i've already searched and found a couple of post....found one that said drain the rack and cap it off....found another that said fill rack with fluid and loop the inlet and outlet....just wonder if anyone has actually done either of these on a daily driver....i only ask because i had a fire under my hood a few months back...and anything plactic or rubber...and some electrical...was turned to ash....and i'm thinking of some things i don't really NEED to put back...for example...my A/C is definitely not going back in...so i was thinking of doing the same with the powersteering....anything would be appreciated....thanks...
p.s.
'00 z24
WHEN I'M GOD, EVERYONE DIES
you might be able to use the eco ps block off plate , from the ion/cobalts
using a power rack as a manual rack is gonna take alot more arm strength , finding a manual rack and making it work for a j-body is prob the best
but yes you do need to keep some fluid in the system to keep it lubricated
ive personally driven paul tjepjes' car w/o power steering, it really blows. i wouldnt recommend it for a daily driver.
thanks.....guess i'll just keep it......
WHEN I'M GOD, EVERYONE DIES
[quote=97cavie24ls(™)]finding a manual rack and making it work for a j-body is prob the best Would you happen to know of one? I haven't been able to find anything yet...
fortune cookie say: better a delay than a disaster
wish i could tell ya , the rack ive got doesnt have a part # on it
minor mods were made to the subframe also
I've removed the power steering off of my Ford and present daily driver, the Toyota Paseo.
With the Ford weighing about 3000 pounds, had no adverse effect on the steering rack and with both cars, have better steering feel with more connection to what the front wheels are doing.
I plan on eventually eliminating the power steering on the Cavy to clean up the engine bay, get rid of the leaky power steering pump, and have better road feel with the setup I now have.
All that needs to be done is to take the inlet and outlet hoses and couple them together. Keep all of the fluid in the system and when youre done, turn the wheel (while driving or front tires off of the ground) lock to lock several times to take out any air that may have gotten into the system upon removal.
The only setback I've found with removing the power assisted steering is in slow speed maneuvers. That's the only downfall with losing the assist.
Misnblu.com
Newbie member since 1999
Thank you Dave and JBO! 
didnt second gens have a manual steering, and power option?
I cut out the power steering on my 97 like misnblu said low speed manuvering is a little rough for the first couple days but youll get used to it. deffinately better road feel I like it.
I just cant drive 55
Thanks Robert for the review.
I'm still planning this in the near future.
Misnblu.com
Newbie member since 1999
Thank you Dave and JBO!
bringing this way back from the dead as im entertaining the idea of doing this to my J......anyone recently try or do this ? what was the results. this car is not gonna be my DD but more of a weekend/track toy
RIP JESSE GERARD.....Youll always be in my thoughts and prayers...
Jason, if I were you I would just drain your PS fluid and drive it to see how you like it. That way you can actually see for yourself instead of going by others reviews. The last time I drove my car home from the track w/o power steering, it sucked at first, then just like that kinda got the feel for it and didn't mind it. BUT that was mostly highway, I need to do some city driving to see if I will do without powersteering.
~2014 New Z under the knife, same heart different body~
______________________
WHITECAVY no more
2012 numbers - 4SPD AUTOMATIC!!
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WHITECAVY wrote:Jason, if I were you I would just drain your PS fluid and drive it to see how you like it. That way you can actually see for yourself instead of going by others reviews. The last time I drove my car home from the track w/o power steering, it sucked at first, then just like that kinda got the feel for it and didn't mind it. BUT that was mostly highway, I need to do some city driving to see if I will do without powersteering.
i had thought of that but given that im pulling both the motor and tranny soon....now would be the opertunity to modify the rack setup while i have easier access and what not
RIP JESSE GERARD.....Youll always be in my thoughts and prayers...
I have the lines looped on my car, its not too bad on the highway. Parking can suck sometimes and taking slow turns with one hand proves to be a bit too tough. If you have a drink in the center console you need to hold onto while your turning you will be in trouble. Overall its not terrible but it takes away the fun from cruising around town. I will be switching back.
Best bet will be to find a manaul rack that can fit with some mod work, Yes gen 2 cavaliers had a manaul rack option but they came on the firewall not subframe and me having a manaul rack i can tell you turning it is so Easy feels like a power rack
Zs Z wrote:I have the lines looped on my car, its not too bad on the highway. Parking can suck sometimes and taking slow turns with one hand proves to be a bit too tough. If you have a drink in the center console you need to hold onto while your turning you will be in trouble. Overall its not terrible but it takes away the fun from cruising around town. I will be switching back.
