While I know there are center-steer, rack and pinion systems you can purchase from Speedway Motors, or Moore Parts Source, I'd like to conquer building one from a pre-existing salvage yard piece. Has anyone attempted to do this? If so, what were the results?
We need more information:
- power or manual?
- ratio?
- tie-rod end distance?
There are a few center-steer rack available (Porsche, VW, Saab) Just tell us what you need.
You'll have to hack up the column somehow if you want to to it with a rack-and-pinion system using junkyard parts (since McLaren F1s don't tend to end up in junkyards 
) - either by using an angled column shaft to move the wheel to the center, or with some scary menagerie of chains or gears to connect a central column to an offset pinion input.
Edit: Huh I thought the McLaren F1 was the only street-legal car with center steer.
In reply to fanfoy :
This is more so to get an understanding of the plus and minuses, rather than an actual in-situ event. Hopefully, this will help some..
- power steering
-ratio is open although the speed of the VAG B5 racks are nice (2.75 lock to lock, 14.5-14.9)
-TBD on the tie-rod distance
Unless you are building a formula car or a car you intend to sell in a lot of markets (LHD and RHD) there really is no reason to go with a center-steering rack. You end-up with a steering shaft in the middle of the car which is a huge pain for any front-engined application and an annoyance for a rear-engined application.
fanfoy said:Unless you are building a formula car or a car you intend to sell in a lot of markets (LHD and RHD) there really is no reason to go with a center-steering rack. You end-up with a steering shaft in the middle of the car which is a huge pain for any front-engined application and an annoyance for a rear-engined application.
Also it makes overtaking on the street much more difficult - you should have forward-facing cameras in the mirrors to make it easier.
I think it would be more helpful to make a car easily LHD/RHD swappable if the aim is to go for both markets.
To convert an offset rack to a centered rack will require one of two things.
1. simply shorten the long side and replace the bearings/seals in the shortened housing
2. shorten the long side and extend the short side if you need to keep the overall inner tie rod pivot points far enough outboard.
Both require some basic fabrication, but nothing overly difficult, except maybe welding aluminum and some post-welding machine cleanup for the bearings and seals. The process of shortening/extending the ends keeps the rack and pinion in the same relative orientation to each other and does not require cutting gears/teeth.
GameboyRMH said:fanfoy said:Unless you are building a formula car or a car you intend to sell in a lot of markets (LHD and RHD) there really is no reason to go with a center-steering rack. You end-up with a steering shaft in the middle of the car which is a huge pain for any front-engined application and an annoyance for a rear-engined application.
Also it makes overtaking on the street much more difficult - you should have forward-facing cameras in the mirrors to make it easier.
I think it would be more helpful to make a car easily LHD/RHD swappable if the aim is to go for both markets.
You're thinking of putting the driver in the center. Fanfoy (and others) are talking about if the pinion on the rack is at one side of the rack or in the center of the rack 
In reply to fanfoy :
I’ve narrowed a few steering racks, Some a lot.
frenchyd said:In reply to fanfoy :
I’ve narrowed a few steering racks, Some a lot.
And kept the power steering?
IIRC, Curmudgeon narrowed the Spitfire rack in the Abomination, but that is a manual rack and I don't recall the specifics.
If P/S is a requirement, I'd narrow a manual rack and add electric assist from a Saturn Vue or something.
so, don't a lot of cars have the steering column offset anyway? Like the steering wheel is centered between your legs but the column goes through the firewall right above your driver's foot? Take a look up under the dash and look. I know the fiat x1/9 is like this, but I suspect a lot are.
If the above is true, you can just slide the steering wheel over to the center of the car and everything will still work just fine. You may need to slightly adjust the length of the steering column to make it perfect.
Robbie said:so, don't a lot of cars have the steering column offset anyway? Like the steering wheel is centered between your legs but the column goes through the firewall right above your driver's foot? Take a look up under the dash and look. I know the fiat x1/9 is like this, but I suspect a lot are.
If the above is true, you can just slide the steering wheel over to the center of the car and everything will still work just fine. You may need to slightly adjust the length of the steering column to make it perfect.
Indeed this will work but will shorten the column significantly, since the pinion is closer to, and pointing at, the driver's side. You'll also have to watch your angles to avoid U-joint phase problems. Lengthen the center shaft of the column and that's basically the "angled column shaft" solution I mentioned.
In reply to GameboyRMH :
Haha! I thought you were going to be all over this one, Gameboy-you touched on the idea with mentioning McLaren F1!
The idea would be to make a three-seater from a Karman Ghia, or possibly a Audi TT ! Either way, it would be a mid-engined Challenger. My roots are in open-wheel cars, and I'd like to get back to that type of driving dynamic in a car. I'd like both my kids in the car experiencing spirited driving with their dad, at the same time.
A VAG B5, longitudinal drivetrain would be my starting point, as well as a stretched wheelbase to accommodate the RX8 geometry (I have the complete subframes).
I've already checked out two, $500-$800 Audi TTs in the Orlando area. It's crazy how cheap V.A.G. stuff has gotten within the last couple of years! The same with RX-8s.
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