[wspohn]

90% of you are going to ask why anyone would want to delete power steering. The other 10% will know - the unassisted more direct steering enhances you ability to drive the car on road and track.

The rack has a decent ratio (2.7), it is just numbed down by the power assist. You can simply remove the steering pump and connect the lines together (so fluid can go back and forth in them as you move the steering) or do a more comprehensive depowering. See this article on doing the same thing to the Miatas:

Project Miatabusa Part 5 - De-Powering the Steering

It is part of a rather interesting series in swapping in Hayabusa power for a Miata Project MiataBusa - Part 1: What The Hell Are We Thinking > MotoIQ

Has anyone got around to doing this, perhaps on their slalom car?

 

[ophidia31]

Didn't do it and never really thought about it until you mentioned it now. Im interested in the results on our cars.

 

[wspohn]

The Miata guys say that the power racks are better to start with because they are faster ratio than the manual, and they say that once modified there are no issues as far as maintenance, leakage or anything else as a result.

I think pantherqs just disconnected the steering when he stuck in the Toyota in line 6 engine. I wonder if the slalom crowd wouldn't be well advised to try it as well.

 

[ophidia31]

Going to pop the belt off after work tomm and Ill report back. I know it wont be the same feel as doing the full conversion, but will give me some idea.

 

[idkfa]

I think pantherqs just disconnected the steering when he stuck in the Toyota in line 6 engine. I wonder if the slalom crowd wouldn't be well advised to try it as well.

He did report a vast improvement in feel and feedback and I've been thinking about it ever since.

You start the best threads.

 

[rooster33]

I would expect it to be easier to turn Miata 15" wheels

 

[ophidia31]

I would expect it to be easier to turn Miata 15" wheels

This. I still tried it though. Yeah, you need to be a bodybuilder to not get tired from trying to turn the wheel. Im sure itd be a little LITTLE easier without the pump there, but not easy enough on a daily driver. I see the reason for the higher ratio manual rack over a power rack.

 

[wspohn]

Yeah, I was pretty much assuming that it would be a competition only mod unless you really hate power steering. I don't hate it enough to be bothered disabling it for the street, but it's the first mod I'd make for competition.

I have another vintage car with 7" wheels and big boots with manual steering. A pig to parallel park, but a pleasure at speed in comparison to another car I have of the same make with power assist. Over all I'd choose the manual rack.