foxy
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Posts: 26 
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Post by foxy on Apr 15, 2017 21:35:51 GMT
Is it possible to get a fast manual rack? I have an old Austin-Healey and while it didn't have power steering from new, it did have a big old steering wheel and 4 1/2" wheels with crossply tyres, so wasn't that bad to drive. Mine now has 6 1/2" wheels with radials (albeit with the standard steering wheel instead of the smaller Mota Lita everyone else seems to use) and I stuck in a fast rack. Sure, it's still heavy at parking speeds (car weighs about 1050kg) but the steering is now significantly better than standard, and it's surprisingly good to chuck around, even on tight corners.
I'm OK with the power steering on my NA but am put off converting to a manual rack purely because of the stories I've heard about it not being so good on the tight stuff. A fast manual rack could be very interesting if someone produced one.
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Post by BikeTuna on Apr 17, 2017 12:07:33 GMT
Me and a mate were talking depowered racks after the last autosolo, where a couple of time the pas wasn't quick enough to keep up with demand and going heavy.
But if you are all day g it's heavy I don't know if I want to do it, 99% of my driving is the commute and I don't think I want the hassle for the 1% racing.
I'd like a faster rack tho, definately!
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Post by wannabe on Apr 17, 2017 19:28:46 GMT
I find the depowered rack heeeeaaaavvvyyy at slower speeds - I can only imagine that you'd do yourself an injury attempting to rotate it quickly in an autosolo environment! You need to find someone with one or an OEM manual rack to try it out! I'm almost considering taking mine off, but then today it seemed just fine...  I think the fact I upped the tyre pressures to 36 from what was 27-31 has helped stop it feeling like steering through treacle lol |
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Post by zoona on Apr 28, 2017 8:07:38 GMT
Have put it all back in now. Feels stupidly light - but guess i will get used to it again... Part of the reason for removing was to make a bit more space for turbo and intercooler routing. The main offender was the stupid pipe that comes off the PS pump, and then doubles back on itself in the soft piping. Ridiculous design. Anyway - given i have the PS off the new car, i have mashed together one good set of everything (from my car, and the reshell donor) and with my new-found welding skills (?) modified that pipe, so it goes the other way:  So now, get rid of the old one (red cross) and use the new one, and then cut down the soft piping. I think others have done this before, but now i have welder i though i would give it a go:  It makes the fit difficult and lifts the reservoir up a bit when the pump is in the right place, but seems to be fine. My first attempt had more holes than a sieve. So I had another bash, and it seem to be ok now. All up and running, and no fluids leaking anywhere. |
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Post by lowender on Oct 18, 2017 15:44:57 GMT
Quick update on this: today I fitted 1/2" steering rack risers from Garagestar via Moss Bristol, to cut out the bump steer I've been experiencing. It's done the job, and also made the steering noticeably lighter. I'd say they are a must have for lowered cars. The toe needs adjusting after fitment. Very happy with the FM depowered rack now I've got used to it.
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Post by melx5 on Oct 18, 2017 19:25:46 GMT
I de-powered mine before even driving it, so can't comment on the difference, just cut and shut the lines after pumping out as much fluid as possible (may get round to doing it properly one day)
OK so its heavy parking etc but once on the move its no problem, just need find the best way to hold the wheel to get maximum leverage.
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Post by wannabe on Oct 19, 2017 9:13:19 GMT
Quick update on this: today I fitted 1/2" steering rack risers from Garagestar via Moss Bristol, to cut out the bump steer I've been experiencing. It's done the job, and also made the steering noticeably lighter. I'd say they are a must have for lowered cars. The toe needs adjusting after fitment. Very happy with the FM depowered rack now I've got used to it.
Thanks for the feedback!
Are you lowered at all?
Would you be able to post up your alignment details?
I think something is not right somewhere on my steering and/or suspension, as I get a clonk from the front left sometimes and it seems to not steer that accurately, so that's on the list of things to do, but if the rack risers are an easy fit (and would work on a non-lowered car?) then it would make sense to get them done...
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Post by lowender on Oct 19, 2017 13:54:25 GMT
Quick update on this: today I fitted 1/2" steering rack risers from Garagestar via Moss Bristol, to cut out the bump steer I've been experiencing. It's done the job, and also made the steering noticeably lighter. I'd say they are a must have for lowered cars. The toe needs adjusting after fitment. Very happy with the FM depowered rack now I've got used to it.
