60Driver

WHen I purchased my car the power steering system was leaking like a sieve; so I decided to plug it, pull the pump, and run a pumpless power steering rack which ended up making it brutal to drive at low speeds.

Decided to do my car right; so i bought a manual steering rack from 20th street auto and installed it today. Wow, what a world of difference! After my first impression driving it home today I absolutely recommend this modification. I used to drive an 83 with no power steering and loved that too.

Spidey944

It seems to be a love/hate thing with the manual racks. 9/10 people love it, my self included. I think my favorite thing about it, is how it feels on the road while your hugging a nice sweeping turn. It's just so different, I feel like the steering effort is just perfect.

Only downside is no more one handed turns with coffee in your lap!! Most slow turns will take 2 hands.

60Driver

It also seems like a good way to lose some weight AND gain a tiny bit of extra HP to the wheels.

I really didn't see an issue with turning the wheel. The only time I needed to two hand it was when i was completely stationary and turning the wheel all the way around to back into my garage.

ryanm6100

How difficult is this job?

Spidey944

Probably a 3/5. It would be a 2/5 if the steering shaft bolts were easier to get to, and it wasn't such a pain to get it clocked properly so the top bolt will go into place. If you have a lift, between removing all of the p/s lines, pump, and etc. It's probably 2 hours or so plus the alignment. I had it all dissasembled in an hour or so.

superloaf

i've had my manual rack for about 3 years now and not so sure about it. it does offer slightly better feel although the PS is pretty nice also. but the thing i really don't like and which bugs me every time i drive it is making a 90* turn from one street onto another or turning into a driveway/parking lot. you just can't fling the car in which means you have take the turn much slower which further means you have to brake harder and cause cars behind you to slow down. and then it takes a lot of strength to turn the wheel sharp enough to make the turn. this problem is amplified by the fact that you're braking and gain weight transfer to the front, making the effort even higher.

also, the wheels seem to follow ruts or ridges in the road more or i guess the effort required to keep the wheel from doing this is greater so it's a little distracting. i'm running slightly more negative camber but nothing crazy.

also, with mine the steering feel seems a little strange as you approach the limit. up to that point everything is great. but as the weight transfers onto the front wheels, the steering effort really increases making it harder to alter the line. therefore, you have to select a line from the onset and stick to it. it's very difficult to change once committed. and this is the opposite of what you really want as this usually occurs when something pops up on the road or your slightly offline. very annoying.

the installation isn't so bad. just make sure you have all the right parts as the little universal link from the steering column to the rack differs and is sometime tough to locate. also, IIRC one of the rubber bushings is different. and i think the tie rods are different but can't really remember. it's actually easier switching to manual than replacing a power rack since you can just pull off all the PS garbage. but one thing i do remember is to make sure you unbolt the heat shield between the turbo and the brake master cylinder and move it out of the way to allow easier access to the bolts on the universal linkage shaft.

not sure what i would do again. the PS definitely sucks bigtime but i think i would give up the feel of manual for the ease of the PS. then again, 3-4 years on one rack with no leakage is worth a lot. . . .