Power steering delete
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 110
Likes: 14
From: Crosby TX
Power steering delete
Looking to just delete the PS pump & just loop the rack lines. Any of you guys had success with this? I run front runners exclusively & I’m removing excess weight & unnecessary clutter from the engine bay. I haven’t been able to locate an accessory bracket or a replacement idler pulley for the Vette, & after looking at it closely, I may not require it. TIA.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 6,337
Likes: 5,108
From: Charles Town WV
2024 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2023 C6 of the Year Winner - Modified
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I would recommend switching to a manual rack... a power rack will be a bear to drive without the pump even with a skinny. TRZ Motorsports makes a nice manual replacement that has better ratios to make it more manageable.
TRZ Motorsports 400-3 1997-2011 C5-C6 Manual Rack Kit For TRZ K-Member Kit Only!!!! (poormanmotorsports.com)
TRZ Motorsports 400-3 1997-2011 C5-C6 Manual Rack Kit For TRZ K-Member Kit Only!!!! (poormanmotorsports.com)
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 110
Likes: 14
From: Crosby TX
I’ve been eyeing that set-up for years, but it’s pricy & you have to change everything in the front end. I’ve talked to those guys & several folks that have/had that deal, & it supposedly has no business on anything resembling a street car. It’s not the rack of course that’s the issue, it’s the k-member required to run it. We modded & drove an F-body car with a looped rack back in the day, & it wasn’t terrible. I was just testing the waters to see if anyone had any experience with it on a C6. Appreciate it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,155
Likes: 269
I would recommend switching to a manual rack... a power rack will be a bear to drive without the pump even with a skinny. TRZ Motorsports makes a nice manual replacement that has better ratios to make it more manageable.
TRZ Motorsports 400-3 1997-2011 C5-C6 Manual Rack Kit For TRZ K-Member Kit Only!!!! (poormanmotorsports.com)
TRZ Motorsports 400-3 1997-2011 C5-C6 Manual Rack Kit For TRZ K-Member Kit Only!!!! (poormanmotorsports.com)
I’ve been eyeing that set-up for years, but it’s pricy & you have to change everything in the front end. I’ve talked to those guys & several folks that have/had that deal, & it supposedly has no business on anything resembling a street car. It’s not the rack of course that’s the issue, it’s the k-member required to run it. We modded & drove an F-body car with a looped rack back in the day, & it wasn’t terrible. I was just testing the waters to see if anyone had any experience with it on a C6. Appreciate it.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 110
Likes: 14
From: Crosby TX
That was my plan as well, to turn lock to lock to allow majority of the fluid to push out while leaving enough to lubricate the rack. Did you have to add an idler pulley or any kind of bracket for belt routing or just run a shorter belt.
I’m in the process of removing the EBCM distribution block & factory hard lines using the Finishing Lines kit, so wanted to continue cleaning up the engine bay since adding the D1X. TIA.
I’m in the process of removing the EBCM distribution block & factory hard lines using the Finishing Lines kit, so wanted to continue cleaning up the engine bay since adding the D1X. TIA.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,155
Likes: 269
That was my plan as well, to turn lock to lock to allow majority of the fluid to push out while leaving enough to lubricate the rack. Did you have to add an idler pulley or any kind of bracket for belt routing or just run a shorter belt.
I’m in the process of removing the EBCM distribution block & factory hard lines using the Finishing Lines kit, so wanted to continue cleaning up the engine bay since adding the D1X. TIA.
I’m in the process of removing the EBCM distribution block & factory hard lines using the Finishing Lines kit, so wanted to continue cleaning up the engine bay since adding the D1X. TIA.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 110
Likes: 14
From: Crosby TX
Man that’s great news. I’ve been looking for a solution for this since I put the blower on the car. Looking at the belt routing it appeared completely doable to me. It’s not a long run, I was worried it might start throwing the belt if the tensioner wasn’t enough. Appreciate it.
I’m planning to jumper the EBCM plug instead of splicing the harness just because it looks cleaner & reversible. I wish I would thought about deleting the booster while I was at it. The booster takes up a ton of real estate on the driver side. Getting rid of the PS pump assembly, EBCM, & the booster I bet you’ve got some space to work with now. Send some pics of your set-up if you don’t mind. TIA.
I’m planning to jumper the EBCM plug instead of splicing the harness just because it looks cleaner & reversible. I wish I would thought about deleting the booster while I was at it. The booster takes up a ton of real estate on the driver side. Getting rid of the PS pump assembly, EBCM, & the booster I bet you’ve got some space to work with now. Send some pics of your set-up if you don’t mind. TIA.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,155
Likes: 269
Man that’s great news. I’ve been looking for a solution for this since I put the blower on the car. Looking at the belt routing it appeared completely doable to me. It’s not a long run, I was worried it might start throwing the belt if the tensioner wasn’t enough. Appreciate it.
I’m planning to jumper the EBCM plug instead of splicing the harness just because it looks cleaner & reversible. I wish I would thought about deleting the booster while I was at it. The booster takes up a ton of real estate on the driver side. Getting rid of the PS pump assembly, EBCM, & the booster I bet you’ve got some space to work with now. Send some pics of your set-up if you don’t mind. TIA.
I’m planning to jumper the EBCM plug instead of splicing the harness just because it looks cleaner & reversible. I wish I would thought about deleting the booster while I was at it. The booster takes up a ton of real estate on the driver side. Getting rid of the PS pump assembly, EBCM, & the booster I bet you’ve got some space to work with now. Send some pics of your set-up if you don’t mind. TIA.
