way you can influence the
Ackerman geometry is to move the rack (rearward is good), or to move the end of
the steering arm where the tie-rod end attaches (outboard is good). The problem
is that the rack really needs to be about where the #2 main bearing is, and the
steering arm end needs to be somewhere in the middle of the brake disc. You may
have read in TBON that Doane Spencer did as much as possible of both, by
flipping the brake disc inside out (allowing him to place the tie rod end pickup
further outboard), and he moved the rack back as much as possible, and had
planned to eventually bury the rack in the crossmember.
Brain-fart for the day - Has no one ever put in a rear-sump oil pan, and then
moved the rack under the front of the pan? You'd have a real problem running the
steering shafts down there, but if you got it to work the rack geometry at least
would be improved.
Theo
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