Well this is all good info. Recently swapped to an NB subframe/rack on my NA with non-LE rod ends. Looks like I won't be changing to LE and will be keeping an eye out for NB knuckles.

As for the rack, I did use the NB u-joint with the NA shaft. If it's too long, slide it back into the column, it's a safety feature with ~6" of play...

FWIW I also mated the entire NB power steering setup onto my NA, only changing the reservoir. I did opt to run an aftermarket cooler with soft lines to the reservoir/rack however.

 

^Thanks Curly, I'll try that tomorrow. BTW, next time I'm in Oregon (is where a month ago I bought the car that's getting this subframe), I'll buy you a cold one!

 

How are you guys buying these sub frames? When I bought mine it was complete with control arms, rack and knuckles. I just bolted it to the body, engine and steering shaft. I then added the LE tie rods later.

 

It's painfully pedantic, but the NA and NB arms interchange and the NA arms have the double-shear endlink mounts. Not a big deal on most cars, but when you've got a 1-1/4" bar with a 3/16" wall thickness in the car, the swaybar system needs all the help it can get.

The ideal setup is an NB subframe, NB rack, NB FUCAs, NB spindles, and NA lower arms, Bauer ELBJs, and 93LE tie rod ends.

 

While the NA is double shear the material is a lot thinner than the NB single. I added the Racing Beat tab to the NB to make it double shear. It seemed like the best idea with that monster front bar. Otherwise I agree with and copied your formula. :-)

 

IIRC supposedly there was also more reinforcement in the NB arms under the tabs too.

 

NB1 FUCAS

 

Parted out a car, so I only took what I needed Long story: My car is getting less and less track orientated (have a fully caged car for that) and I wanted comfort, aka PS. I don't have/want ABS, so I sold the ABS NB hubs. Since you need to keep NA subframes with NA racks and NB subframes with NB racks, I took the opportunity to upgrade to the "better" suspension geometry. Installed all my NA hubs and arms with NB subframe, rack, tie rods, and I think some barely used MSM outer tie rods, and voila, power steering.

 

 

Good to know, I'll try to source some NB knuckles. I was parting out with a friend, and we had a buyer for all the ABS knuckles/hardware.

 

+1. The spindles are half the benefit and like 5% of the work. Makes no sense to run an NB subframe and NA spindles.

 

Confirmed, and done!


Quick Q? Right now I have the NB power steering reservoir, and it fits rather wonky. Would the NA reservoir (I have one) would fit unto the NB rack hoses?

 

I used the NA reservoir. I think the smaller line that comes out of the back of it, I the NA hose didn't see to fit quite right, so I just used some bulk hose. The larger hose I don't recall if I used the NA or NB, but it was an OE hose.

 

Thanks dude!

 

Sorry to thread jack, but we're parting out another 2003. Just so i'm clear, I want to grab the front knuckles and upper arms? How horrible would it be if I kept my non '93LE outer tie rods? Also it's 90% a street car, so do I strictly need the ELBJ? Don't get me wrong, I'm club orange and am happy to grab Emilio's new front end service kit, but I also don't know if I necessarily need near 4* on the street.

 

 

Does anyone know how to visually (or otherwise) differentiate between NA and NB front upper arms?

I have a set that I plan to use to facilitate a bushing swap, but when I obtained them I didn't realize there was a difference in the upper arms, and I don't know for sure whether they came off an NA or NB...

 

 

Thank you! That was the nugget I needed for a useful search result.

Found this:


Which I think answers my question... just have a little more research to do to confirm NB1 v. NA, and I think the answer is still in the underside bracing.

EDIT: OK, I believe the FUCAs I have are NA... It appears the underside bracing was extended from NA to NB1, and again from NB1 to NB2. If anyone has any different info, please speak up.

 

It doesn't matter since you don't have the ball joint anyway. The big problem is the NB upper ball joint taper is different, so you have to match the knuckle and ball joint (which most people.never change out if the arm).