I converted to manual rack about 3 months ago...at first i didnt like the steering feel and figured id get used to it. well after 5k miles i still dont like it, mostly because of the loose feel on the highway with the wheel on center. theres too much play in it and it feels more vague than any other car. also during hard turns, the wheel wants to spring back too hard especially over bumps which is hard to hang onto if you arent expecting it...sitting closer to the wheel does help this. plus if any of you have rocked the wheels side to side with the fronts in the air, there is a little play, but you can feel the movement in the OTHER wheel which means there is some play within the rack, not the tie rod ends.

you guys convinced me to do this months ago, so im giving my .02 for anyone who is thinking about doing this. my advice is to not do this if the car is your daily driver

also is there something i couldve done wrong when putting everything back together? the snaprings went in tapered side down at first but i fixed it after a few weeks, could that have damaged the pinion. the rack guide screw is adjusted to spec. thanx for any help

 

I'm wondering what shape your tie rods might be in. I know one of mine is worn out on one side, so my steering is kinda loose

 

I am also interested in this. A lot of people have done this and it seems like people are happy with the fruits of their labor. If this conversion were indeed to make the steering feel "loose" I'm sure a lot of people would've commented on it before. Maybe it's something thats worn out like Invader said?

I just finished the rack conversion as well but can't comment on anything as I just dropped my motor in today, no driving exprience with the rack convert. yet. Keep us posted.

 

He referred to putting back the snap rings and torqued the adjusting nut, so it sounds like he converted his steering rack to manual.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by weenie &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I converted to manual rack about 3 months ago...at first i didnt like the steering feel and figured id get used to it. well after 5k miles i still dont like it, mostly because of the loose feel on the highway with the wheel on center. theres too much play in it and it feels more vague than any other car. also during hard turns, the wheel wants to spring back too hard especially over bumps which is hard to hang onto if you arent expecting it...sitting closer to the wheel does help this. plus if any of you have rocked the wheels side to side with the fronts in the air, there is a little play, but you can feel the movement in the OTHER wheel which means there is some play within the rack, not the tie rod ends.

you guys convinced me to do this months ago, so im giving my .02 for anyone who is thinking about doing this. my advice is to not do this if the car is your daily driver

also is there something i couldve done wrong when putting everything back together? the snaprings went in tapered side down at first but i fixed it after a few weeks, could that have damaged the pinion. the rack guide screw is adjusted to spec. thanx for any help</TD></TR></TABLE>

about if feeling loose and stuff. Well I do know that the stock rack and pinion tighten up as the speed increases. So at freeway speeds your steering wheel will feel stiffer and stuff.

 

my lude is not like this...mine does not feel loose on the highway. if i'm going over 20 mph, it feels like power steering. the only time i can tell is in a really hard turn, but even then it's not unstable feeling, just requires 2 hands.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by weenie &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I converted to manual rack about 3 months ago...at first i didnt like the steering feel and figured id get used to it. well after 5k miles i still dont like it, mostly because of the loose feel on the highway with the wheel on center. theres too much play in it and it feels more vague than any other car. also during hard turns, the wheel wants to spring back too hard especially over bumps which is hard to hang onto if you arent expecting it...sitting closer to the wheel does help this. plus if any of you have rocked the wheels side to side with the fronts in the air, there is a little play, but you can feel the movement in the OTHER wheel which means there is some play within the rack, not the tie rod ends.

you guys convinced me to do this months ago, so im giving my .02 for anyone who is thinking about doing this. my advice is to not do this if the car is your daily driver

also is there something i couldve done wrong when putting everything back together? the snaprings went in tapered side down at first but i fixed it after a few weeks, could that have damaged the pinion. the rack guide screw is adjusted to spec. thanx for any help</TD></TR></TABLE>

aww quite being a weenie

like stated above, did you replace your inner tie rods, they can be very loose and cause that play....

i have been driving mine for months now and dont regret it a bit, i love it....

 

i tried installing my powersteering this weekend only to find out the pump is busted. Anyways its not that hard to drive without powersteering, i actually like the way it drives.

 

yeah i know how the check the inner tie rods...turn the wheel left and right with your hands and watch what moves and what doesnt...if the tie rod shaft moves but the rack doesnt, its gotta be the inner. but my problem is in both wheels, like if your under the car and put a hand on each wheel and move them together, they both have the same amount of play. im damn near positive its something to do with the rack internals. if youve read the helms' manual's description of the PS system, it tells you the pinion cage is offset, so it can switch which direction it wants the fluid to go.

im gonna try loosening the rack guide screw a smidge today and see if it makes a difference...keep them replies comin

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mgags7 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

aww quite being a weenie

like stated above, did you replace your inner tie rods, they can be very loose and cause that play....

i have been driving mine for months now and dont regret it a bit, i love it....</TD></TR></TABLE>

haha wtf was i smoking when i made this screen name

btw these are the original inner tie rods, with 175k on them but they did pass inspection a year ago with the PS still in

 

You didn't have any problems before you did the manual conversion?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by weenie &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> haha wtf was i smoking when i made this screen name

btw these are the original inner tie rods, with 175k on them but they did pass inspection a year ago with the PS still in</TD></TR></TABLE>

you can change your name....

but i would definitely replace them as precautionary maintenance anyway.....that will definitely help out

 

edit...double post