manual steering

[CplCueball]

dont know if this should go in ss or here, in a effort to give my focus a soul(like my alfa romeo). i am currently interested in installing a manual steering rack. for better feel, quicker turns. i have driven older cars with worm and sector steering or a manual rack and i love em. if anyone knows of a manufacturer or has experience i would appreciate it.

[Sponsor]

[SkaAddict]

I don't believe anyone makes a manual steering rack for the Focus, you'd probably have to find a car that has a similar sized rack that you could adapt into your Focus.

[GaryS]

You could de-power your present rack by cutting the lines from the PS pump and looping them on the rack. If you then remove the power steering pump you will have to either come up with an idler pulley in the same position or a different serpentine belt. This is all conjecture as I haven't done it or even looked at mine to see what is involved but this is a common practice for Spec Miata race cars.

Which brings up an interesting question: Do Spec Focus race cars use the power steering?

[Trav-E2.0]

All Foci came with power steering, so I doubt you would have to have it in a Spec Focus race car.

I want to do that to mine too, but it would be too much work and if you eff up the process, it can be a costly fix. BUT good luck on find ing a way .

[LCR]

I have done it on my Focus WC car. You remove the lines and pump then make sure you remove the check valve where the hose goes to the rack. You will then need to pack the rack with grease and seal the hose inlets. The steering effort will be determined by the size of the front tires and the amount of positive caster you have.

Leo

[SkaAddict]

^
How does that effect the rack's lifespan? Obviously that isn't going to be a concern on a trailered track car, but most people on here use their Focus as a daily driver.

[honhon]

i am also intrigued by this Leo... thats very interesting....

[LCR]

Originally Posted by SkaAddict

^
How does that effect the rack's lifespan? Obviously that isn't going to be a concern on a trailered track car, but most people on here use their Focus as a daily driver.

Sorry, That is something I have not tested. I have never wanted to make my street car a manual steering car.

[honhon]

i guess it might just be worth it to just get a new pulley for the PS pump, just to be safe for the rack

[killer ZETEC]

leo thank you so much, this will be my next pet project, lol. i have always wanted no power steering in my cars since my first one, (no power steering and no abs either, i learned the hard way, lol) we may need to develop a walk through on this since i really want to feel what my focus is really doing with the front tires. i could be a test mule of sorts

as for the pump couldn't it be gutted to be jsut an idler pulley? it seems easier tha making a bracket. though one could be fabbed up in a jiffy using the stock pulley and some 1/4 inch plate steel and a big bolt with bearings on it. my guess is you'd free up as much power as the ac system uses while on, which is a plus.