How does it actually feel though?
Does it give you a better 'feel' because there's no hydraulic help that cushions that important 'feel'.
I've done two as stated previously and in both situations I'd not ever change it back to the power setup.
Like Zs stated in parking maneuvers you've got to go old school with the hand over hand power turns to get in and out of parking spots.
It does teach you to do it right and work out so that you can do it with little to no effort.
Misnblu.com
Newbie member since 1999
Thank you Dave and JBO!
Looping the lines in a power steering rack is an awful way to make it a "manual rack"... Now, instead of the pump, you only have your arms to physically push the fluid through the system.
You should de-power the power steering rack, it eliminates fluid altogether and the end result is similar if not better than a manual rack, with the bonus of having the power steering rack ratio.
Here's a write-up (for a Miata but you can follow the same general principle):
http://www.flyinmiata.com/tech/depower.php?x=1
atomhouse wrote:Looping the lines in a power steering rack is an awful way to make it a "manual rack"... Now, instead of the pump, you only have your arms to physically push the fluid through the system.
You should de-power the power steering rack, it eliminates fluid altogether and the end result is similar if not better than a manual rack, with the bonus of having the power steering rack ratio.
Here's a write-up (for a Miata but you can follow the same general principle):
http://www.flyinmiata.com/tech/depower.php?x=1
Lmao haha there are a few guys that have done a depower rack on a gen 2 cav and ask cahilj and juiced they both did it and iirc dan (juiced) went back to a power cause it blew mod a manaul rack thats close enough to fit my Real manual rack is Awesome no effort in wheel turn
Misnblu wrote:Zs Z wrote:I have the lines looped on my car, its not too bad on the highway. Parking can suck sometimes and taking slow turns with one hand proves to be a bit too tough. If you have a drink in the center console you need to hold onto while your turning you will be in trouble. Overall its not terrible but it takes away the fun from cruising around town. I will be switching back.
How does it actually feel though?
Does it give you a better 'feel' because there's no hydraulic help that cushions that important 'feel'.
I've done two as stated previously and in both situations I'd not ever change it back to the power setup.
Like Zs stated in parking maneuvers you've got to go old school with the hand over hand power turns to get in and out of parking spots.
It does teach you to do it right and work out so that you can do it with little to no effort.
It feels really good on the highway and curvey countrhy roads. In those situations its amazing but driving in the city or around town where there are lots of stop n go turns it sucks. It did give me a hella workout for the first couple weeks lol. Muscles I didn't know I had hurt.
cav93 wrote:atomhouse wrote:Looping the lines in a power steering rack is an awful way to make it a "manual rack"... Now, instead of the pump, you only have your arms to physically push the fluid through the system.
You should de-power the power steering rack, it eliminates fluid altogether and the end result is similar if not better than a manual rack, with the bonus of having the power steering rack ratio.
Here's a write-up (for a Miata but you can follow the same general principle):
http://www.flyinmiata.com/tech/depower.php?x=1
Lmao haha there are a few guys that have done a depower rack on a gen 2 cav and ask cahilj and juiced they both did it and iirc dan (juiced) went back to a power cause it blew mod a manaul rack thats close enough to fit my Real manual rack is Awesome no effort in wheel turn
Dan didn't go back to power. Both of us are still manual.
The 3rd gen rack can be depowered. Looping the lines is not the right way to do it, nor is simply draining the fluid. You need to get rid of the "piston" like in the Flyin Miata link.
Does removing the piston really make that much of a difference in feel?
the main reason i wanna go to manual is to remove the power steering/by cam setup bc it robs power and looks stupid. never been a fan of it
so by doin the link above i will in turn "de power " it huh intersting
RIP JESSE GERARD.....Youll always be in my thoughts and prayers...
Yeah it would because the seals to keep the fluid in hydraulic motion needed the seals to make it so.
With the manual setup the pistons do nothing more than hold back the free flow of the fluid which makes it hard to steer the car without removing the seal or piston.
I'll need to hit up the junkyard to do this if I ever decide to make the Cavy not power steering.
Good info here too. Thanks all.
Misnblu.com
Newbie member since 1999
Thank you Dave and JBO!
Guess i read that first one wrong thought he said that looping the lines is the only way to go to manual rack, But yes manaul racks kick ass just too bad we have ours on the firewall and you guys have it in a better spot. and no fluid leaks so that a bonus in my book as well
