How much HP by going with a manual rack worth
- Thread starter 351 82GT
- Start date
DMAN302
My mom says thanks for the pearl necklace.
Should be worth some...but IMO it's really more of a weight issue, which like HP will make the car faster. How much..not much, but a few mods in weight and HP add up to a good chunk.
04sleeper
Founding Member
bullitstang1313
Member
The biggest advantage you can get by going with a manual rack is the freed up engine compartment by removing the power steering pump. This can make room for a badass turbo setup! 
It won't be worth more than 5hp. I'm eventually going to do it in my STREET driven car. I have friends that have it and its fine. If the car is moving you can turn the wheel with 1 finger, its only at a stop that it becomes harder. I'm doing it for weight and clutter, definatly NOT power.
Manual racks are good because they are a bit lighter I think, and as mentioned above they free up space in the engine compartment due to no pump, and I would think racers like them for the added control at high speed. Meaning, it's easier to keep control of the car in a straight line without the super sensitive power steering potentially causing you to crash if the wheel happens to move one way or the other too much.
You use your arm when you are turning with "one finger".
You do gain horsepower, probably 6-8hp. Less drag for sure on the engine. You lose weight.
If it is a real street car you would keep the power steering.
Grn92lx does not drive his car everyday. He has another car.
As 2000xp8 said, it can be harder to turn at stops and slow speeds for sure, been there, done that.
Just some things to think about.
Sure it is fine in a straight line, just wait for the low speeds and curves & turns.
Good Luck!
You do gain horsepower, probably 6-8hp. Less drag for sure on the engine. You lose weight.
If it is a real street car you would keep the power steering.
Grn92lx does not drive his car everyday. He has another car.
As 2000xp8 said, it can be harder to turn at stops and slow speeds for sure, been there, done that.
Just some things to think about.
Sure it is fine in a straight line, just wait for the low speeds and curves & turns.
Good Luck!
dragnazz5.0
My "0" key d0esn't w0rk, s0 I have t0 use the zer0
than go with manual steering. im gonna go with a manual rack soon on my daily driver. i could care less if its harder to drive. the damn thing has no heat, no a/c, and a carb. it will actually be better because the p/s pump likes to bog the engine down when its at idle
A reason most serious dragsters use manual racks, because they run skinnies and power steering is not necessary for such small tires, it might actually make it worse going down the track, if you touch the wheel at 120mph the car will swerve. And weight of course.
I agree, go with the manual rack.
I agree, go with the manual rack.
dragnazz5.0
My "0" key d0esn't w0rk, s0 I have t0 use the zer0
5spd GT said:
the idle is about 800 rpms and the pump is in good shape. but my rack leaks and the fluid is blacker than night. ive flushed the fluid many times and after about two days its right back to being pitch black. so im just gonna delete it eventually
You'll drop a decent amount of weight when you think about the lighter rack, the lack of the pump itself and all the lines, and the weight of all the fluid that's pumped throughout the whole thing. Also the HP gain is kindof backwards thinking...you're not MAKING hp you're FREEING hp that's being consumed through parasitic drag from the belts. Although the pump may not be doing anything untill the wheels are turned, there are 2 factors that still matter.... 1) when you go down the track, you're never at the point where you are perfectly going straight....you will steer ever so slightly in either way (it only takes the slightest tough to start the pump up) and this will cause the pump to cause drag, and 2) the shortest distance between A and B is obviously the straightest and shortest line, and this also applies to the routing of the belt itself. every turn the belt has to make around pullies creates drag on the whole system and takes away a little more HP. Some guys use those kits when removing the AC that replaces the AC with an idle pully and leaves the PS where it is...but this doesn't eliminate that pully and they're not gaining anything from having a shorter belt..
Now, all facts aside....i wouldn't do it if it freed up 50hp. If you've never driven a manual rack car with nice wide 17 inch rims up front, or even a manual rack Chevette for that matter, you don't know what you're in for. You do get used to it but all your attention will be on turning when you're not going in a straight line, so no more fiddling with the radio while steering with one hand, no more talking on the phone and steering with your palm, and when you start playing around doing burnouts and your car starts jumping ditch-to-ditch, you're in for a hell of a workout. Even the majority of autocross and road course racers keep their PS because it's faster and easier to drive and the gains from going manual aren't that great.
Now, all facts aside....i wouldn't do it if it freed up 50hp. If you've never driven a manual rack car with nice wide 17 inch rims up front, or even a manual rack Chevette for that matter, you don't know what you're in for. You do get used to it but all your attention will be on turning when you're not going in a straight line, so no more fiddling with the radio while steering with one hand, no more talking on the phone and steering with your palm, and when you start playing around doing burnouts and your car starts jumping ditch-to-ditch, you're in for a hell of a workout. Even the majority of autocross and road course racers keep their PS because it's faster and easier to drive and the gains from going manual aren't that great.
thehueypilot
Active Member
I just cut the hoses off the power steering rack and ran a hose between the pressure and return port of the rack and added a little fluid for a cheap manual steering setup. So far it is working good but I only drag race the car on weekends.
