Manual Rack Conversion?

[Whiteley]

Looped rack:



No PAS or AC. Brackets from a base spec Mk1

[Jay Payne]

Or a Non Aircon Volvo 440 1.7 bottom bracket and a Laguna 1.8 8valve top bracket

[Fred@BTM]

still don't get why people do this, it ruins the car IMO (i'm putting PAS back on one of mine, its crap without!)

[Whiteley]

For me personally it was mainly the ease of putting the 172 engine in the Mk1 without all the ancillaries. If I had a Mk2 then I'd probably leave it in. Not saying what this chap should do, just offering a solution if he's decided he definitely wants rid.

[Tom]

still don't get why people do this, it ruins the car IMO (i'm putting PAS back on one of mine, its crap without!)

Exactly, it's one of its best features.

[Daniel]

still don't get why people do this, it ruins the car IMO (i'm putting PAS back on one of mine, its crap without!)

Because its something else to go wrong! Having owned 3 clio's where either the pump has gone or the hose has split, and facing the extortionate bill of fixing that issue, I decided it was best if its not there altogether!

[Chip-mk1]

still don't get why people do this, it ruins the car IMO (i'm putting PAS back on one of mine, its crap without!)

Agreed, especially on track, I went to quite a lot of trouble to take my manual rack off my ITB corsa and fit a power steering setup instead, as if you get into a bit of a spin and you need to get a lot of lock on very quickly to correct it, its much more likely you will manage to do so with power steering.

I remember a couple of years ago AG's focus up at TOTB lost about 2-3 seconds a lap when his power steering packed up!

[Tom]

Because its something else to go wrong! Having owned 3 clio's where either the pump has gone or the hose has split, and facing the extortionate bill of fixing that issue, I decided it was best if its not there altogether!

You can sort the hose issue by being friendly with pirtek or similar.

[Chip-mk1]

You can sort the hose issue by being friendly with pirtek or similar.

Not sure on the 172 but on my F7R williams engine I ended up having to go to renault for a new host as the threads werent something any of the local hydraulics places could match.

[MullyBaby]

Whitley, is that all that's needed? Just a pipe from one side to the other? Is it not stiffer than manual having to push the fluid around the rack as well?

[Bobby.]

Looped rack:



No PAS or AC. Brackets from a base spec Mk1

have you got a list of part number's that you used for the aircon and p.a.s delete?

[Whiteley]

Whitley, is that all that's needed? Just a pipe from one side to the other? Is it not stiffer than manual having to push the fluid around the rack as well?

Worked for me and plenty of others who've used this method. As said, can be hard work at carpark speeds but fine when you're moving. No problems correcting slides/lock to lock like someone mentioned (mine was purely a track car). I did re-do that loop pipe after the photo was taken. I left 5cm of the green pipe from each port, then put a flexible rubber one between the 2 jubilee'd on (no pressure there).

have you got a list of part number's that you used for the aircon and p.a.s delete?

Mine was all 2nd hand bits, so no luck on part numbers I'm afraid. The alternator brackets can come off various cars, R5/Mk1 Clio/Volvo as Jay says above etc. I did run a 5 rib belt (5pk858 from memory?) as a 6 fouls on the plastic cambelt cover.

[nightSpirit]

The dci electric rack is lighter than the stock or a hydraulic rack.

Weight saving is around 16 kg, less to go wrong, better driver feel on track, more power to the wheels...why would anyone NOT do this?

[mr.pink87]

The dci electric rack is lighter than the stock or a hydraulic rack.

Weight saving is around 16 kg, less to go wrong, better driver feel on track, more power to the wheels...why would anyone NOT do this?

Girly arms?

[MullyBaby]

Has anyone thought of looping the original rack like above but then running the electronic assist on the steering column instead?

[nightSpirit]

Good point, you'd have to always park it somewhere so that you can get up to around 40mph before turning the wheel...the A3 perhaps?

MullyBaby, what would the point of that be? disable one system and add a second? surely if you wanted to go electric you'd just do the whole lot!

[MullyBaby]

Good point, you'd have to always park it somewhere so that you can get up to around 40mph before turning the wheel...the A3 perhaps?

MullyBaby, what would the point of that be? disable one system and add a second? surely if you wanted to go electric you'd just do the whole lot!

You can switch the electric one on for parking only then turn it off I you wire it upto a switch, then when it's not on you're not sapping any power, and this way you keep the sport rack with the correct nnumber of turns lock to lock