Help to id rack and pinion

[MLH]

I have had this rack and pinion for years and forgot what year it is . I also would like to know the ratio and does any one make a quicker replacement? Thanks Monty

[GTJIM]

There is a 'wide' r&p from Manta/Asconas and a narrower track one from Kadetts and GTs.
From memory the ratio is the same and GTs use shorter steering arms to 'quicken' the steering. These are interchangable between Kadetts and GTs - but not between Manta/Ascona and GT/Kadett.

[oldopelguy]

Originally Posted by GTJIM Kadetts use shorter steering arms to 'quicken' the steering.

The GT one is actually shorter for quicker steering, and it also has some Ackerman built in where the Kadett pretty much has none.
Kadett and GT ones will look the same, mounts to the car with a couple of "D" shaped straps around on each end of th rack. The Manta one will have a couple of loops cast in and mount with a couple bolts.

[hrcollinsjr]

Originally Posted by oldopelguy The GT one is actually shorter for quicker steering, and it also has some Ackerman built in where the Kadett pretty much has none. Kadett and GT ones will look the same, mounts to the car with a couple of "D" shaped straps around on each end of th rack.

So is the GT one a direct swap and an improvement for the Kadett? Are the steering arms different and need to be swapped also?

Harold

[GTJIM]

It is the steering arms that are different - I am guessing Opel did that for a good reason ...

Maybe someone can tell us if the GT and Kadett racks interchange - or do they have different angles on the pinion shaft?

Just had a look at the Parts Book: The rack housings have the same part number for 1969-73 GTs and 1968-72 Kadetts but GTs have two different gear sets (1969-70 and 1971-73) and Kadetts three different ones including a seperate set for 1.1L.
Be interesting to know exactly what the differences are ....

I know the later Kadett (1968-72) inner and outer ball ends are the same as the GT ones. The earlier Kadett ones (pre-1967) are lighter and have different tapers where they go into the steering arms - there were several changes in front suspensions in 1965-67 and all the parts do not interchange.

[oldopelguy]

Quicker steering=harder to turn the steering wheel. That's OK for a sports car, but for the family cruiser they wanted little old ladies to be able to turn the wheel without building up arms of steel. In the Kadett there's also the potential for more weight on the front wheels, which would make them harder to turn, though I think the car weighs so much less overall that that's probably not a real issue.

I would say if you're driving a 1.1 Kadett you should absolutely swap in the GT steering arms for the quicker feel. On either a Kadett 1.9 or any Opel with wide front tires the issue would be how hard it is to turn the wheel. If you've ever wished for power steering, you want the Kadett arms, if you wish it was sportier feeling and your arms aren't taxed, go with the GT arms.

As to the rack differences I couldn't say, I've never gone further than the steering arms myself. It would be worth looking into, though.

[jeff denton]

All I know is that if you put a Kadett steering arm on the right side and a GT arm on the left (as an experiment to increase Ackerman effect in a hard left turn) that you will get so much Ackerman that you take the left front Goodyear Eagle slick beyond its "slip angle" and it will hop up and down. Strange feeling! Didn't help one bit, but we had to try it, just for fun...
Of course you would never try this on a street car, much less run 3" stagger in your tires.
So as Stephen says, the big difference would be steering effort, followed by noticing you don't have to turn the steering wheel quite so far.
Merry Christmas, everyone!

[MLH]

I forgot to list the part #s on the rack and pinion above it has 2865-495 opel -233 3066 and Ko2542/19 Thanks Monty