I'll ask some more questions..... I jumped someone's right rear, tagged the wall and broke a spindle, but when the car landed it bent the whole steering rack plate and that bar back and upwards.... With that flimsy 1/8 plate, there was nothing holding the bar from being pushed back and up...... With a 1/4 plate at least there should be some support from it being pushed back like that again.... I have been running the 1/8 additional plate under the rack also, so I might as well increase the whole bent plate to 1/4". After hearing what a couple of guys have told me, just wanted to see if there was some different opinions out there. I purposely run the standard weaker heim ends in the front tie rods, so they will bend and break before the rack would take the abuse. They are a lot cheaper and easier to replace than the rack $$$$$.