My tie rods are worn out and my PS pump is leaking, and I have a friend that has a manual steering rack from a 944 that I could probably get pretty cheap. I'm torn between putting new tie rods and a power steering pump on it, or just swapping a manual rack. Thoughts?
I drove my 1983 944 for years with no issue. I have considered converting my 88 944S to manual to cut weight and clutter.
Just remember to start rolling BEFORE you turn the wheel, lest you begin to look like Popeye. You might check the ratio of a manual rack V a power rack. Is there anyway to depower a power rack? Potentially, you could have the least expensive option, along with the quickest factory ratio.
I've autocrossed a depowered power rack. I don't know that I'd want to DD where I live in the Chicago suburbs. Down here at school it would be okay.
I have had several de-powered power steering systems. It is more effort, but a small light car is not too bad. My 87 GTI was easy to turn, moving or not. The 74 F-100 on 33x12.50 mudders takes some effort and planning ahead.
Yeah, I don't really want to deal with a de-powered power steering rack for DD use. I have access to an actual manual rack, I was really just wondering if they were a pain to deal with on a daily basis and if there was much difference in ratio. I'll probably just fix my tie rods and PS pump, but I might just buy the manual rack to keep my options open.
My Dad finally fixed the p/s in our shared 944S a few months ago, but I/we drove it for ages in "manual mode." It was fine... I only ever found it heavy when parallel parking or manouvering around tight spaces (like shuffling cars in the garage.) Ran several autocrosses that way on reasonably sticky rubber (old used 710s) which worked pretty well. This was a standard power rack with the p/s belt removed and the fluid drained, which we did because it just started catastrophically leaking one day. Dad didn't like it as much so he eventually ordered new seals and rebuilt the rack, but I never had a problem with it.
I drove a 924 with manual steering for 2 years when I was a 130lb 16 year old weakling and it wasn't a problem. My sister (4'11" and 90lbs) didn't even have a problem with it when I passed the car on to her.
Do it.
It's gotta be lighter than the Biturbo - factory manual rack but more weight up front than the 944.
No issues here.
My car is in manual PS rack mode at the moment due to the pump bracket braking. This caused it to eject the belt and all the ps fluid as I sailed down I90 last fall. I got a new belt over the winter but I have not ventured under it to figure out what all got broken. I am assuming that I also lost a line or something came disconnected when the pump bracket broke.
The only place it is really a pain is in a parking lot or trying to make a turn at a light while holding a cup of coffee (Porsche does not have cup holders). Other than that there is no real difference when you are "at speed"
A manual rack will have a higher ration (takes more turns for the same amount of angle on the wheels) as opposed to a power rack.
It is also very important that you get the tie rods and the rod that connects the rack to the shaft at the firewall as these parts are different from the power racks. the rod with the u joints is becoming very hard to find.
I never had a problem DDing my FC RX-7 with a manual rack. Only time it required any actual effort was below 3mph.
One of my buddies daily drove AND bracket drag raced a 15 second Chevy Suburban (I will let you read that again.) That he had de-powered the rack on. it was a pig in parking lots, but anything over 2 miles per hour was easy peasy.
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