Well no Duh Mike, they're both made from old filing cabinetsOriginally Posted by 168glhs1986
Musta been a hella big cabinet, every year another of Pats GRM cars gets sections from it
Well no Duh Mike, they're both made from old filing cabinets
AJ (no More Alan) 84 Rampage RT TIII/568 Quaife 87 GLHS dealer optioned Red 16V Masi/568/Quaife
90 Masi 16V White/Ginger/Black
89 TC Masi 16V Red/Ginger/Black
86 GLHS #110 RoadRace Built 89 CSX-VNT Recaro Car
89 Turbo Mini 'Woody' 85 GLHT 'RedBox'
2014 Explorer DD'r 3.5Twin Turbo Ecoboost AWD and 500HP
My profile page has over 20,000 views, I'm somebody LOL
Couple of updates....
wanted to try a true depowered steering rack, so I figured why not. Disassembled a rack, cut the seal off of it, welded up the splined section of the pinion shaft to take out the leftover play that would be in there since it won't have any fluid in it. Greased it all up, reassembled, and painted it. Don't have a painted pic, but...imagine a steering rack all painted. :-)
Didn't like the flimsy, factory core support. Wanted something stronger that would give me some options for mounting of a full size radiator, factory fan, triple core IC, motor mount, tow hook, maybe a splitter and if possible, help stiffen the frame rails. This is what I came up with.
Nice work!
Mike Marra
1986 Plymouth Horizon GLMF "The Contraption" < entertaining sponsorship offers
Project Log:
http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showthread.php?69708-The-Contraption-2013-14&highlight=
I dont understand what was done to the pinion shaft. Can you explain it?
Dont push the red button.You hear me?
When you disassemble the shaft and remove all of the valves on it, you can see how it is actually two pieces splined together, which means there is some play between the two halves. I did some reading on the Miata guys that depower racks and from what I can tell, the play is there purposely to allow fluid transfer to the valves best I can tell.
Regardless, I didn't want any play in the pinion shaft, so I cleaned it, lined it up and welded the two pieces together. I suspect it will tighten the steering up nicely.
The power and manual racks have different ratios, right? Are you offsetting the effort required with a larger steering wheel?
Yes, they are different. Reason I depowered was because I didn't want the 22:1 ratio of a manual rack. Once moving, I don't think it will be a problem, especially with no seal, fluid, lines or valves, I'm not forcing any fluid when turning the wheel. Besides, I'm not too worried about parallel parking this thing.
If I don't end up liking it, I have a power rack, pump, etc. I can put back in.
Last edited by Pat; 02-28-2015 at 07:26 PM.
Ive driven depowered racks that just had looped lines in k-cars and it was mostly fine. The only thing that made me nervous was i think i would not be able to handle the car as well in an emergency maneuver. You'll be autocrossing so that will be a good test of whether it is 'worth it'. Also, mine still had fluid and seals so like you say maybe those add a lot of drag.
Dont push the red button.You hear me?
That is what I am thinking. In looking at the size of the orifices the fluid has to pass with looped lines, I have to believe pulling that crap out will help. Fingers crossed!
looks good pat,bummed to see the t3 in it though
I've always felt that once you're moving, power assist didn't really do much except numb the feel.
Mike Marra
1986 Plymouth Horizon GLMF "The Contraption" < entertaining sponsorship offers
Project Log:
http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showthread.php?69708-The-Contraption-2013-14&highlight=
Unless you're trying to steer quickly. Ever had a car stall right as you're about to make a 90 degree turn? Seems to have happened to me a LOT.I've always felt that once you're moving, power assist didn't really do much except numb the feel.
Dont push the red button.You hear me?
personally ive had more problems with the "non" power steering rack it hairy situations, the 22:1 ratio is very slow to react and felt unresponsive during normal canyon carving.not be able to handle the car as well in an emergency maneuver
I actually liked the feel of regular rack converted to non power, but the quick ratio rack without power assist made it a little more difficult than my liking.
KEEP THE PICS COMING PAT! this project is awesome!
why?bummed to see the t3 in it though
He knows why!
Just a mock motor right now for weight and a front side intake, but a t3 is still my cheapest option budget wise. And budget is tight right now.
I just love the fact your building a truckster.
Fricking sweet
my wife drove her neon for weeks with a fluidless (for the most part) neon powerless steering system with the belt cut for the pump several years back
there was a horrendous leak that i needed to diagnose and since i was knee deep for a while in other car repairs (ie not running cars) she built some upper body strength.
she said it was fine other than in parking lots.
I drove an aries that way for a while too. with zero fluid in the system it was great at speed. i could whip that wheel back and forth just fine. im a bit of an ogre though.
Brian
Couple more pics. Still have to close up some sheet metal to keep it out of the engine bay unless it passes through the rad, add the tow hook and do a ton of finishing/clean up work, but the hard work is done. Had to do a bit of trimming on the inner structure of the nose to keep the IC from being too low, but it all fits in there. Ten lbs of crap in a five lb car.
Hey Pat,
One of the guys in the SDAC Buckeye chapter told me he sent a power rack out of his GLHS to
Steer and Gear and they turned it into a manual rack.
It obviously can be done so I wonder just how they did it?
I'll ask him if he knows any more about it at the next meeting.
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