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The steering rack that I currently have on the car is a 2000 GSR looped power steering rack. The 3-Turn LTL is nice, but I had been reading how adding a breather can improve steering. Many people are running just dry with a looped hose, which is the way I have had mine for 1.5 years now. But the rack still leaves something to be desired. I have found that in parts of the course (autocross) where it is very steering intensive, hard left then hard right and vice versa. The steering can suddenly feel heavier. I am attributing this to heat and vapor pressure buildup in the rack. I could be COMPLETELY off on this, but thought it was worth testing.
So I'm giving this a try to see if I can notice any improvement. I don't imagine that I will, but eh, worth a shot. For science!
Below is my setup. All in all, cost ~$40 between the lines, barb fittings, reservoir, and fluid. I will report back after this weekend as to whether there was any improvement.
I have an Integra rack in my EG SMF car as well. I've never run a looped rack like everyone else seems to do, so I can't comment on the difference in feel, but I just took mine apart and packed it with grease like a manual rack would be. I have no complaints with 275 A7's on the front with 26psi in them, neither on course nor in paddock. The steering is heavy, but nothing I didn't expect from a manual rack that's 3 turns lock to lock, lol. I've never been surprised by it and the quicker ratio makes it much easier to center the steering at the back end of a long slide at full lock without shooting off in the other direction.
some of the guys are binding lines across the rack. the loop does the inner race and the jumper across the rack lets there be fluid movement from the outer portions.
Excited to see results. I have an Integra rack waiting to go in my DE car during the winter. I've been tracking it with my 45435308:1 steering ratio for about eight track days now >
some of the guys are binding lines across the rack. the loop does the inner race and the jumper across the rack lets there be fluid movement from the outer portions.
Interesting. Any more information on the details of this or some pics?
This was posted "on the other website" by SM Racing, in his Integra thread. "You can also see the little mini can for the steering rack. I deleted all the power steering components and didn't have time to properly "de-power" the rack by removing the seals in side. So I cut the two hard lines and moved each one into the custom can I built. I put a little fluid in the can and the rack can simply push the fluid in and out without running dry."
He does great work and the theory is sound. Part of the issue with just the loop is that the pressure is building up around different parts of the rack. this should solve that without having to remove the rack and packing it.
08-03-2016, 06:59 PM
Added a Vent to my Looped PS Rack
