aftermarket steering rack?
Originally Posted by Icemark
why would you want an aftermarket manual rack, when a S4 manual rack would be a bolt in???
the stock manual rack is all well and good, but it is a bit hard to find and i am actually looking for a ratio that is around the PS rack's, maybe even a bit less lock to lock.
Last edited by coldfire; Jun 23, 2005 at 07:20 PM.
Originally Posted by Icemark
Victoria British has brand new manual racks with a 20 to 1 ratio
i'll check that out now...any idea what modifications need to be made?
thanks
- Aaron
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From: London, Ontario, Canada
$337.44 less $60 with a core (Pg. 62).
That's fairly expensive. Are you sure that you can't find one at a local junkyard? If not I'd imagine that one of the local junkyards could use their "satelite hotline" to get one in for you. What about one of the local Ontario rotary related shops? Even Ottawa's much maligned RX-7 Heaven should be good enough to handle that.
There was some rumblings that you were doing some fairly major changes to your car. What exactly are you doing?
That's fairly expensive. Are you sure that you can't find one at a local junkyard? If not I'd imagine that one of the local junkyards could use their "satelite hotline" to get one in for you. What about one of the local Ontario rotary related shops? Even Ottawa's much maligned RX-7 Heaven should be good enough to handle that.
There was some rumblings that you were doing some fairly major changes to your car. What exactly are you doing?
Originally Posted by Snrub
$337.44 less $60 with a core (Pg. 62).
That's fairly expensive. Are you sure that you can't find one at a local junkyard? If not I'd imagine that one of the local junkyards could use their "satelite hotline" to get one in for you. What about one of the local Ontario rotary related shops? Even Ottawa's much maligned RX-7 Heaven should be good enough to handle that.
There was some rumblings that you were doing some fairly major changes to your car. What exactly are you doing?
That's fairly expensive. Are you sure that you can't find one at a local junkyard? If not I'd imagine that one of the local junkyards could use their "satelite hotline" to get one in for you. What about one of the local Ontario rotary related shops? Even Ottawa's much maligned RX-7 Heaven should be good enough to handle that.
There was some rumblings that you were doing some fairly major changes to your car. What exactly are you doing?
yeah, that is a bit expensive...but it is a new rack that has a faster ratio than the stock manual rack...
and rumblings about me, lol?
i don't think i've said anything to anyone. only thing that is for sure right now is that i am looking for an S5 core.
are you sure you don't have me mistaken for someone else?
Last edited by coldfire; Jun 24, 2005 at 06:32 PM.
Originally Posted by trufc
If the VB rack has a 20 to 1 ratio what does the stock manual rack and stock p/s rack have?
i also just found out that the stock manual steering is 20:1 also, so this IS a stock manual steering rack on the VB catalog?
i was thinking the stock MS had around a 23:1 ratio, as i was thinking Mark was implying the rack in the VB catalog had a lower ratio than the stock MS.
anyone want to confirm this stuff?
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From: Rohnert Park CA
no, all the manual racks that are designed for the FC are 20 to 1.
There are two power racks, a 17.4:1 (89-90 GTUs, 90-91 Infini, 91 coupe and vert, 90 GXL, GTU, Vert) and the standard 15.2:1 found on all others w/ power steering.
There are two power racks, a 17.4:1 (89-90 GTUs, 90-91 Infini, 91 coupe and vert, 90 GXL, GTU, Vert) and the standard 15.2:1 found on all others w/ power steering.
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You could depower your power steering rack by removing some internal components and make it a purely manual rack. There's a writeup on how to do this to a miata rack on Flyin' Miata's website: http://flyinmiata.com/tech/depower.php?x=1
I don't know how similiar the racks are between the FC and Miata, but I'd be willing to bet that the same technique can be used to good effect, then you can have a 17.4:1 or a 15.2:1 manual rack at minimal cost and it'll require no modifications to fit on the car.
I want to try this on my car soon. I think when I have the front suspension apart to put in my poly bushing I'll try to do it then (maybe next weekend as it's a long weekend). I'll post on the forum one I've done it to report on any variances from the Flyin' Miata writeup and impressions.
I don't know how similiar the racks are between the FC and Miata, but I'd be willing to bet that the same technique can be used to good effect, then you can have a 17.4:1 or a 15.2:1 manual rack at minimal cost and it'll require no modifications to fit on the car.
I want to try this on my car soon. I think when I have the front suspension apart to put in my poly bushing I'll try to do it then (maybe next weekend as it's a long weekend). I'll post on the forum one I've done it to report on any variances from the Flyin' Miata writeup and impressions.
Former Moderator. RIP Icemark.
Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Rohnert Park CA
Originally Posted by coldfire
ok, hmmm...
well what i was looking for is a manual rack that is less turns lock to lock than the stock manual rack...
well what i was looking for is a manual rack that is less turns lock to lock than the stock manual rack...
Originally Posted by Black91n/a
You could depower your power steering rack by removing some internal components and make it a purely manual rack. There's a writeup on how to do this to a miata rack on Flyin' Miata's website: http://flyinmiata.com/tech/depower.php?x=1
I don't know how similiar the racks are between the FC and Miata, but I'd be willing to bet that the same technique can be used to good effect, then you can have a 17.4:1 or a 15.2:1 manual rack at minimal cost and it'll require no modifications to fit on the car.
