924Board.org

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

I would like to get the power steering rack mounted up to my retrofit setup, but I'm not quite ready to tackle the custom brackets and hydraulic lines just yet. So my question is, can I go ahead and mount the rack, fill it with ATF, plug the feed and return ports, and then run it as a manual rack until I'm ready to develop and install the rest of the system? Will this do any damage to the rack?
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

Gohim? Paul? Smoothie? Rasta? John_AZ?
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

gohim · Joined: 02 Nov 2002 Posts: 4459 Location: Rialto, CA

I don't have any personal experience converting from power or to power steering. But I have read that people have eliminated the power steering on 944 and 924S by removing the pump, and the hoses, and filling the rach with either grease or oil to reduce the steering effort, and plugging the hose ports.

So, I suppose you could fill the rack with power steering fluid, and plug the hose ports, BUT I don't what damage (if any) would be caused.

Rasta Monsta · Joined: 12 Jul 2006 Posts: 11733 Location: PacNW

You will need to put a pair of these under your piano bench:

I have also heard it theorized that the steering ujoint is overstressed running a power rack without hydraulic assist. I have also heard that theory scoffed at. Not much help there.

But seriously, it will be a bitch to drive IMO, and not just at low speeds. . .I had this experience recently when I bjorked my pump mount.
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Toofah King Bad

WeiBe (1987 924S 2.5t) - 931 S3

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

It's already a bitch to drive...this is only temporary anyway to buy me time to come up with the resources to finish the conversion. Part of the problem is that I need the rack on the car in order to properly engineer everything else, and it's a royal PITA to change the steering shaft, so I only want to do it once. If I can bolt the rack up and limp around like that for a few months, that would save me some trouble.
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

v8carreragts · Joined: 05 Sep 2003 Posts: 665 Location: Tucson, AZ

A power steering rack is basically a dual action hydraulic ram. It has two pistons, one for each side. What happens is when you turn the wheel, a control valve directs p/s fluid into the opposite side of the rack and connects the other side to the return. This is what gives you the assist.

If you disconnect the pump and fill the rack with oil, grease, or whatever and plug the lines you will lock the rack in what ever position it was in when you filled it. When it is functional one side fills and the other empties and vice versa. If you just disconnect it you will get dirt in it. Not a good thing.

So the answer is, no you cannot mount the rack without the pump. You need to mount and connect everything at the same time.

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

The bypass line is still attached, so the fluid would flow from side to side. I'm referring simply to the feed and return line to and from the pump.

This is fascinating because I've gotten opinions on both sides of the issue between here, Pelican and Rennlist!
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

joecitizennn · Joined: 12 Sep 2005 Posts: 2096 Location: no mans land

A power steering rack pinion is not designed to handle the extreme load of no power assist. Though it may survive for a long time it will wear quicker than if it had pressure from the pump. I have no experience with packing one with grease, but it seems like the best idea I have heard.
If you make the habit of NOT turning the wheels unless the car is in motion, or at least creeping... the gear will last much longer. It does not take much motion at all to overcome the friction of twisting the front tires.

flosho · Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 1:11 pm Post subject:

DSM, 240sx, e30, and many more all "cut" their PS belts and drive their cars.. I hear it is a bitch tho.
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[This Space For Rent]

bruni · Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 114 Location: South Africa

It is possible but not advisable. The steering column is connected to the pinion via a thin quill shaft that runs through the center of the pinion. With out the power assistance this would allow the column to turn several degrees before reaching the built in stops. Its difficult to explain you need to take one to bits to see how it works. The bottom line is the steering would be very heavy and will have lots of free movement
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1982 931
1975 harley sportster

Slam · Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 8:59 am Post subject:

I did this years ago on my 944. I've been running it that way ever since. Yes, the car's heavier at parking speeds, but the power rack I found a little quicker at speed. So far I haven't had any trouble at all with this setup. Plus, parts are cheaper. Haven't noticed the wheel slop that bruni refers to or the lockup that v8carreragts refers to.

Talk to George at 944 Ecology about it.
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'88 944 Auto - may or may not resurrect

Smoothie · Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 9:40 am Post subject:

Paul · Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 1:22 pm Post subject:

I just noticed this thread, my recommendation is to temporarily use a leaky worthless 944 rack and save your good one until ready to add the pump.
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White 87 924S "Ghost"
Silver 98 986 3.6l 320 HP "Frank N Stein"
White 01 986 "Christine"
Polar Silver 02 996TT. "Turbo"
Owned and repaired 924s since 1977
Porsche: It's not driving, it's therapy.

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI