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Steering Rack Question


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any EA82 or EA82T manual rack will swap. i've run a few soobs without power steering pumps and the difference is negligible. so if you decide to keep the power steering you won't be loosing anything except forearm strength!

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any EA82 or EA82T manual rack will swap. i've run a few soobs without power steering pumps and the difference is negligible.

 

I completely disagree.

 

It takes 2 hands to really hard corner with the Manual Steering. Problem is often when driving that hard, you need to grab a shift entering the corner or exiting it. Hard to do when you're hands are white knuckling the wheel.

 

I've installed power steering into a few GL's and the difference is night and day.

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I completely disagree.

 

It takes 2 hands to really hard corner with the Manual Steering. Problem is often when driving that hard, you need to grab a shift entering the corner or exiting it. Hard to do when you're hands are white knuckling the wheel.

 

I've installed power steering into a few GL's and the difference is night and day.

 

Well, we always have choices, personal preferences. I prefer the manual rack. I also run only 175 70 tires on my driver. Tire size is the key, the way I see it.

 

I have less weight, less drag on the engine. I have no issues with the manual rack, for my use.

 

If I'm driving it hard, left hand on the wheel, right hand on the shifter, left foot on the dead pedal, pushing my posterior into the seat:)

 

We all have choices, good thing huh?

 

Doug

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I completely disagree.

 

It takes 2 hands to really hard corner with the Manual Steering. Problem is often when driving that hard, you need to grab a shift entering the corner or exiting it.

 

good point, i drive two of mine without power steering, they are power steering racks with the pump removed. i have some nasty switch backs every day to traverse over a couple mountains and some in town driving. but mine are also automatics, i wouldn't want to drive a manual the way i have to drive these. handling a cell or mcdonalds is indeed more difficult!

 

doesn't really bother me but i can see where it is annoying and unsafe to a degree in certain situations, the wheels wants to fight you and go where you don't want it. i won't let my wife drive them that way.

 

others have told me the manual racks are much nicer than a power steering rack with the pump removed...so i was assuming if i tolerate the worst case scenario the manual rack might not be too bad.

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If I'm driving it hard, left hand on the wheel, right hand on the shifter, left foot on the dead pedal, pushing my posterior into the seat:)

 

And one nice pothole to catch the wheel and rip it out of you're hand causing you to crash.

 

If you want to drive fast, get power steering. One handed, unassisted, hard cornering is dangerous.

 

 

The true manula racks are probably not as bad as a power rack with no pump. But still they are hard.

 

I have 165/80s on my little 86 sedan W/O power steering. And it still sucks.

 

The worst part is side streets and parking lots. Espescially if someone else is coming around the corner the other way and you have to turn really tight to stay in you're lane.

 

OH.....BTW..... I have converted a few NON-PS cars to PS and gas milage did not change.

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The sole reason i was asking was just the hassle of having custom lines made for the power steering.Going from the WRX power steering pump to the RX Rack.

 

For me not having power steering is not a problem as ive had a Jeep CJ7 with 35 Inch tires and my 95 Toyota Mini truck with 225/45/17 low pros on it with no PS.

Although you do get kinda spoiled when you do have it though

 

Im not planning on tracking the car at least not right now.

 

Thanks Guys for the info and insight you have provided so far. :)

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The sole reason i was asking was just the hassle of having custom lines made for the power steering.Going from the WRX power steering pump to the RX Rack.

 

I do not think you need to have custom lines made. Might need to bend the old RX ones slightly.

 

Or I think you can actually use a rack from an EJ. You just need to cut a small hole in the crossmemeber for the EJ racks hoses to come thru. Then just use the whole EJ pump, lines, and rack.

 

Maybe grossgary will read this, I think he was the one who put an EJ rack in his one of his XTs.

 

At any rate, adapting the PS pump for an EA/EJ swap is one of the easier issues with the swap.

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My EJ20 swap doesn't even look like it has custom lines for it... Did take a little bit of searching though to replace the JDM power steering pump.

 

I have a manual rack in my '86 wagon, that has ej22 and 28" super swampers. Its a workout sometimes around parking lots, but driving is fine.

 

My ej20 swapped RX has power steering. I run 16" rims with 215/45's with little effort to steer. Which is nice bombing around with the newer soob guys, makes it easier to catch up :lol:

 

I would reccomend taking the time, and put the power steering in. I think in the end, you will be happier!

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Powersteering is key when running a more powerful engine with our cars, hands down. Even my RX with an SPFI engine would be a bear if it didn't have powersteering.

 

But thats just me.

 

Hey Guys,

 

The manual rack I drive is the variable ratio, 4.8 turns lock to lock.

 

A constant ratio, 4 turn lock to lock rack was available.

Yes? I've never ran across one.

 

Can you shed some light on this for me?

 

Thanks,

 

Doug

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