OH FFS! Depowered steering problem.
#1
OH FFS! Depowered steering problem.
So I got the bolts and what not to depower my steering rack. I did this a bit of time ago and just today got around to moving the car about. Well, I get in and start moving only to discover that for some reason I have NO steering now what so ever. I am assuming I have done something similar to a monkey ******* a football. Please help, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
#4
Elite Member
iTrader: (16)
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Las Cruces, NM
Posts: 1,647
Total Cats: 524
Compare what you did to the tutorial at FM.
The first image shows the "looping the tubes" method. Hit next to see the hard way to do it with step by step disassembly and reassembly.
Flyin' Miata : Tech: 1.8 conversion
The first image shows the "looping the tubes" method. Hit next to see the hard way to do it with step by step disassembly and reassembly.
Flyin' Miata : Tech: 1.8 conversion
#10
Cpt. Slow
iTrader: (25)
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Oregon City, OR
Posts: 14,179
Total Cats: 1,129
the plugs are only there to keep dust out, not to maintain any kind of pressure, so take them all out and see if you can steer again. One of the plugs may be too long, and acting as a set screw against one of the moving components.
#12
By seal I hope you mean the Teflon ring that surrounds the piston near the center of the steering rack cylinder. There's another seal between the pinion rack and the rack cylinder, and ideally that should come out too, but that second seal isn't going to solve your problem.
Some folks take just the Teflon piston seal out, but it's probably better to take the piston out as well since the piston is a pretty tight fit in the cylinder and there might be some rack shaft restriction with quick steering inputs (and a bit of residual steering fluid in the cylinder) with the rack piston in place.
Some folks take just the Teflon piston seal out, but it's probably better to take the piston out as well since the piston is a pretty tight fit in the cylinder and there might be some rack shaft restriction with quick steering inputs (and a bit of residual steering fluid in the cylinder) with the rack piston in place.
#14
I had that issue when I depowered the rack on my car. I looped the lines though. It turned out that there was still too much fluid in the system. So, I unhooked one of the lines and turned the wheel lock to lock a few times to squeeze fluid out. The steering got easier and then I capped it off. You still want a little fluid in there to lubricate if you end up not doing the FM method. To me the FM method is overkill. I don't think all that labor is worth the time. You could probably pick up a used manual rack and new tie rod ends and be done with it.
#15
The result probably won't be as good, but it might be good enough. You might also consider having someone weld your pinion shaft to eliminate the play from the torsion bar valve, but that requires even more effort and pretty much the complete disassembly of your rack. Most folks don't do that because it's a PITA and has to be done carefully and correctly (it's a critical component of your steering, and if it breaks when you're in a hard corner you're probably fucked). But if steering feedback is the goal of de-powering the rack, why would you leave any avoidable slop in the system?
Last edited by Thucydides; 04-15-2009 at 11:43 PM.
#17
Elite Member
iTrader: (15)
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 4,847
Total Cats: 27
If you want to go the quick and cheap route, just cut the hoses short at the fitting and pinch them closed. IIRC this is what the FM instructions suggest. It worked well for me. Just round off the edges of the pinched hose ends because they are sharp little bastards otherwise.
This only works BTW for the 'FM Style' depower where the seal is removed.
This only works BTW for the 'FM Style' depower where the seal is removed.
#20
Elite Member
iTrader: (15)
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 4,847
Total Cats: 27
You are going to love it by the way. I am never going back.
If the steering effort is too heavy, get an alignment and have them reduce the caster to something like 3.5-4 degs. Works great.
If the steering effort is too heavy, get an alignment and have them reduce the caster to something like 3.5-4 degs. Works great.