power to manual steering

[jrgixxer]

i got a 88 gt and it leaks p/s fluid everywhere and im wondering if a quick ratio manual rack would be much harder to steer with than p/s, if so how much harder? i guess what im asking is if manual steering is worth it for normal street driving?
thanks in advance

 

[Cobra912]

Much harder. At slow speeds it's like turning a bus. I just finished my 331 and replaced the rack for a flaming river unit with fr steering shaft. I run weld draglites with skinnys and there is a very noticeable difference.

If this your daily driver and you are running regular or oversized rims / tires I would suggest against it. As well if you live in a city with hevay traffic to negotiate. I plan to go racing and did it for weight savings. If this your DD you will not be happy but each to their own.

If you are thinking about going that route to save money you won't. It's cheaper to buy a replacement rack from the local parts store than to go aftermarket. If you decide to go the factory 79-81 (I think) rack to go manual you'll still need to locate the hard-to-find matching factory rag joint steering coupler as well as outer tie rods and rack bushings if they need replacing. After I was all said and done I spent around 350 for my FR parts.

 

[2000xp8]

Fix your power steering properly, manual steering is best left to race cars or cars that see little street use. It really doesn't draw all that much power anyway, and in all likelyhood, you could fix your PS for the same amount of money it would take to go manual.

 

[jrgixxer]

thnk you guys who responded im staying power

 

[lang williams]

I have the quick ratio rack with 45 series tires up front, if i drove it regularly I'd look like popeye in no time! I only drive it a few hundred miles a year.

 

[MaxTheHooker]

my dd has no power steering and it's fine. people have to man up and just drive their cars. i'm not saying it's AS easy, but it's not THAT bad.. everyone just likes to complain.

 

[Cobra912]

my dd has no power steering and it's fine. people have to man up and just drive their cars. i'm not saying it's AS easy, but it's not THAT bad.. everyone just likes to complain.

Well..............I didn't say that it wasn't "fine." And that it was 'that" bad. And I'm not complaining. I'am however sharing with jrgixxer what he asked - i guess what im asking is if manual steering is worth it for normal street driving?

and the answer to that is............if it's broke - fix it. unless you require manual steering or don't have the cash to fix a leaky rack why go redneck and leave it?

 

[lang williams]

If I were driving it as a dd it'd have power steering...it was much easier to steer with the 225/60/15's on it than it is now with the conti sport 225/45/17's. I'm not saying it's impossible but to me it would take the joy out of it.

 

[2000xp8]

my dd has no power steering and it's fine. people have to man up and just drive their cars. i'm not saying it's AS easy, but it's not THAT bad.. everyone just likes to complain.

Fine for one person, isn't always fine for everyone.

You think we should "man up", on the other hand i think you should "wise up".
Taking the power steering out of a daily driven street car that was designed to have PS to save a few pounds and get 10 hp is not really a sensible thing to do.
I put it up there with using manual brakes, ya, you can do it, but that don't mean it's a good idea.

 

[1991vert]

i bought a FR quick ratio manual rack. it'll be fine. it'll just take take getting used to.

if you've ever driven a car/truck w/o power steering, you know it's a little "different" at first

 

[Cobra912]

I'm not saying it's impossible but to me it would take the joy out of it.

It did for me........not the same joy driving it.