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can a PS rack be used as a quick rack?
JoelP - 26/2/05 at 08:52 PM

anyone know if this would work? we need quicker racks, and powersteering racks work without the fluid. SVA man might not like it but would it work? its just i have a few knocking about

is the shortening process similar for an assisted rack and a normal rack?

cheers.

Wadders - 26/2/05 at 09:03 PM

You'll be drinking Pina Coladas before long

its just i have a few knocking about

Chris_R - 26/2/05 at 09:53 PM

Thought that if it doesn't do what it's supposed to do you'd fail an MOT, SVA may be the same. You might be onto a winner if it's not gonna reach the road or race league though.

MikeRJ - 26/2/05 at 11:46 PM

I'm sure this was disccused very recently, and the concencus was that it's wasn't a great idea for various reasons.

JoelP - 26/2/05 at 11:58 PM

i must've missed the thread surely impossible!

any chance of a link to it?

monkey69 - 27/2/05 at 12:18 AM

On the subject of powered steering, how about this type of set up:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=43120&item=7955999350&rd=1

I presume you fit the quickest rack possible, and have this type of electrically powered column driving it. No fluids required, so can go in with pretty much any engine?

Could this work on a seven? It may get in the way of pedals.

MikeRJ - 27/2/05 at 10:30 AM

quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
i must've missed the thread surely impossible!

any chance of a link to it?


http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=20786
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=21171
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=21861

MikeRJ - 27/2/05 at 10:36 AM

quote:
Originally posted by monkey69
On the subject of powered steering, how about this type of set up:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=43120&item=7955999350&rd=1

I presume you fit the quickest rack possible, and have this type of electrically powered column driving it. No fluids required, so can go in with pretty much any engine?

Could this work on a seven? It may get in the way of pedals.


An "expert" on the PistonHeads kitcar forum insisted that it would be totaly unsuitable because of the torque they exert on the column mountings, and that manufacturers had problems with dashboard deforming etc.

My view is that it's perfectly feasable providing you understand the kind of forces you are dealing with. On a locost we have a substantial tubular frame that can be adapted to take those forces, not a thin pressed steel panel.

Whether power steering on a locost is a good plan is another matter. Ditching e.g. a Pinto for something lighter and more modern would go a long way to lighter steering without the potential downsides of reduced feel/feedback from PS.

JoelP - 27/2/05 at 11:02 AM

bloody hell how did i miss all those links! my internet was off over christmas.

ah well, that throws up some spanners...

locost_bryan - 28/2/05 at 08:32 PM

iirc the pinion on a powered rack is in two pieces, with a torque sensing thing connecting them, and the torque sensing thing controls the fluid transfer and pressure.

The fluid needs to be retained in the rack for lubrication, but the plumbing can be replaced with a bypass pipe.

The original pinion could be replaced with a solid pinion (perhaps from a manual rack, if one exists), or the two parts welded together - I presume this would require an engineer to certify for SVA.

Keith has done this, and promised to put a how-to on his site - hasn't appeared yet

NS Dev - 1/3/05 at 08:21 AM

I think you have seen the spanners in the works that I mentioned on this one before, but I have tried exactly what you want to do, previously on a rally car. The rack will shorten etc just the same as th manual one, but the pinion shaft has a torque sensing element in it which twists a bit to operate the fluid valve. I would be a bit hesitant to use the power rack with that extra flex making the steering more vague, when a quickrack kit is only £45 or so.