[juiced347]

My Power steering rack on my car (2001 trans am) started leaking and i was not too upset because its old and has some miles on it, i looked into doing a manual rack and they are $700! The car barely gets driven and has skinny tires so manual will be no problem for me. What is the process of converting the power rack so its manageable as a manual one? Thanks!

 

[cartech]

Where is it leaking? Usually most people just loop the lines, but that won's solve your issue if it's leaking at one of the end seals or the input. Those cars are really simple to put a rack in and they are the same from V6 to V8 on most models, so why not at least get a used one and put it in?

 

[juiced347]

Where is it leaking? Usually most people just loop the lines, but that won's solve your issue if it's leaking at one of the end seals or the input. Those cars are really simple to put a rack in and they are the same from V6 to V8 on most models, so why not at least get a used one and put it in?

its the imput seal, i have no problem changing that, but my end goal is to be able to remove the power steering pump and lines etc. Just looping the lines will work close to as well as a true manual rack?

 

[taxman]

Hope you have big arms, the two systems generally have very differet ratios.

 

[juiced347]

Wouldnt draining the system and just leaving the lines open make it easier than looping?
The car has skinnies on it and i cant imagine it being too hard to turn over a true manual rack. All my race cars before this had manual racks.

 

[bdr82z28]

Just get a proper manual rack.

 

[blk00ss]

You can take it apart where the steering shaft goes. There's a big seal in there that you can cut out that is suppose to make it easier to turn. Some guys on tech claim it's as good as a manual rack once it's been gutted.

 

[blk00ss]

Here's a link with a how to. The guy on tech said this is what he used to do his. I guess it's pretty much the same procedure for an f body rack.

https://www.flyinmiata.com/tech/depower.php

 

[adam85]

I just looped mine when i deleted power steering. It has skinnies on it all the time and I think its pretty easy to turn. I read about gutting the seals on tech and when I get time Ill try it and see if it gets better.

 

[Bad00SS]

I have done this successfully on a 2000 camaro. I removed the pump and the lines. leave it wide open and put a pan under the car. turn the wheels back and forth till all the fluid squirts out. Run the rack with open holes. steers surprisingly well. if you loop it, it is compressing liquid and its harder to turn. I street drove it about 3,000 miles in the 2 years I had it like this. no issues. I later switched to a manual rack to save weight. I honestly believe my stock rack turned easier than the Midwest chassis manual rack kit now.

 

[440roadrunner]

I have done this successfully on a 2000 camaro. I removed the pump and the lines. leave it wide open and put a pan under the car. turn the wheels back and forth till all the fluid squirts out. Run the rack with open holes. steers surprisingly well. if you loop it, it is compressing liquid and its harder to turn. I street drove it about 3,000 miles in the 2 years I had it like this. no issues. I later switched to a manual rack to save weight. I honestly believe my stock rack turned easier than the Midwest chassis manual rack kit now.

"I would think" a combination of the methods would be good. Leaving open will get water, road splash, etc. Why not drain it as you say and THEN loop the (empty) hoses?

 

[juiced347]

I have done this successfully on a 2000 camaro. I removed the pump and the lines. leave it wide open and put a pan under the car. turn the wheels back and forth till all the fluid squirts out. Run the rack with open holes. steers surprisingly well. if you loop it, it is compressing liquid and its harder to turn. I street drove it about 3,000 miles in the 2 years I had it like this. no issues. I later switched to a manual rack to save weight. I honestly believe my stock rack turned easier than the Midwest chassis manual rack kit now.

This is the first/only accessory i will be deleting for now, do you remember how you routed the belt/ what size belt you needed?

 

[JoDon]

I have done this successfully on a 2000 camaro. I removed the pump and the lines. leave it wide open and put a pan under the car. turn the wheels back and forth till all the fluid squirts out. Run the rack with open holes. steers surprisingly well. if you loop it, it is compressing liquid and its harder to turn. I street drove it about 3,000 miles in the 2 years I had it like this. no issues. I later switched to a manual rack to save weight. I honestly believe my stock rack turned easier than the Midwest chassis manual rack kit now.

Lines to a catch can with a breather, and you're good to go. Still have fluid, still easy to turn.

 

[302StrokerGT]

get the correct manual rack and make sure your steering angles are correct.

 

[B Williams]

Drain the fluid out and loop the lines.

I did my Corvette this way with a 2 turn to lock Z51 rack and it wasn't as bad as people make out. Ran it with the lines looped for 5yrs. Yeah it took a little muscle to turn it at low speed but to me it was nothing like some of these people make out.... once you were really moving, no problem at all.

My car runs low 5s in the 1/8th and low 8s in the 1/4.

Finally converted the car to a Pinto style rack this year. I'm interested to see how much difference there is.
Will

 

[twinta]

I noticed a big difference going to a pinto rack in my 99 Trans Am. 225/50/17 front tire though. It was worth the money in my eyes.

 

[adam85]

I drained it then turned the wheel about 50 times back and forth then looped it.

 

[Bad00SS]

"I would think" a combination of the methods would be good. Leaving open will get water, road splash, etc. Why not drain it as you say and THEN loop the (empty) hoses?

its a sealed unit. you will be compressing air. it still is slightly harder than wide open to turn. and who with a car like this drives it in the rain. I know i didnt drive on dirt roads or in rain with slicks and skinnies. theres nothing to worry about.

 

[Bad00SS]

This is the first/only accessory i will be deleting for now, do you remember how you routed the belt/ what size belt you needed?

i only have an alternator with the BMR alternator mounting kit. Crank to alternator belt.

 

[01ssreda4]

You can take it apart where the steering shaft goes. There's a big seal in there that you can cut out that is suppose to make it easier to turn. Some guys on tech claim it's as good as a manual rack once it's been gutted.

Yep, I read that too.