Manual Rack Swap?

GroverDill

GoldMember

Founding Member

Aug 18, 1999

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Demotte IN 46310

Dec 6, 2004

#21

• Dec 6, 2004

• #21

they also look pretty cool!

 

QDRHRSE

New Member

Dec 31, 2002

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Palmdale, CA

Dec 6, 2004

#22

• Dec 6, 2004

• #22

Dill pickle-

You are a sick dog. Do you ever drive that thing? I don't see when you would have the time....it looks like you're too busy cleaning the underside of it!

 

GroverDill

GoldMember

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Aug 18, 1999

5,442

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Demotte IN 46310

Dec 6, 2004

#23

• Dec 6, 2004

• #23

hah yes it gets driven, not daily but driven. Now that you mention it, its time to go back under and do some cleaning!

 

90mustangGT

I felt sorry for girls because

Founding Member

Jan 15, 2002

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Dallas, GA

Dec 6, 2004

#24

• Dec 6, 2004

• #24

Grover's car looks badass, I can't wait to make mine look like that on the underside.

If you can't handle a car with a manual rack, stop being a candy ass girly man. Put down the expresso and skip the golf course and chess tournament and have a protien shake then hit some weights, go to home depot, get some wood and build something. Ditch your powertools and get some hand tools... something because there is just something wrong with that.

I veiw P/S as a luxury, because that is what it is. Some people worry about thier performance clutch having too firm of a pedal, I've never understood that.

 

Michael Yount

Mustang Master

Apr 10, 2002

9,039

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79

Charlotte, NC

Dec 6, 2004

#25

• Dec 6, 2004

• #25

That's ok 90Mustang - one day (the years will pass by before you know it) you'll see that you can have serious HP and handling AND powersteering, cruise, a/c, killer tunes, etc. It's not an either or proposition - just a matter of the great equalizer - cubic dollars. If you want a manual rack - go for it. If you don't want a manual rack - stick with power. Nothing wrong with either - just different strokes for different folks that's all.

 

GroverDill

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Aug 18, 1999

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Demotte IN 46310

Dec 6, 2004

#26

• Dec 6, 2004

• #26

I dunno Michael, Im 33, no AC,PS,CC

 

90mustangGT

I felt sorry for girls because

Founding Member

Jan 15, 2002

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Dallas, GA

Dec 6, 2004

#27

• Dec 6, 2004

• #27

Michael Yount said:

That's ok 90Mustang - one day (the years will pass by before you know it) you'll see that you can have serious HP and handling AND powersteering, cruise, a/c, killer tunes, etc. It's not an either or proposition - just a matter of the great equalizer - cubic dollars. If you want a manual rack - go for it. If you don't want a manual rack - stick with power. Nothing wrong with either - just different strokes for different folks that's all.

Click to expand...

Yeah, money is a big issue for me. However, crazypete was exagerating the pitfalls about manual steering. When I was 15 I learned a lot of how to drive on my uncle's '76 Ford F-100 with an Olsmobile 455 big block, 15x8 wheels all around with 255/60R15 tires all around, and MANUAL STEERING. Now that was difficult, but I managed just fine, U turns, manuvering through the parking lots, you name it. Put some hair on my chest, I'll say that but not that bad. I used to bypass the P/S on my car and it was more difficult but not impossible. When I dissconnected the P/S pump and turned the wheel back and forth to get the fluid out of the rack, I turned the wheel back and forth with one hand, sitting still in the garage. I'm not a big guy, 5'6" 160lbs. If I wanted it all, I'd own a c6 vette.

 

Thomas302

Member

Jan 9, 2004

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Alamogordo, NM

Dec 6, 2004

#28

• Dec 6, 2004

• #28

I have a manual rack, and its not bad, but I have skinnes, but I am putting on 245's soon, so we will see. I have an off topic question. I saw grovers car, nice by the way, and I was wondering, what do you guys think is lighter, a tubular k member with the front sway bar on, or the factory k member with the sway bar off or is it about the same? I was thinking of putting my sway bar on for street use, but I don't want to keep pulling it off at the track. Sorry to hyjack your thread.

 

GroverDill

GoldMember

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Aug 18, 1999

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#29

• Dec 6, 2004

• #29

I drove my car once with no swaybar, I dont like it.

