Page 1 of 1

Steering rack heat shield

Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2013 11:46 pm
by woody90gtz
Anyone ever make one? Upon closer inspection of my rack I see the rubber accordion boot on the pass side has a couple little holes melted in it from my headers. I'd like to make a heat shield, but it's fairly tight through that area and it would have to clear the tie rods as well.

Looking to brainstorm a solution. If you have done it and have pics or tips, post em up.

Re: Steering rack heat shield

Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 9:33 am
by 3X00-Modified
I only had this issue when my headers did not have a good enough coating on them.... I replaced the boot last year or before that I can't quite remember and I haven't had a problem since... at least I haven't checked since I had them coated but I doubt there is any problem this year so far.

Re: Steering rack heat shield

Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 10:34 am
by woody90gtz
Mine had the S&S coating and header wrap when I first built the car. Then I got them coated by the place in Rochester and I think I only had like 6 months of drive time with that setup. It's not bad yet, but a 24-hr road trip I'm sure won't help.

Thinking this has got to be related to my steering issue. I greased the ball joints & tie rod ends with no change.

Re: Steering rack heat shield

Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 11:42 am
by Alpinestar10
Didnt quads have one since ther exhaust is right at the steering rack they should bolt up too.

Re: Steering rack heat shield

Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 12:51 pm
by heavywoody
Yeah, you can get a factory one from any N-body with the Quad 4.

Re: Steering rack heat shield

Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 1:09 pm
by 3400beretta
I made one but my setup is a bit different then everyone elses. Since I used two front 3500 manifolds, it came pretty close to the rack and I actually melted the boot pretty bad. So I took a piece of stainless sheet metal put about a 75 degree fold in it to follow the manifold, cut out around the gasket and attached it to the factory heat shield location on the manifold. It extends down about 6 inches too, so that no heat rises up around it. Haven't had a problem since.

Re: Steering rack heat shield

Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 7:53 pm
by woody90gtz
L-body quads did not get them? I just looked at pics of my 90GTZ and can not see any heat shield.

Re: Steering rack heat shield

Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 8:29 pm
by heavywoody
Nope, they didn't have them on our cars w/ the Quad. I know the 96-98 N-bodies w/ Quads/Twin Cams/whatever you want to call them had the heat shield. It was a heat reflective fabric wrap that went around the rubber bellows.

Re: Steering rack heat shield

Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 10:36 pm
by woody90gtz
I'm gonna try to hit the yard this week, I'll see if I can find one. Rather not cook mine all the way out to Denver...haha

Re: Steering rack heat shield

Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 10:15 am
by 3X00-Modified
Mmmmm what's that smell......



Melting rubber.... LOL