Ok, i have a 89 turbo that going to be in Nopi Street in about 2-3 months, and i need to do some stuff to make it look even better. On thing i was thinking about is removing my power steering and changing it to a manual rack. I have access to a manual rack and all the stuff i need, but ive never actually driven an rx7 with the manual rack on it. So what does everyone think, should i change it? Here is my engine as of a month ago, not the best pic but its what i have right now. Let me know what you think!!!

Graham

 

The manual rack is a lot easier to use than a Power with no pump. It doesn't really make that much of a difference. But if you want clean looking then get the manual.


Santiago


PS- If you can't drive the car without PS you are a ghey fagot!

 

as opposed to a ****** that isnt gay?

 

manual steering racks have a mechnical advantage

 

fagot means some sticks. lol! gay sticks.

 

So not a big deal driveability wise with the manual rack? Agian, never driven an rx7 with manual steering, but have driven rotor trucks and they werent too bad at all. I tend to feel that those with automatic trannys are the ghey ones, but maybe that applies to power steering too

Alright, who has more input on if i should change it??

 

I'd say you're better off putting a rad in your car. It'll run a bit longer that way

 

Change to manual.

I have been running without power for quite a while now. Feels great and i think I gained a bit of muscle from it.

Santiago

 

Kinda tough to turn the wheel when driving around parking lots. I prefer it though.

 

Man the best way is to just cut out the powersteering and leave the power rack in there blocked off. It gives a better feeling at high speed, and has a better turning radious then the manual rack.

-CHris

 

I concur whole-heartedly!

This is what I have, and I love the feel of the steering - much tighter! The manual rack requires more turns lock-to-lock than the power steering rack. Other than at a dead stop, or <5mph, the steering is easy - just that at the low speeds it requires 2 hands to turn, instead of one.

 

you only need 1 belt on that engine there! 2 if you run a double pulley... get rid of the p/s, and air pump. its really not that hard at all to drive with no p/s... its actually kinda scary when you get used to it then go and drive a car with p/s, because it feels like you are hardly in control over the car... without feels much better!

 

ya agreed. i think you have alot more control and feel for the car without P/S. way more feel for drifting.
Also you dont need 2 hands, just dump the clutch and kick her sideways :-).

 

Just plug up your current rack, less turning required, and if you can't turn it, then you're so weak you shouldn't even be allowed in a car.

 

Manual Rack Conversions are for Girls.

 

i converted, and thus far i'm content. Not hard at all.

Liquid Anarchy :.............oh yeah, buddy is that so!

 

...girls or weak scrawny guys who know no better

 

Liquid- Fastrotor -


Am I gonna have to separate you two?

 

so i suppose that if i just removed the PS belt i could see what it would be like if i blocked off the rack?

Interesting the mixed feelings on blocking off PS or just changing the rack...

 

I personally still have the PS rack. The only reason that I plan to change in the future is because I have heard that the PS rack tends to collapse after time passes and becomes unusable.

Santiago


PS- Taking off the belt gives you an idea of how it will feel but not a complete view because after about three or four days you don't feel the same way.

 

I've had it without PS for ages without a problem, I like it better than the manual rack. If anyone wants a manual rack, I've got one!

 

No that will not give you the feel. Just removing the belt will actually be heavier and harder to turn than if you drain the system and remove the pump. The reason is because if you just remove the belt, there will still be fluid in the rack and when you try to turn the wheel you will also have to move all the power steering fluid; whereas if you do it properly (draining the fluid and plugging the holes) it will be a great feeling.

 

I just went through the whole process. Went from full PS, to a power rack without the pump and the lines looped, to a real manual rack.

I must be honest and say that the manual rack and full PS fell identical at speed. The PS rack w/o the pump sucks ***. I really prefer the manual rack. It looks cool, the engine bay is a ton cleaner. and you feel teh road much better, with a marginally more difficult steering effort while moving slow.

Verdict - swicth to a real manual rack. Do not loop the lines on a power rack.

 

Thanks for your posts, by the way sunshine, thats a cool avitar. I think ill definitely be changing my power steering. I may try the loop, but it seems that a manual rack would make sense since it was designed to be manual in the first place.

Basically the only advantage to the PS drained rack is that its has a slightly faster ratio, but its harder to turn. The mazda book says a PS rack is 2.7 turns lock to lock, whereas the Manual is 3.5. I really like how i barely have to move the steering wheel to change lanes, but i wonder how much steering feel id be gaining from no power. Intriguing indeed, looks like i need to try it

 

UPDATE

I decided to try and loop the lines on my PS today. After driving it a few miles at varying speeds, i can say that Sunshine was right when he said the "looped lines suck ***". Even though i have a faster ratio that the manual rack, the difficulty in making fast turns at slow speeds is annoying. It makes it slower and in some ways more dangerous. Im going to change to a full manual rack since im not very happy with the looped PS rack. On the highway i can tell no difference though....

Just thought id give an update in case others are considering this mod. Ill update again when i get the manual in there.

Graham