M-3200-R rack/steering feel

[Rehagen Racing]

Part # is M-20201-MC

I just did a google search and few people show them, but I doubt they have any based on what their sites say. It looks like generic eta's.

 

[agamble]

Turn-One has nothing to help with except suggesting more caster, and, a smaller diameter steering wheel. Is the GT500 wheel smaller?

 

[Roadracer350]

Bro... If your going to do it do it right. Go with the rack and the power steering cooler.

 

[DRock]

So if one was to buy the front lower control arms from Steeda.....what is the main difference between the 05-10 and 11-14? Is it really only the front balljoint? Wouldnt it be considered a decent upgrade for the 05-10 guys just to run the 11-14 ones?

Help? lol

 

[zquez]

So if one was to buy the front lower control arms from Steeda.....what is the main difference between the 05-10 and 11-14? Is it really only the front balljoint? Wouldnt it be considered a decent upgrade for the 05-10 guys just to run the 11-14 ones?

Help? lol

The only difference that matters is the balljoint. You get the new arm design, but without talking to a Ford chassis engineer, who know if it is really a big deal or the change was rooted in an issue. I wouldn't waste the money to just get the new arm design. Go for the tall balljoints and bushings if you're gonna upgrade.

 

[Rehagen Racing]

It's been covered quite a bit, but the 11+ has a different spindle. Most of our cars run the newer arms and spindles. Mostly due to part availability at the track.

 

[zquez]

It's been covered quite a bit, but the 11+ has a different spindle. Most of our cars run the newer arms and spindles. Mostly due to part availability at the track.

Correct. But its not really that big a deal to convert the 05-09 spindle to work with the new balljoints.


http://www.s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=96749

 

[DRock]

The only difference that matters is the balljoint. You get the new arm design, but without talking to a Ford chassis engineer, who know if it is really a big deal or the change was rooted in an issue. I wouldn't waste the money to just get the new arm design. Go for the tall balljoints and bushings if you're gonna upgrade.

Oh its defenately not to just get the new arm design. I just wanted to know if it would be a worth while upgrade. I mean they are the same price so if going with the 11+ control arms got me a better ball joint/roll center then im in. I want the balljoint and bushings done and Steeda offers their front control arms which look promising just making sure the 11+ control arms would be a worth while upgrade.

 

[zquez]

Oh its defenately not to just get the new arm design. I just wanted to know if it would be a worth while upgrade. I mean they are the same price so if going with the 11+ control arms got me a better ball joint/roll center then im in. I want the balljoint and bushings done and Steeda offers their front control arms which look promising just making sure the 11+ control arms would be a worth while upgrade.

Well more so than them being a worthwhile upgrade, it just plain makes more monetary sense. For the price of a tall balljoint and a bushing kit that you have to install yourself, you can get them pre-assembled from Steeda with the new arm design.

Had I known about them at the time, that's the route I would've gone. Instead I paid twice as much.

 

[DRock]

Well more so than them being a worthwhile upgrade, it just plain makes more monetary sense. For the price of a tall balljoint and a bushing kit that you have to install yourself, you can get them pre-assembled from Steeda with the new arm design.

Had I known about them at the time, that's the route I would've gone. Instead I paid twice as much.

Well thank you for your help good sir! Looks like the 2011+ front arms from Steeda and the lil mod you talked about in your thread to get them to work will be my next purchase!

 

[neema]

More caster will give you more feedback at the steering wheel. I went with the Whiteline bushing kit. With the hydraulic system I don't think there is a way of tailoring steering effort there might be with the electric system I think I remember some such talk concerning the red key tune on the Boss but I may be mistaken.

The whiteline bushing (on the right) isn't offered for 2011+ cars. Is this where 05-10 and 11+ control arms differ?

 

[908ssp]

There are reports of 2011's electric steering not cooperating with the stiffer mounts. It caused some oscillations. Too bad as the bushings feel way better than stock.

 

[Rehagen Racing]

There are reports of 2011's electric steering not cooperating with the stiffer mounts. It caused some oscillations. Too bad as the bushings feel way better than stock.

We do not have issues with oscillation, and we run the FRPP urethane and delrin bushings.

 

[Vorshlag-Fair]

There are reports of 2011's electric steering not cooperating with the stiffer mounts. It caused some oscillations. Too bad as the bushings feel way better than stock.

Our 2011 GT's electronic steering rack went bat-sh!t-crazy when we swapped on poly front LCA bushings. Whiteline told me they are holding off making these for the 2011-up cars, because it hoses the EPAS steering rack programming. Look at our build thread or the EPAS thread. We've spoken to many bushing/control arm vendors and manufacturers and they all say the same thing - once you change the front LCA bushings bad things happen to the EPAS rack. This is what happened to our car after the bushings were installed...



And here is the fix:

The fix is a new $900-1000 Ford Racing re-programmed electronic EPAS steering rack. This is the rack that comes on all 302-S/302-R race cars, and it turns off the "auto nibble" function that causes the problem (the OEM rack can get into a destructive feedback loop and cause crazy steering shudder). It is the same part but with different "ones and zeros" onboard. There is no way to reprogram the factory 2011-2014 racks, yet.

I am not sure if this affects the 2011+ Boss302 or GT500s, but I wouldn't be surprised if it does the exact same thing with altered bushings.

 

[Department Of Boost]

Most of this has been mentioned so I'm parroting for the most part.

I'm running:

The taller ball joints

Whiteline control arm bushings set on kill (max caster)

MM CC plates set on kill (max caster)

425lb front springs

Smaller steering wheel

My K-member is tied directly to the frame rail and rocker for ZERO flex

Pretty fat front tires (285mm R888's)

The steering, feedback, front end feel is almost to the level of "motorcycle". It's pretty good. I agree that is a ton of stuff to do, and massive overkill on the street. But if you are looking for the ultimate in "front end" I don't think it would get any better without using solid bushings.

 

[Mach2burnout]

So does the M3200-R rack do anything for the steering ratio? I'd love to have a tighter ratio to lower the amount of input necessary.


Sent from iPhone

 

[Rehagen Racing]

So does the M3200-R rack do anything for the steering ratio? I'd love to have a tighter ratio to lower the amount of input necessary.


Sent from iPhone

Since we're talking about two very different parts:

The M-3200-R is a traditional rack and can only be used on the 05-10 cars.
It does increase the ratio to 15.6:1 which nearly eliminates one full wheel turn.
This will make it quicker to respond and offer more feedback.

The M-3200-EPAS is for the 11+ cars and will also increase the ratio. Since it is electronic, it has a race calibration that changes the feel as well as the ratio.

 

[Mach2burnout]

The M-3200-R is a traditional rack and can only be used on the 05-10 cars.
It does increase the ratio to 15.6:1 which nearly eliminates one full wheel turn.
This will make it quicker to respond and offer more feedback.

So what is the ratio of the stock rack? Has anyone tried a steering quickener instead of changing out the entire rack? I've only run them on conventional steering boxes and have thought of trying one. Just didn't really know if I wanted to try a 1.5:1 or 2:1. I've figured out the mounting, etc. just haven't started the cutting.

 

[Rehagen Racing]

I am not aware of the stock ratio.

 

[Whiskey11]

I am not aware of the stock ratio.

This conversation came up in my STX build thread after the "shuffle" game was played with a 3450lb car + 270lb driver on a course that would make a 60 second course on a postage stamp. From what little research I found the default rack is 15.642:1 which would make it the same as the FR500 rack.