Thanks for the feedback!
Are you lowered at all?
Would you be able to post up your alignment details?
I think something is not right somewhere on my steering and/or suspension, as I get a clonk from the front left sometimes and it seems to not steer that accurately, so that's on the list of things to do, but if the rack risers are an easy fit (and would work on a non-lowered car?) then it would make sense to get them done...
My car is lowered on P5 Sportdrives. Rack risers aren't needed on a standard car - they correct the steering geometry on lowered cars. The 'Bilstein" track rod end (difficult to find) does this to a certain extent, but not enough for cars any lower than ones on oem Bilsteins. My alignment is as per Phil's Sportdrive recommendations, but less caster: Front Camber - -0.50' Caster - 4.0 degrees Toe-in - 1-2ā per side Rear Camber - -1.50' Toe-in - As front |
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Post by wannabe on Oct 20, 2017 11:18:04 GMT
My car is lowered on P5 Sportdrives. Rack risers aren't needed on a standard car - they correct the steering geometry on lowered cars. The 'Bilstein" track rod end (difficult to find) does this to a certain extent, but not enough for cars any lower than ones on oem Bilsteins. My alignment is as per Phil's Sportdrive recommendations, but less caster: Front Camber - -0.50' Caster - 4.0 degrees Toe-in - 1-2ā per side Rear Camber - -1.50' Toe-in - As front
Thanks for the info! 
TBH I'm not even sure I know if mine is lowered now - the OEM mk2 kit definitely raised it up from where it was, but then it was basically riding around on the bumpstops when I got it, the dampers were that knackered... lol
Interesting that you reduced the castor a bit - I was wondering if I need to do that because it is so heavy once you get any lock on, it's difficult to get the steering wheel back past the point that the wheels 'flop over' on extremes of lock!
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Post by minty on Oct 28, 2017 7:11:48 GMT
What are your ride height measurements (wheel centre to arch lip)?
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Post by tgbshelby on Oct 30, 2017 21:53:25 GMT
So this weekend I spent a good few hours putting a manual rack set up on my mk2.5.
Shout out to Tommyb for the mad welds!
So granted I have only been driving with it for two days, and yes, its harder as expected that power steering but i Canoeing love it. I can feel so much more of the road, the car feels tighter, for me it has totally transformed the drive. Im not stupid I know there are cons to it, like re learning to park and what used to be a reasonable space may now be a complete nightmare, but i want my car to feel good to drive not park, or good at slow speeds.
In short, yes its heavy and low speed and hard work, but its nothing but rewarding and pleasure giving when you're smashing the b roads.
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Post by tommyb on Nov 1, 2017 19:53:54 GMT
Thanks Phil.
I'd recommend giving a de-powered rack a try if you use the car on track quite a bit. Don't just drain the fluid and loop the lines, the racks feel horrid like that. Various pieces inside the rack need modifying and the pinion shaft needs welding to remove the play in the torque bar thing.
I've used a de-powered rack on a drift day and had no issues, car is easy to catch, you just have to be ready for it. In the wet with less grip the car is very easy to handle if it starts to oversteer.
Granted it isn't for everyone, but every person I've de-powered a rack for has loved it so far!
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Post by wannabe on Nov 1, 2017 22:52:16 GMT
the pinion shaft needs welding to remove the play in the torque bar thing. I know someone's posted a picture or link on this before, I really need to pull my finger out and get mine checked because that slight vagueness and the fact it wanders over cambers means I can't drive it with full confidence! That might be a good thing, though - means I drive it slower... lol |
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Post by tommyb on Nov 2, 2017 20:19:39 GMT
Shouldn't have any vagueness unless its not welded, or you have play in bushes/balljoints/steering arms.
You won't be able to twist the shaft in your hands, clamp one end lightly in a vice and get a pair of grips on the other end of the shaft and you'll see the twist in it. Is quite a lot of movement for such a small piece!
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Post by wannabe on Nov 2, 2017 22:49:16 GMT
What are your ride height measurements (wheel centre to arch lip)? All four corners are slightly different...  They're all about 12 1/4" to 13", so about 320-330mm in stupid new measurements no-one understands  lol IIRC standard is 360mm?? |
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I think the fact I upped the tyre pressures to 36 from what was 27-31 has helped stop it feeling like steering through treacle lol
lol
le sigh