I don't know. Even all new stuff in a stock style suspension ( tie rod ends, idler and pitman arms, steering box...etc.) has got to have more play in it compared to a rack. Then you have the weight savings.
Exactly. Think of all the places the OEM can have slop: Steer box, pitman, idler (in two areas: the pivot AND the joint itself), 2 inner and 2 outer tie rods vs. rack and 2 tie rod ends.
Also, the OEM K-member is only spot welded together and, if you look at the bracing for the steering box, it's not all that secured either. Which says nothing about the lower control arm points cracking and breaking out, which is fairly common place in these older cars. Lots have been welded and many more will be too.
If you were going to try to use the OE cross member for hi perf cornering, I'd say to fully weld it up and reinforce the steering box structural bracing at the very least. Which is to say nothing about the upper control arm adjusting ears that tend to crack under heavy driving.
For me, there was just too many little/annoying issues to leave to, ' ...hope this 40+ year old engineering holds together for another "X" amount of years...' while I'm doing high speed driving. JMO
