Rack and Pinion - manual rack

MYBAD79

MYBAD79

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I already have a power rack off a '92 GrandAm, same that Steeroids uses...ACDELCO Part # 3616318, 87-94 but I have been considering manual steering for a while.

I found that the 1986-1990 Cavallier and GrandAms came with manual steering, part number for this rack is A1 Cardone, #231609.

The '88 and '89 Cavallier use the same power rack as the '92 but power steering was optional I assume, manual steering was no longer an option in 1990... from what I read I believe the racks should be interchangeable... not ???

the manual rack is $220 at RockAuto :thumbs:
 
Ive been running my power assist sport rack with no pump for about 2000 miles now with no problems. I think i read that the manual rack for those cars was around 4 turns lock to lock as opposed to the 2.5 with the sport rack. Besides it being a little difficult to turn at slow speeds, the sport steer rack is perfect for high performance driving IMO
 
If you do a manual rack, build a cradle like with the flaming river setup. It makes all the difference in rack stability
 
manual rack .......now thats an interesting idea. i am happy with the steeroids power rack but i could see where a manual rack at higher speeds could be fun.....i bet slow speeds and parking would be require alot more effort though...i guess the real question is how you use/drive the car
 
I'll definitely build the cradle.

Anybody know if the manual rack really is 4 turns lock to lock ? Since I already have the power rack I might as well just install it and see how I like it without the power assist...

Do I simply plug the connections for the pump ??
 
MYBAD79 said:
I'll definitely build the cradle.

Anybody know if the manual rack really is 4 turns lock to lock ? Since I already have the power rack I might as well just install it and see how I like it without the power assist...

Do I simply plug the connections for the pump ??
Click to expand...

Nope, splice them together, you have opposite sides of the piston in a cylinder....surely there is fluid in there from testing or if used....:bump:
 
From speeddirect:
Running Power Kits Manually: The power racks that we use are internally lubricated, so if you have a power rack and need to run it manually for a short period of time, you can leave the plugs in the rack and run them manually. The downfall with this is that when you are going slow or at a stop (like in a parking lot), the steering resistance is increased, so you will have to use a lot more effort to steer due to the quick ratio rack. Once the vehicle was moving, it usually is about the same as the stock manual steering.
This option is available for all of our kits. The Camaro, Firebird and Nova racks yield about 2.75 turns lock to lock at the steering wheel, where the Mustang and the Corvette racks yield 2.5 turns.
Issues to Consider: If you are thinking about running a power kit manually, some factors will change the amount of steering input required to turn the steering wheel - such as how wide your tires are, do you have a small block or big block and has there been any front end lightening done to the vehicle? These are just to name a few. We have many customers with wide tires who are into auto crossing that prefer to run the kits manually because they prefer plenty of road feel. All of these factors are of course up to the individual's preferences.
People with power racks that are using them manually and are using the vehicle often (daily driver) may want to consider adding additional lubricating fluid every 5,000 miles or so to keep things smooth. Also, you may want to consider making a hose that connects the pressure port to the return port on the rack. The motion of the seals moving back and forth will create a slight pressure inside the rack, so a bypass hose can eliminate some of the pressure. Current manual racks have had the cylinder drilled to prevent pressure build up.
Click to expand...

I guess they offer a manual rack made from a power rack at 2.5 turns, but the flaming river manual rack is 4 turns lock to lock
 
Last edited:
vette427sbc said:
I guess they offer a manual rack made from a power rack at 2.5 turns, but the flaming river manual rack is 4 turns lock to lock
Click to expand...

Which is the primary reason I put the rack in, the the car used to stear like a bus, even came with a bus driver's wheel on it....silly....later shark is the cure...

I thought it fairly obvious that if the OEM was nearly 4 turns, and the rack was one turn less....by mechanical advantage alone, I was going to have more road feel....power assist being same for both installs....

and when doing the install, I kept the '72 pump valving setup, mainly because of the flare fitting, I dind't know shit about flow/pressure changes from one to the other, this being 8 years ago almost...but the lower ratings of the stock '72 system apparently were retained, giving more road 'feel' ....

I have to ASSume....
 
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