I have the steeriods rack and pinion in my Vette, had it for about 2 years know. Anyway the power steering pump is leaking now. so instead of just replacing the pump I was wondering if a pump out of a late model Camaro or vette would give me a better feel. Maybe a little tighter feel in the steering wheel So it don't feel as loose as a Buick or a caddy. So I guess my question is who has done this before and are you happy with your results. And was it easy to mount.

Thanks John

 

HUMPFGH,.....that's the very first time I have ever heard of any rack/pin conversion on a C3 being described as 'loose'....
I suggest you look for other problems, ball joints, rear suspension,....may want to look at steering input linkage....



GENE

 

I applaud your honesty. I get the feeling the people who bought them aren't being completely truthful about the steering feel to keep the resale value up.

I think it was mentioned before that the adjustment is in the rack itself.

good luck

 

do you mean loose or overly assisted like a cadillac?

 

Everything is new in my Vette. Sorry I should have said there is to much power assist instead using the term loose. The hole car is poly bushings, except for the body bushings there rubber.

 

I agree not to mention the binding problime with the joints.

 

For binding problems: Did you move your steering column back a bit? (You do this by loosening the bolts under the dash, and at the firewall.)

The overassisted feeling can be rememdied with a pump that provides lower pressure. Speed Direct sells just such a unit.

 

why do you think people are unhappy with them and not saying so?
i have the steeroids in the box waiting to be installed (with in the next few weeks) I purchased it from a retail vendor if i'm not happy with it its getting taken out and being returned to the vendor for a refund and the old stuff is going back in....I can't be the first guy to have thought of this...

 

Don't know what your gripe with Steeroids may be, turtlevette. Mine is simply awesome...worth every penny!

 

Tried everything its very slight but still there I know how to fix it but refuse to ream out the steering column holes. It needs to move over a 1/16 and that should fix it/

 

i've just heard too many comments about the lack of steering feel. One guy went as far as saying it was like playing a video game. I got to have a feel of the road when racing its essential. 95% of the people here are cruisers or drag racers and just don't care.

Then there is the whole issue of binding. I don't even want to go there. That could kill somebody on a road course. The people who have solved it have had to install some sort of complex double joint that probably adds as much play as the stock system had to begin with. Its just not good engineering practice.

thats what my gripes are.

When somebody comes up with a bullet proof system, then i'll consider it. My ideal steering system would only provide assist when the car is moving less than 15 mph.

 

Page 62 do you know what the difference is in terms of pressure or driving feel with this "low pressure pump", i have no problem making bigger holes or even cutting off the end of my steering column to stop any binding issue....does the instructions cover this? i've been too busy painting to get out the instructiuons onthe next phase, thks bob

 

Hmmm... I don't see a new pump solving the over-assist problem. The level of assist is dictated by the control valve which in the case of a rack-n-pinion is inside the rack. A low-output pump will make the car a bear to park and then over assisted at higher rpm.

On the stock steerring system you can reduce the assist by adding a washer behind the spring inside the control valve. I did this to mine and now I have very little assist which is how I like it. I have just enough assist to make parking easy. Driving down the road it feels almost like a non-PS car.

 

this is the pump he was refering to

http://www.speeddirect.com/index.aspx?nodeID=110

what do you think?

edit new link

http://www.speeddirect.com/index.aspx?nodeID=83

thoughts please

and on binding

http://www.speeddirect.com/index.aspx?nodeID=85

 

Okay, everyone...I wish I could provide detailed answers. But the best answer is this: don't be afraid to call Speed Direct. I had binding issues during my install, and they told me exactly what to do.

 

thks, you helped .... i got the two links and and I am reading and the research begins, this will also help the original post. by 78 vette...

 

I have had my '72 convertible here for about ten years now...and I feel the largest single thing I did, other than rebuilding the entire suspension stem to stern, was the additon of 17" 40-50 series radial tires....since just simply rebuilding the suspension will not alter the dynamics of original design, the only adjustments are alignment..
so once that is dialed in, there is painfully little additonal to be done to affect handling...

NOW, in last 3 years or so, comes the rack conversion, which is beyond doubt the second most important mods to affect handling...if for NO other reason, just that it takes a full turn off the lock/lock going from 16:1 to ~12:1 ratio...THAT is important enough right there, but....I feel that is not the only change, as that slop/play in the controll valve is eliminated, to the extent the rack has that in the input shaft, as what I feel Jim Shea explained to me, meaning the steering wheel has much more input than any road feedback....so yeh, road 'feel' is less...
thing I notice is...I"m not constantly monitoring the wheel at freeway speeds....

so something in the overall steering has certainly changed...for the better....

BTW, I did my own install, not a steeroids....so I don't have any serious first hand knowledge of their system, other than observing ONE install....

GENE

 

so you have less road feel? and you think its a good thing. i'm not sure i understand. What did Jim have to say about it?

 

 

I agree with Turtlevette I like to feel the road. I like assist but not to much. As far as the whole system goes its a nice system and it is an improvement to the car. But it is not perfect. Also allot of c3 owners don't drive there vette much I drive mine everyday and I stay on top of everything as far as maintenance goes. I can see the joints are already wearing and they have play in theme. This is because they are to miss aliened. Even if you don't feel theme binding they are right on the edge of binding. So I'm finished on the topic of binding. Its like beating a dead horse It is what it is. As far as the pump goes thanks for the info. I think I may give it a shot. This is definitely the best Corvette forum with the best people as members.