by Randy Irwin

1958-64 RACK & PINION INSTALLATIONCHEVY SMALL BLOCK V-8

Tools Needed: Hammer11/16” Wrench1 3/16” Wrench Cutters

PliersPitman Arm PullerPunchThread Locker

Finally a solution for that lack luster steering in your 1958-1964 LateGreat Chevy. Unisteer Performance Products has designed a bolt in rack &pinion kit that when installed will make your Chevy handle like it’s on a setof rails. The kits use a power rack & pinion unit from a Citation and willreplace all the original steering linkage components. These kits aredesigned to be used with original style steering shaft, ididit steering withcolumn or floor shift. The rack & pinion unit mounts to a gloss blackpowder coated crossmember that bolt’s to the frame using the originalholes for the steering box and idler arm. Each kit includes the rack &pinion unit, crossmember, outer tie rod ends, U-joints and coupler shaft, aGM Type II pump and pulley and steel braided hoses, all you need is thepower steering fluid. Best of all there is a lifetime warranty on the rack &pinion portion of these kits.

Time Frame: 8 hours

Randy Irwin - Technical WriterRandy has been involved in the Chevy

parts business for over 25 years. He is a wiz-ard at creating, making and modifying customparts for Chevys.

Photo #2a & 2b: A shaft with couplers on each end connectsthe steering box to the steering column. All of thesecomponents will be removed to install the new state of thearts rack & pinion system.

564207

553721 541001

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Photo #1: Whether the car had power steering or manualsteering the steering linkage on a 1958 to 64 consisted of asteering box on the driver’s side of the frame, an idler arm onthe passenger side of the frame and a center link and tie rodends that tied it all together.

Parts Needed:553721 1958-64 Small Block Rack & Pinion553722 1960-64 Big Block 348/409 Rack & Pinion553723 1958-64 Small Block V8 Rack & Pinion Steering

With ididit Steering Column553724 1958-64 348/409 Rack & Pinion Steering With ididit

Steering Column 564207 58-64 Pulley/Single Groove (Optional)541001 58-64 Power Steering Belt (Optional)

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#2b

Photo #5a & 5b: The idler armis held to the passenger sideof the frame with two 3/8”bolts, nuts and lock washers.Remove the two bolts, nutsand lock washers and thecomplete steering linkage canbe removed from the frame.

Photo #4a & 4b: The pitman arm is held to the bottom of thesteering box with a right hand threaded 1 3/16” nut and lockwasher. Remove the nut and washer, then using a pitman armpuller, remove the pitman arm from the steering box.

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Photo #7a & 7b & 7c: The steering box is held to the framewith three 3/8” bolts nuts and lock washers. Remove all threebolts and the steering box can be removed from the frame.Now it’s time to replace the antiquated steering linkage withsomething that will make the car handle like its on rails.

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#7b

#7c

Photo #6a & 6b & 6c & 6d:The lower coupler at thesteering box has a 12 point3/8” headed pinch bolt thatholds the coupler to thesteering box, remove thisbolt. The upper coupler hasa 7/16” pinch bolt, lockwasher and nut that holdsthe shaft to the upper

coupler, remove thisbolt, nut and lockwasher also. Loosen

the steering column clamps under the dashboard and pull thesteering column up into the car about 1-1/2”. This will allowfor clearance between the column and the steering box so thatthe coupler shaft can be removed. The stock coupler shaft willbe replaced with a new stainless steel double-D shaft and twostainless steel U-joints.

Photo #3a & 3b & 3c: Toremove the steering linkage,first disconnect the outer tierod ends from the steeringarms on the spindles. Nextremove the cotter pin and nutfrom the tie rod end. Using atie rod end splitter tool andhammer, remove the rodends from the steering arms.

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Photo #9a & 9b & 9c: The crossmember will bolt to the frame onthe driver’s side using two of the three original holes in the framefor the steering box. The cossmember will bolt to the passengerside of the frame using the two original holes for the idler arm.The bottom of the rack & pinion crossmember measures 1/4”higher than the bottom of the engine crossmember so nothing ishanging below the bottom of the frame.

Photo #8a & 8b: With the original steering linkage removed,we're now starting with a clean slate. The rack & pinion unit willcome installed on the bolt in crossmember and will have theinner tie rod ends installed. The new crossmember is formed3/8” steel and is powder coated gloss black.

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#9a #9b

Photo #12: If the car originallyhad power steering, the frontanti-sway bar will need to berelocated. New anti-sway barmounting brackets are includedin the rack & pinion kit.

Photo #11a & 11b: The rack & pinion kit includes new outertie rods. The outer tie rod ends have right hand threads andwill screw onto the inner tie rod ends. The outer tie rod endsare held in place with jam nuts. A supplied washer will sit ontop of the steering arm. Install and tighten the castellated nutsand install the new cotter pins. Set the toe-in close so that thecar can be driven to the alignment shop. With new rack &pinion steering, the front end will need to be realigned.

Photo #10: Therack & pinioncrossmember willposition the rack &pinion unit in theproper location sothat the front endsteering geometryis correct.

#11a #11b

Photo #13: The rack & pinion kit includes two stainless steel U-joints and a double-D shaft to connect the rack & pinion unitto the original steering column.

Photo #14: The lower U-joint is splined on thebottom to connect to therack and pinion and is 3/4”double-D on the top toconnect to the supplied 3/4”double –D shaft. Install theU-joint onto the rack andpinion and install thedouble shaft into the top ofthe lower U-joint andtighten the two allen headbolts. It’s a good I idea toput some thread locker on the threads of these bolts.

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Photo #15a & 15b & 15c: Remove the snap ring and steel coverfrom the upper coupler, the coupler is packed with grease.Next remove the pivot blocks and retainer, these parts will notbe reused.

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#15c

Photo #16a & 16b & 16c:Clean the end of the steeringcolumn shaft and remove therubber boot. You will find asolid pin driven into the end ofthe steering column shaft, thepin will need to be removed.Many times the pin can bedriven out without removing the steering column but our pinwas not cooperating so we had to remove the column from thecar. Using a hammer and punch remove the pin from the endof the steering column shaft.

#16c

Photo #17a & 17b: The upper U-joint is splined on the bottomto connect to the splines on the double-D shaft of the rack &pinion. The top of the U-joint is a smooth bore with a hole fora roll pin to connect to the steering column shaft. Install theU-joint onto the steering column shaft and with hammer drivethe roll pin in flush with the body of the U-joint.

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Photo #18a & 18b: Now installthe splined end of the double-D shaft into the bottom of theupper U-joint and tighten theAllen headed bolt.

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Photo #19a & 19b & 19c: Therack & pinion kit includes aGM Type II power steeringpump with a plastic reservoir.The pump comes with apolished billet aluminumpulley and a black powdercoated pump mountingbracket installed. The bracketis designed to be used with a short water pump. The pumpbracket bolts to the front of the engine block with two 3/8” x 1-1/4” bolts and lock washers and has two 5/8” spacers that willfit between the bracket and the engine block.

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Photo #20a & 20b & 20c: Banjo block fittings are included toconnect the pressure and return hoses to the rack & pinion.The larger fitting is for the pressure hose and will screw intothe lower female port of the rack & pinion. The smaller fitting

#20c

Photo #21: The pressure and return hoses are steel braidedand have #6 fittings crimped on the ends. The hose with twofitting is the pressure hose.

Photo #22a & 22b: One end of the pressure hose will connectto the lower banjo fitting on the rack & pinion and pass underthe anti-sway bar. The other end of the pressure hose willconnect to the #6 fitting on the power steering pump. Nothread sealer is necessary.

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#22b

is for the return hose and will screw into the upper female portof the rack & pinion. An aluminum gasket is used on each sideof the banjo block to seal the banjo bolt to banjo block and thebanjo block to the rack & pinion case. No thread sealer shouldbe used here.

Photo #24: Using a coupleof zip ties, tie the pressureand return hoses together.This really gives theconversion a finished andclean look.

Photo #25: The powersteering pump pulley willline up with the thirdgroove on the crank shaft.The rack & pinion kitdoes not include thecrankshaft pulley or belt.The steel crankshaftpulley is #564207 and thebelt is #541002.

Now fill the power steering pump with power steering fluid tothe full line on the pump dip stick on the bottom of the cap.Next with the car on jack stands and the engine NOT running,turn the steering wheel from lock to lock about ten or fifteentimes to bleed the air out of the system. Now start the engine,turn the steering wheel from lock to lock about ten times andcheck fluid level. Fill the reservoir appropriately, now the car isready to be aligned. By using these alignment specificationsthe car will handle great. Good luck.

Photo #23a & 23b: The return hose will connect to the upperbanjo fitting on the rack & pinion and will pass over the top ofthe anti-sway bar and connect to the 3/8” nipple on the side ofthe power steering pump using the supplied hose clamp andcover.

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Drivers Side Passenger Side Camber 0-Degree 1/4-Degree Negative

Caster 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 2-1/2 to 3-1/2Degree Positive Degree Positive

Toe In 1/16” 1/16”