Are the VW racks the same between the Standard Hatchback, the Convertable, and the GTI?

How is the Rack modified from stock? What's to stop me from getting a Rabbit rack from the scrapper, or new and putting it on the stage 1 kit? (Not that I'd do it... I don't trust unknown condition parts...)

 

anyone know if the kit will fit with a moroso oil pan like this one:

http://www.moroso.com/catalog/catego...?CatCode=13316

 

So now it's out and has been available for over a week. Who's ordered it? Has anyone installed it?

 

So, where do you get the actual VW rack?

What does the kit consist of?

Can we get pictures of what will actually be shipped?

 

damn, I want one of those pans for my 13bt.

 

got to www.cpracing.ca or email info@cpracing.ca

 

I asked, and this is what they said:

- you get the rack, they send the parts, you put it on...you do not need to send them the rack, or weld to it.

- there is nothing to stop you from pulling a 80-84 VW Rabbit (Caribe in Mexico, also used on the Atlantic in Mexico) rack, that is what the stage 1 kit is for. Presumably, you could purchase a rebuilt rack from a mass marketer (Autozone, Advance, O'Reilly, PepBoys) and be ready to go.

- they recommend you use the GTI version if you can, it has a higher ratio

- the rack works on cars originally fitted with either the PS or manual, but there is no PS option, so once you put it in, you are on mechanical steering (this is because it is designed for the mechanical rack, not the hydraulic one). Their comment "It [ps] is not needed anyway."

This weekend or next I plan on pulling some racks at the local pick-n-pulls...and overhaul them if necessary. Then I will order my first (of two kits).

I would get it from a salvage yard in Mexico, but they didn't sell the GTI there, and I want the faster ratio.

 

So what ratio rack does the stage 2 kit have? The GTI or the standard rabbit?

 

Write and ask.

I didn't ask that because I am going to do the Stage 1 kit. The steering on my blue RX-7 is so bad, I don't even care that much what the exact ratio - I mean there are certain standards in the industry, and the GTI will be higher than that.

He is very responsive to email, but I doubt he spends much time on these threads. I am unclear why people are leery of sending him email...he won't hound you or anything later.

Thanks,
BTC

 

For those too timid to ask:

The GTI rack is 3.2 turns lock to lock
The regular rack is 3.75 turns lock to lock

Stage 2 will come with the regular rack (3.75 turns lock to lock [in case you forgot ]

The difference between the OEM recirculating ball steering and either rack is so great, you can't notice the difference between the GTI rack or the regular rack (Chris has driven both). He said he really doesn't have a preference for either, for street or track.

Anyway, now you know.

...hmm, maybe I should go get it from Mexico after all...I could get 5-10 for the cost of two here I bet...

FWIW, when Chris isn't on the boards (...as some seem to expect him to be 24x7), he is in the real world designing and building more really cool stuff for RX-7s. Personally, I prefer he maximize his time on the later, rather than the former.

--BTC

 

Sweet! I happen to have an 84 GTI rack.

 

Chris doesn't check here too often. The new shop has been very busy, but he dies check e-mails regularly

 

The GSL-SE has a quicker ratio than the Rack then??? I have a power steering box i run now without the pump, and it feels good. WIll I have to turn my wheel more with the Rack set-up?

"
Steering Specifications (GSL-SE)
Type: recirculating ball, power assist optional
Overall Ratio: variable 17-20:1 or 15.83:1 with power assist
Turns (lock to lock): 3.4
Turning Circle: 32.8 feet"


Model Specs

 

As stated above the GTI rack is 3.2...even tighter than your PS box - so just get the GTI rack.

I have two GSL-SEs, one is mechanical, the other is PS box, with the pump removed. I'll probably put a GTI rack on the one that had PS, and a regular rack on the other, so I can see if I can tell the difference (I doubt it).

--BTC

 

yea 3.2 is tighter than 3.4, but the Stage 2 comes with the 3.75 rack right?

Isn't the manual worm gear 3.70?

 

If it is that important, save yourself some money and get the stage 1 with your own rack. ...or, ask Chris if you can specify a stage 2 with the 3.2 rack.

--BTC

 

Hey its me the engineer of the unit and I run the 3.75 rack. Personally I can't tell the difference no matter how I drive it. Just my 2 cents if ya care. Oh ya I have a NEW GTi rack sittin here that I was gonna use but I now cant justify the swap time and back pain when Im so busy working with CP on new XXXciting products. Plus I have all winter. YA RIGHT, NoTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

 

I definitely vote for you spending your time coming up with other cool Gen I stuff like this that I can buy!

Just my 2 cents

Why do I get the feeling I am going to be doing my part to help Canada keep a positive balance of trade with the US?

--BTC

 

So how many have been sold J O?

Count on me mid next-summer. Mine's already tarped and setup for the Canadian Winter ahead.

Jon

 

There's some conflicting information as far as the steering ratio is concerned, this is from the web site; "Lock-to-lock is reduced to 3.2 turns"

 

Yea I see that too. SO which is it then? 3.2 L-T-L is from the GTI rack, but Stage 2 comes with a non-GTI rack with 3.75 L-T-L right?

 

! Well since no one can answer my question, it seems like a crock to me. I'm going to wait to hear from other people that buy the kit. J Oliver is the only one raving about how great the kit is and he has an obvious bias.

 

Spinner,

Didn't your mother ever teach you that if you have nothing nice to say, you shouldn't say anything at all?

J O's put a lot of work into this kit, and a few club members from around the area have been going and checking on his progress. The kit's available, as promised, with pictures, on a website, as promised, and I bet you that if you were really seriously considering getting one, you'd call him.

If you've been following, there's a bit of a communications problem between J O and the CP Racing webmaster, which we first saw when the american price was posted w/o actually specifying that it was American dollars (when the order form online was in Canadian). I'm sure now that he knows the steering is misquoted, he'll have it fixed.

But take his word as he says it:

The kit (despite what the site says for now) comes with a non-GTI rack, with a L2L of 3.75, which is a little more than a stock box, but a hell of a lot tighter, so you won't notice anyway. If you get the Stage 1, you can put a GTI rack with a L2L of 3.2, which is less than the stock box, but not a huge noticable difference from the non-GTI.

L2L isn't the best measure of performance of a steering system, and truly, what can it tell you other than the fact that you have to turn the wheel so much from lock to lock. So what? how often do you turn your wheel all the way to the lock when you're driving anyway? And the ratio on the rack makes it so that for the amount of turning we do whilst driving we don't really see it anyway.

Now J O had already previously said that he wasn't gonna post on the forum anymore because of the abuse he was taking by not releasing on schedule. Nobody bothered to give him slack when he redesigned the system midway through, even though in the end it ended up being a better system anyway. Yet he posted on the forum again, even *after* he said he wouldn't.

Sure, he types like a 14yr old, and sure he's blowing his own horn, and yes I plan to wait to hear some first-hand stories before buying mine, but hell, give the guy a break!

Jon

 

Hey J O and guys,

There's one thing that I'd just like to check up on. I'm pretty sure, but wanna check:

The Stage 1 description says it requires "the VW rack, VW universal joint and Rx7 inner tie rod ends"

The Stage 2 description says it includes "ALL necessary components for installation"..."modified VW manual rack(refurbished) with universal joint, preassembled to sub-frame. Plus all other necessary hardware required for installation."

Does this include a new set of Rx7 Tie-rod ends? I'd assume that's covered under "ALL components..." but I just wanted to check. My car needs new tie-rod ends with or without the kit, so that'll factor into my price and decisions.

Jon

 

are these prices in Canadian $ or American $?