 

Thomas302

Member

Jan 9, 2004

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Alamogordo, NM

Dec 6, 2004

#30

• Dec 6, 2004

• #30

I don't really like driving the car with no swaybar either, but I don't want to bolt 30+ pounds back onto the nose of the car. I will probably order a tubular k member. Should of did that when I dropped in the new motor.

 

crazypete

All my crevices are greased.

Oct 22, 2004

930

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18

Arlington, MA

Dec 7, 2004

#31

• Dec 7, 2004

• #31

I popped the front swaybar off and I love it! The suspension is actually doing it's job now and I dont feel like the wheels are hardmounted to the frame (softer ride). Bodyroll is a negligable few degrees on hard highway exit cornering. The front end seems more alive too. The nose rises when you punch it. I love that!!

For chuckles, I removed the quads and the rear sway and went for a spin (still stock arms). On gunning it, I heard a small chirp from the back tire....thats about it. Cornering continues to be unaffected. Dont weigh much though. No harm keeping them.

It must be said that this car is stripped of at least 500 pounds of useless crap and is probably almost 50/50. I also run FMS C springs (butt tenderizers).

 

B

Boss 351

Here sthhhhhhhheeeve take a picthh of my man flowe

Jul 13, 2003

2,433

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48

Canada

Dec 7, 2004

#32

• Dec 7, 2004

• #32

I got the hacked PS rack and no sway bar. Drove it like this for one summer (only 14" 4 banger tires lol). The car was far from a corner carver lol. The manual steering wasn't that bad but I'm not keeping it manual any longer because of the new, wider, and heavier 17" wheels.

Couldn't you use quick disconects like an offroader would do... That would allow you to "free up" the suspension at the drag strip and put it back on for the street. Granted you won't save weight but it could be more advantageous.

But I don't think I'll be using a Ford powersteering pump. I'm fabricating my own brackets (sort of like Mach performance) so I will end up using a GM PS pump (maybe???) and a new Mustang GT PS rack.

 

BlackDrop50

Founding Member

Jul 14, 2002

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Bay Area, CA

Dec 7, 2004

#33

• Dec 7, 2004

• #33

I have a Flaming River Manual rack on my hatch. Personally, I really like it. The steering is more responsive with greater feel for the road. Once I drove a manual rack I never wanted to go back to power steering. Power steering is way too floaty and twitchy. Of course my hatch is not my daily driver, I could drive it daily, but what's the point, it's not built for that. I also drive it in the city a lot, but I don't park it much anywhere, so parallel parking isn't an issue for me. Oh yeah, it is pretty hard to parallel park, U-Turns, and "3 point" turns, which turn into 10 point turns. I would definately not recommend it for a daily driver unless you need some exercise, in which case get it because you will get used to it. Oh yeah, I also have 255s up front with a small Momo steering wheel and I still don't have major complaints.


Oh yeah, another thing, the handling is not bad at all, in fact it's better. The car can go through tight curves but it really shines on the long sweeping curves. It's not for Auto-X, but who the **** does that ****? I'll stick to the road courses. That's where the real cars go to race the twisties.

 

C

cougar5.0

Founding Member

Nov 23, 2000

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N.W Ohio

Dec 7, 2004

#34

• Dec 7, 2004

• #34

Hey do any of you know if the Fairmont rack is the same as the Stangs? And do any of you have any pixs from the top of the engine looking down at the belt routing? I already have the A/C gone and now the P/S is on its way out.

 

rd

Founding Member

Jan 12, 2000

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Ocean Springs MS

Dec 7, 2004

#35

• Dec 7, 2004

• #35

I have one of each. For daily driving stay power. My 79 is still power and much easier to drive.

I have a used early Mustang manual conversion rack on my 82, I have skinnys on front, actually TRX's. It is fine for the limited amount of driving I do with it.

Either or both will be sloppy if worn anywhere. If that is the problem, it may be easier to just fix that.

The conversion also requires you to get an idler pulley for the belt, or change the belt setup. This adds cost, etc to the project.

I would not go with the disconnected power, the ratio, etc is not made for manual use, you will not like it at all. The specific manual racks are made to be driven manually all the time.