Yelow RX-7

NOOOOOOOOO dont get rid of it!!!!!!!! well, when you are driving it isnt bad, but when you are stopped and need to turn the wheel, lets say when you are backing up parking, that is next to impossible.

Yelow RX-7

wait, what am i talking about??? get rid of your powersteering, its really easy to drive without. its worthless. so when you take it out, send it to me, for free, cuz its useless...

GothicBlade

Having driven an FC without power steering, I can say its interesting. Saves some weight and parasitic loss from the engine.

As for driving it, if youre not strong (I'm not... call me Mr. Stick-boy) you will be fighting the car in fast, tight corners. For everyday driving its not bad at all. Very firm, but also very responsive. As for parking it.... turning the wheel when stopped is damned near impossible, but if youre just barely rolling it becomes easy enough.

Take your power steering belt off and try it for a week. If you dont like it put the belt back, and that will be it. If you do like it, pull the PS pump.

cymfc3s

heres a little how to on my site

http://www.nightracer.com/cymfc3s.html

supergoat

Driving it is a piece of cake without the P/S. My 105lbs. fiance can drive my car effortlessly without power steering.

stickgoat

Yep...it's not hard. No p/s lets you become "one" with the car a little better, too.

At least take off the belt and give it a try before you rule it out because everyone else says it's hard.

mazdaspeed7

Something to remember. The steering will be lighter with the pump completely gone than just with the belt off. With just the belt off, the rack is trying to push fluid through the pump, which isnt moving. The steering feel without P/S is absolutely incredible. You can really feel the road. Its not too hard, and I never find myself struggling with it. Even in parking lots, I dont think twice about it. Just make sure you start to roll just a little bit before you turn the wheel or it will be really hard. Once you get used to it, it becomes second nature.

BTW, Ive been driving with no p/s since my pump blew up more than 5K miles ago. Havent regreted taking it off even once.

Yelow RX-7

yeah i guess its better. your right though you can really feel the road.

mazdaspeed7

It also depends on tires. If you have big sticky tires in the front, it will be harder to turn the wheel than bald POS tires. If youre man enough to deal with the rest of the problems RX7's have, you wont mind the lack of p/s a bit.

OPEC

I am curious if anyone that doesn't have PS has an aftermarket steering wheel, especially one that is much smaller than stock. In my 87 base it doesn't have PS, and I don't find it to hard to drive even in low speed situations as parking lots. However in my 90TII I do have PS, but I also have a Sparco steering wheel which is much smaller than stock, about 330mm. just wondering if going non PS with the smaller wheel would be just way to hard to steer it.

natedogg

Don't take it off. It's speed sensitive anyway! Once you get above 35mph then it shuts off! Why would you need to "feel the road" at 35 mph?? When you're driving above 40, the pump is completely shut down!

Wicked7

Not all that bad, I drove up from DC to NY in my vert without any PS.

mazdaspeed7

Anybody who has driven an FC with p/s and then without can tell you it does NOT shut off above 35. It might be lighter, but it does NOT shut off.

787B

yeah it doesnt just shut off. the steering still feels too light even while driving at higher speeds and i think i am going to remove mine.

mazda used two different types for the FC; engine speed sensitive steering and car speed sensitive steering (turbo) so this means in my car (1990 GXL) if i am going 40 but im in 4th gear the engine is only at 3K or so the steering is still way to easy.

also how much weight do you save by ditching the ps?

MaxRX7

how much of a difference in feel is there from P/S with no belt on compared to manual rack ?

mazdaspeed7

Its not bad, but you wont mistake it for having p/s again without the pump. Kinda hard to explain, maybe like 10-15% lighter after you remove the pump.

MaxRX7

cool that is what I figured.
What is better get a manual rack if I find one or block of/connect the lines of the power rack ?

thanks !!

mazdaspeed7

The manual rack has a slower ratio(more turning of the steering wheel for less actual wheelmovement), so if you can deal with the slightly heavier feeling p/s rack, it is probably better. I like the quick ratio of the p/s rack.

natedogg

If you don't believe me that the power steering is speed sensitive then just unplug your speedometer and drive about what you perceive as 40mph (or until you hear beeping) then come to a complete stop. TRY and turn your wheel.... your puny selves can't do it. PROOF that the pump gets shut down when you begin to speed above a certain point..

Really.... try it if you don't believe me. All you have to do is unplug your speedometer cable and start driving.

tedpa

There doesn't seem to be much power in the power steering anyway. It isn't like other power steering. In a 1987 there seemed to be a lot of advanced features but the steering isn't one of them. Maybe mine isn't working properly.

nima_taba

PS is a sissy boys creation! You're not a sissy boy are you?
My SE has no power steering. You notice for the first couple of days, afterwards is normal and you don't even realize anythign has changed. Its hard to turn when stopped, but no doubt about it, your shoulders get stronger!