manualize the rack

[glowryder]

So im trying to "manualize" the rack in my 2gnt. Ive seen some have done this so im trying it as well.

I have the rack apart, and i belive i need to eliminate the metal seal that divides the chamber. My question is, ive seen some posts that we need to weld torsion bars? my intail thought was. torsion bars wtf.. we ont have those.. but i just wanna make sure that im not misundertanding what needs to be done, and making sure nothing needs welding before i proceed.

As far as ive read, once you remove the seal on the rack (that makes the chambers) then replace all the seals, then pack with grease and re assembly.

Anyone have any tips/tricks?

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[greengoblin]

There is nothing to weld.

 

[glowryder]

I figured paul was blowing smoke.. Thanx..

Any ideas on what grease to use? like a general high temp grease?

 

[dsmornothing]

When I did this to my rack I used Amsoil Synthetic grease. I also put grease fittings where the lines used to run into the rack and 1 up by the pinion so it could be greased down the road.

 

[silentscreamer]

I actually just did this 2 days ago,

its that simple just pull it all apart as you done then cut the piston out with a grinder, i had good luck with making cuts almost the whole way into the piston (on both sides) then taping rags near the piston and hitting the cut with a cold chisel.

i packed every area i could with greese and welded the fittings for the lines shut. i havnt put the rack on the car yet but just by hand its way easier to move.

the only advice i have is for the big nut that holds the spring and the curved bushing follow the FSM on how to torque this, too tight and it will cause uneeded resistance on the rack sliding. too loose and the steering pinion could slip off the teeth on the rack.

its not hard to do. (i am asuming you are following the flyingmiata link Flyin' Miata : Tech: 1.8 conversion)

good luck

 

[glowryder]

Yes sir i am. Ill look that TQ spec up too. Thanks for the heads up

 

[silentscreamer]

also glowryder, the only way i could properly torque the big hex nut was to use a big nut from home depot (as housegsx said in his right up) but weld a bolt to the center of it, this allows a smaller socket to be used and a torque wrench.

 

[glowryder]

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so tq spec says 44 ft lbs, but doesnt say how to tq it really, so i tq's to 44, and i think its way to tight, as i cant move it by hand and while installed its harder to turn then it was with looped lines.. Any advice on how they want it to be tq'd?

 

[silentscreamer]

44 ft/lbs is way too high. my fsm for my 96 says 11 ft/lbs which seams way too tigh when i compared both racks when i took it out last night acutally. i retorqued the big hex to 5 ft/lbs and i can move it with one hand (in the car steering is really light since the powertrain and rad support is all out of the car atm).

to torque the big hex key weld a nut on the end of a bolt that fits snug then use a beam style torque wrench to get to 5 ft/lbs. its not much but its way smoother than 11.

the fsm's way to torque the big hex to 11 ft/lbs then back it off 30 to 60 degrees then move the rack so that the input shaft spins 4 times then retorque to 11. this did not seem loose enough compared to my full power rack i had next to it so i just halved the torque and seems alright i cant move the actual rack shaft at all side to side (kind of like turbo side to side shaftplay) so it seems under enough tension to not have to worry.

hope this helps

 

[habitatguy187]

Bringin it back but I did this earlier today and when I took it off the big hex bolt was torqued way tighter than 11lbs. For re-install I just torqued it by hand to probably 40ish or so ft/lbs if I had to guess. Haven't re-installed and won't drive it until early this spring so I hope it's all good .

 

[greddy_1700]

I really hope that people realize that the torque spec is 5-11 for the nut, and the 40+ft-lb torque is for the locking ring that keeps the large nut from moving after its been torqued properly.

 

[dsmornothing]

For the people saying there is nothing to weld. Yes there is. Have fun when the torsion bar breaks

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[habitatguy187]

Got another pic of that? ......damn !

 

[bjones18]

For the people saying there is nothing to weld. Yes there is. Have fun when the torsion bar breaks

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Not only breakage, the torsion bar is an un needed upstream compliance without the hydraulic circuit.

The torsion bar is designed to give force feed back when the valve is active.

On-center (and steering-torque-reversals) sponginess feel may be a result from not welding.

 

[DSM's 4 life]

Is there a vfaq for 1990 steering racks?

 

[habitatguy187]

For real dsmornothing, can you get a zoomed out pic of that?

I did this on my 1g about 3 weeks ago and iirc it was all one piece.