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Fiero rack on a 3rd gen Posted By: Pocket On: 08-08-2009 @ 17:16:38 Reply | Edit Ok, there are dozens of reasons people swap steering components. I really dont care what theirs are, heres why I did it Pros: Weight, the stock center link and tie rods weigh as much as the whole rack. The box and PS pump total just over 50 lbs I dont need Manual, I dumped the PS pump so I needed something manual and a S10 box would just mean Im lazy Space, this fits tight under the balancer out of the way of everything when I lay the radiator back Cost, this was off a Fiero I scrapped but anyone can find one in a JY for less than $50 Direct fit(almost), even the steering shaft Cons Manual, slightly more effort required Loss of turning radius, a R/P has less travel, solution would be modifying the spindle arm. Mine is a drag car so I dont care about tight turns K member notch, have to cut it to fit the stock shaft Welding required No aftermarket K member available The Pros won it for me so I did it Notes* The full length of the 3rd gen linkage is around 49.5". The Fiero rack is approx 53" long with the tie rods fully screwed in as far as they can go. For fitment the tie rods are not perfectly strait so the excess length is lost and it just so happened to be 49.5" where it was If I cant get it to stay true Ill grind some length off the inner threads and use a die to cut some more effectively shortening the total length The column stub has to be ground on slightly because the fiero steering shaft mounts differently. 3rd gen uses a bolt strait thru, Fiero uses a pinch style similar to the shaft/box connection and clearance must be made for the bolt If you wanted to fork over another $300 or so Flaming River would be happy to make a shiney piece to do the job sans grinding Pics: 
Pic of the notch, I was over-zealous with my cutting because I wasnt sure where it was going to end. You can see the excellent header clearance 
The mounts are from a few piece of angle iron, very simple. The band clamps are stock Fiero Steering shaft is within 1/4" of stock Fiero length, no mods to the shaft are required. It has plenty of adjustment left I dig it Posted By: LeadFootedRacer On: 08-08-2009 @ 18:05:40 Reply | Top | Edit after reading/looking, i've composed a few questions... i respect your knack for customizations and i know i'm more than capable of doing this job, but just a few things i need cleared up to have a full understanding. are those fiero tie rod ends or firebird tie rod ends? the steering shaft being at almost a 90* angle doesnt bind? looks like an aftermarked tubular k member would not have to be notched there, thoughts? where does the firebird steering shaft stop and the fiero shaft start? --  Posted By: Pocket On: 08-08-2009 @ 22:16:54 Reply | Top | Edit Fiero rod ends, the bolt is the same size as the 3rd gen The shaft is 9/16" as opposed to the 3rd gen 5/8" From the angle of the pics it appears sharp, its actually closer to 135*. Even with the wheels on the ground it doesnt bind Aftermarket K member may or may not, there are like 10 different designs Regardless youll still have to weld the mounts on End of the Fbody steering column isnt pictured. Its about 4" past the firewall Posted By: LeadFootedRacer On: 08-09-2009 @ 10:21:03 Reply | Top | Edit what year fiero rack? do all fiero's use the same rack? -- Posted By: Pocket On: 08-09-2009 @ 23:33:16 Reply | Top | Edit Mine is from an 87 Fiero guru's say 84-87 is the same while 88 has a slightly different mounting. Specifics I cannot tell you, I do know any changes in mounts would be simple since its just moving the pieces of angle iron around
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