I want to try this on my car soon. I think when I have the front suspension apart to put in my poly bushing I'll try to do it then (maybe next weekend as it's a long weekend). I'll post on the forum one I've done it to report on any variances from the Flyin' Miata writeup and impressions.
I don't know how similiar the racks are between the FC and Miata, but I'd be willing to bet that the same technique can be used to good effect, then you can have a 17.4:1 or a 15.2:1 manual rack at minimal cost and it'll require no modifications to fit on the car.
I want to try this on my car soon. I think when I have the front suspension apart to put in my poly bushing I'll try to do it then (maybe next weekend as it's a long weekend). I'll post on the forum one I've done it to report on any variances from the Flyin' Miata writeup and impressions.
thanks for that link, this is an option i hadn't even thought about before.
i may get a spare steering rack to try this on, but that would be great if you would do it first and post a little write-up. be sure to PM me when you do, and if you remember.
Originally Posted by Icemark
Then you want a 25:1 or something???
i'm looking for a true manual rack that is around the ratio of the PS rack, 15:1
the reason i don't want the stock manual rack is because they have increased the ratio (more turns lock to lock) to give you some mechanical advantage. however, this in turn increases the amount you have to turn the steering wheel compared to the PS rack.
the reason i don't want the stock power steering rack with the pump removed is that it is still a PS rack with all the seals and what not, giving unwanted resistance and the possibility of damage to the rack without fluid.
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From: London, Ontario, Canada
If you're looking at ditching your current power rack, what do you care if you damage it? I'm pretty sure a number of people have disabled the power steering without killing the rack. I guess with 99.5rwhp the added .5hp of drag ruins your ability to round up to an even 100rwhp. 
I'm not aware of anyone doing what j200pruf suggested, but it's often done on cars that race on ovals.
Your trade off for fewer turns is going to be more difficulty in turning the wheel. I've experienced a big difference in steering effort going from 195 winters to 205 stock size to 225 tires. It's not that big of a deal in normal driving conditions, but it makes it more difficult to be accurate. I'd love to have a quicker ratio, but realistically it's not worth the trade off to me. IMO you're stuck between whether you want a manual rack or the enabled power rack. I'm not convinced that any other option makes sense.
I'm not aware of anyone doing what j200pruf suggested, but it's often done on cars that race on ovals.
Your trade off for fewer turns is going to be more difficulty in turning the wheel. I've experienced a big difference in steering effort going from 195 winters to 205 stock size to 225 tires. It's not that big of a deal in normal driving conditions, but it makes it more difficult to be accurate. I'd love to have a quicker ratio, but realistically it's not worth the trade off to me. IMO you're stuck between whether you want a manual rack or the enabled power rack. I'm not convinced that any other option makes sense.
Originally Posted by Snrub
If you're looking at ditching your current power rack, what do you care if you damage it? I'm pretty sure a number of people have disabled the power steering without killing the rack. I guess with 99.5rwhp the added .5hp of drag ruins your ability to round up to an even 100rwhp.
I'm not aware of anyone doing what j200pruf suggested, but it's often done on cars that race on ovals.
Your trade off for fewer turns is going to be more difficulty in turning the wheel. I've experienced a big difference in steering effort going from 195 winters to 205 stock size to 225 tires. It's not that big of a deal in normal driving conditions, but it makes it more difficult to be accurate. I'd love to have a quicker ratio, but realistically it's not worth the trade off to me. IMO you're stuck between whether you want a manual rack or the enabled power rack. I'm not convinced that any other option makes sense.
I'm not aware of anyone doing what j200pruf suggested, but it's often done on cars that race on ovals.
Your trade off for fewer turns is going to be more difficulty in turning the wheel. I've experienced a big difference in steering effort going from 195 winters to 205 stock size to 225 tires. It's not that big of a deal in normal driving conditions, but it makes it more difficult to be accurate. I'd love to have a quicker ratio, but realistically it's not worth the trade off to me. IMO you're stuck between whether you want a manual rack or the enabled power rack. I'm not convinced that any other option makes sense.
lol, damn right 100 rwhp, haha.
no, it's not really the matter of damage, although i have heard a few stories of racks locking up while trying to turn
it's more a matter of the manual rack being designed for dry, unassisted steering.
there will be LESS effort with a manual rack than a disabled PS rack, even if they are the same ratio.
honestly i guess i am just bothered by the fact that just taking the pump and lines out is not the "proper" way of doing things, even if though it may work fine for most.
like i said, i'd love to try out the one link posted about depowering a PS rack and removing all the fluid seals, etc.
edit: about the tires, like you mentioned you noticed a big difference. i have 225 tires on the front, so i'm thinking that steering effort is increased over stock...
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Different people want different things from their steering, some want to be able to turn with one finger, others want feel. I want feel, that's why I want to depower my steering. It'll also make maintenance easier and take a bunch of weight off the corner that needs it the most (driver's front, it'll be the heaviest, it's nearly always the case on street cars anyways). I've autocrossed a few times and I've gotten ahead of the power steering on half of the courses I've run and it'd be better to be rid of it so it's not a sudden thing when the steering gets heavy all of a sudden, and it won't be as heavy. The resistance mentioned above by coldfire I beleive is a reference to resistance to steering inputs from just taking off the pump, not drag on the motor from the pump itself. If the weather's nice this weekend I'll be replacing my front suspension bushings and depowering my rack, I'll be sure to let everyone know how it goes and how it feels (with 225/45/17's and the 17.4:1 rack that is).