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 110
Likes: 14
From: Crosby TX
You’re definitely further along than I am for sure. That looks like a lot of car you got going there. Seems like I’ve seen this pic before while picking through the forum. Did you convert to a live axle set-up as well?
I was planning on just removing the PS pump/lines & run the factory alternator/PS bracket. Is the ICT breaker required to delete the PS pump? The reason I ask is, I couldn’t find a bracket in their catalog that worked. I called & spoke with those guys as well, & they didn’t seem to think any of their stuff was applicable. They have a trk bracket that deletes the PS but places the alternator waay high & even then requires another bracket to fit the corvette alternator that pushes it up even higher.
I was planning on just removing the PS pump/lines & run the factory alternator/PS bracket. Is the ICT breaker required to delete the PS pump? The reason I ask is, I couldn’t find a bracket in their catalog that worked. I called & spoke with those guys as well, & they didn’t seem to think any of their stuff was applicable. They have a trk bracket that deletes the PS but places the alternator waay high & even then requires another bracket to fit the corvette alternator that pushes it up even higher.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,155
Likes: 269
You’re definitely further along than I am for sure. That looks like a lot of car you got going there. Seems like I’ve seen this pic before while picking through the forum. Did you convert to a live axle set-up as well?
I was planning on just removing the PS pump/lines & run the factory alternator/PS bracket. Is the ICT breaker required to delete the PS pump? The reason I ask is, I couldn’t find a bracket in their catalog that worked. I called & spoke with those guys as well, & they didn’t seem to think any of their stuff was applicable. They have a trk bracket that deletes the PS but places the alternator waay high & even then requires another bracket to fit the corvette alternator that pushes it up even higher.
I was planning on just removing the PS pump/lines & run the factory alternator/PS bracket. Is the ICT breaker required to delete the PS pump? The reason I ask is, I couldn’t find a bracket in their catalog that worked. I called & spoke with those guys as well, & they didn’t seem to think any of their stuff was applicable. They have a trk bracket that deletes the PS but places the alternator waay high & even then requires another bracket to fit the corvette alternator that pushes it up even higher.
You can certainly do that, I did for awhile but the bulky stock bracket annoyed me so I set out to delete it. I found the ICT bracket and used the adapter you mention for the stock alternator, wasn't ideal as the adapter had just enough flex to give me belt issues at high RPM. So I went to the local parts store and traded mine as a core for a truck alternator that fit in perfectly in the bracket without the adapter which solved the belt issues. I had some issues with engine mounts so that spurred the motor plate setup and moving the alternator again, that same truck alternator is the one in the pic above, its been working better than my OEM vette one ever did.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 110
Likes: 14
From: Crosby TX
I thought that was the car once I saw the pic yesterday. It’s not everyday you see/hear about a C6 with a live axle conversion. Lol. I remember seeing some pics of the finished product, & you completely nailed the stance. That kind of fab work is way beyond my abilities, I’m definitely envious. Are you running an auto or manual trans, I don’t recall?
Appreciate all the info on the PS delete. I’m planning to start removing all of that crap while I’m working on the brake line kit. Those two things being gone is really going to clean up that driver’s side frame rail.
Appreciate all the info on the PS delete. I’m planning to start removing all of that crap while I’m working on the brake line kit. Those two things being gone is really going to clean up that driver’s side frame rail.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 110
Likes: 14
From: Crosby TX
It’s more of a straight line car at this point, & not a lot of street miles anymore. It gets an occasional cruise down the road & then trailer to track duty. I’ll definitely keep an eye on it though, thanks for the tip.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,155
Likes: 269
I was mildly concerned so I tested the leftover material from my lightweight steering shaft on my 20 ton press. It took an incredible amount of force to damage it, no where near what I could leverage from the drivers seat. I used the TRZ tubular steering kit and adapted it to the stock rack.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 110
Likes: 14
From: Crosby TX
Funny, I went to a lightweight steering shaft. Pushing fluid through a failed PS system takes more effort than turning a drained system. I assume you had stickier and wider front tires than we generally run as well.
I was mildly concerned so I tested the leftover material from my lightweight steering shaft on my 20 ton press. It took an incredible amount of force to damage it, no where near what I could leverage from the drivers seat. I used the TRZ tubular steering kit and adapted it to the stock rack.
I was mildly concerned so I tested the leftover material from my lightweight steering shaft on my 20 ton press. It took an incredible amount of force to damage it, no where near what I could leverage from the drivers seat. I used the TRZ tubular steering kit and adapted it to the stock rack.
Glad I’m not the only one in the R&D Dept on some of this stuff. Lol. I’ve been racing/wrenching on cars since I could drive, & we’ve definitely been guilty of ill-advised, sketchy mods more than a few times. I’ve learned a lot since then, older, wiser kind of deal I guess. Appreciate it guys.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 12,407
Likes: 1,750
From: DFW TX
Good info on here, thanks for posting. I had a previous car (not a vette) converted to manual and enjoyed it. IIRC it was a factory PS rack, completely drained & plugged. Effort was a bit high at low speeds of course, but not bad when moving.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 6,318
Likes: 1,102
From: Austin Tx
I recommend putting a breather in the loop, it helps lessen the effort needed to turn. I just left mine open this time around. If it fails, I'll get another one. I don't drive the car that much.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 110
Likes: 14
From: Crosby TX
I might try that as well if the loop configuration creates too much effort. I did the loop method on a F-body car years ago, & it wasn’t bad from what I remember. If converting to a manual rack wasn’t such an expensive option, I go that route right off the hit.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 4,352
Likes: 32
From: Canton Michigan
where would you put the breather in at? and wouldnt any fluid left in there ooze out of the breather?