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About The Steering Rack & What It Does
Many people do not know that when your steering wheel is straight there is no power assist and only your manual steering is at play. But when you decide to rotate the wheel is when it applies a load to the steering rack. This load will twist a small torsion bar that is located in the rack, which rotates a valve which turns on the power assist.
Product LinksWhy The SN95 Steering Racks Are Better
Starting in 1994 is when Ford made a huge adjustment to the steering rack which included making the torsion bar stiffer and added a two-stage transition to the valve which activates the assist. With these changes, they made for a smoother shift from no assist to power-assisted. Also please note that this resulted in a little more effort due to their being less total assist.
Also, be aware that not all SN95 steering racks are the same. From 1999-04 the racks were improved from the 1994-98 racks with the addition of reduced-friction internal bushings. The different effort ratings on the SN95 steering racks are as follows:
- Cobra models steering racks have a higher effort than GT models.
- GT models have a higher effort than V6 models.
- Please note that some special model Mustangs have some unique steering racks with changes to increase effort and feel. The 1999-04 Cobra and 2000 Cobra R are these special models.
Fox Body Vs SN95 Steering Racks
What Stayed The Same?
- K Member Mounting Bushings
- Hydraulic Line Connections
- Inner Tie-Rods To Center Rack Threads
- Hydraulic Pump Operating Pressure
What Is Different?
- Input shaft being changed from a round shape with splines to a triangular shaft which matches to the lower steering shaft connection.
- Inner tie rods are longer so they match the longer SN95 front control arms.
- The threads that attach the outer and inner tie rod ends are changed from standard SAE to metric.
What Is Needed To Make The Switch To An SN95 Steering Rack?
- SVE makes the conversion easier with the SN95 Steering Rack Conversion Kit, that contains the components designed specifically for Fox Body applications, including a telescopic steering shaft, correctly sized inner tie rods, and a bump steer kit. With these supporting components and a 1994-2004 Mustang steering rack, the conversion can provide a more modern and responsive steering feel in an all in one kit!
- For those that don't need the inner tie rod end kit and the bump steer kit, you can still purchase just the SVE Telescopic Steering Shaft for SN95 Power Steering Rack. This is a must-have when installing an SN95 steering rack in a 1979-1993 Mustang. Its proper “V” connection and lower U-joints are designed to mate directly with the triangular-style connection used on SN95 racks, eliminating the fitment issues associated with the factory Fox-body steering shaft.
- The telescopic design makes installation easier by allowing the shaft length to be adjusted for proper fitment, while the included splined column coupler lets you fine-tune the final steering wheel position. This is especially important for maintaining the correct steering wheel orientation after installation. Without the splined adjustment, the steering wheel can end up significantly off-center, potentially close to 90 degrees.
- The shaft also replaces the factory rubber rag joint with precision Borgeson needle-bearing U-joints, providing a tighter, more direct steering feel with less unwanted play. TIG-welded U-joints provide a secure connection, while the slim steel construction offers additional clearance around headers and aftermarket K-members. Its telescoping design also allows the shaft to collapse in the event of a collision, providing an added safety benefit.
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- Also required are fox chassis inner tie-rods to retain the Fox chassis front control arms. Having the correct length Fox Body inner tie-rods can easily be swapped onto an SN95 steering rack due to the inner threaded connection.
- (Optional) - New seals to attach the hydraulic lines to the steering rack.
- If you have a Fox with SN95 front control arms:
- If you have stock outer tie-rods, you will need to use SN-95 inner tie-rods and outer tie rods. This will be the same no matter what spindles are used on the car.
- If you are installing a bumpsteer kit on a steering rack that is equipped with SN-95 inner tie-rods, use Maximum Motorsports MMTR-3 or MMTR-4 bump steer kits.
- If you are installing a bumpsteer kit on a steering rack that is equipped with Fox inner tie-rods, use Maximum Motorsports MMTR-6 or MMTR-7 bump steer kits.
Should You Use A Rebuilt Steering Rack?
When looking for a cheaper alternative steering rack option be extremely careful when looking at large rebuilders. Most rebuilders work on steering racks in huge quantities and pay no attention to keeping the insides of the rack matching the housing. So attention to detail is often non-existent. There are some used or salvage options that we feel are of higher quality such as:
- Lower mileage steering rack from a used or salvaged car that wasn’t directly damaged in the accident.
- Rebuilt steering rack from a Ford dealer.
- Rebuilt rack from a local rebuilder with good reviews.
To wrap everything up, we believe that upgrading your Fox Body Mustang’s steering rack to a newer SN95 option is a great upgrade that can not only create a better driving experience, but also keep you safer. As always, for all things, Fox Body and SN95 Mustang keep it right here at LMR.com.
