power steering conversion
Discussion
Looking back through the forum it looks like several of you have carried out / had carried out this conversion and it looks like the Cortina rack is the most common but Steves wedge book mentions post 85 wedges being fitted with a Supra rack. Does anyone have experience of this rack ie is it higher geared? better weighted? Any thoughts on this and any other experiences involved in the conversion would be much appreciated. Oh its a 1986 350 that I have.
quote:
Looking back through the forum it looks like several of you have carried out / had carried out this conversion and it looks like the Cortina rack is the most common but Steves wedge book mentions post 85 wedges being fitted with a Supra rack. Does anyone have experience of this rack ie is it higher geared? better weighted? Any thoughts on this and any other experiences involved in the conversion would be much appreciated. Oh its a 1986 350 that I have.
The Supra rack is actually a varient of the Rover Vitesse rack. Called the Supra rack because a company called Supra modified it.
Unless you have a chassis that has been modified to take the PAS rack, you have to cut and shut one of the down tubes to get room. Not recommended as this takes a lot of the stress on the front suspension mount. Some have done it but I really don't recommend it. This has been discussed before on this list.
Steve
all round !!! I am hopeing to get Wedge Automotive to carry out the conversion and guess that they have the experience to do it properly. Have you updated front suspension with Superflex yet ?
If not, try it. You might not need PAS after all !
It´s related so i have to ask: How do one UNDO the 3,7 turns steering ratio ? Who is responsible for that SERIOUS mistake.. ? Why ?
I´ve tracked down some other Cortina IV(Taunus GXL etc.) models but i´m not shure of the ratio. Anybody got a solution ? Would even accept non pas...
Certanly Steve must have replaced the rack or pinion on the 520 ? The 3,7 one is seriously lethal in the wet !
bengt
If not, try it. You might not need PAS after all !
It´s related so i have to ask: How do one UNDO the 3,7 turns steering ratio ? Who is responsible for that SERIOUS mistake.. ? Why ?
I´ve tracked down some other Cortina IV(Taunus GXL etc.) models but i´m not shure of the ratio. Anybody got a solution ? Would even accept non pas...
Certanly Steve must have replaced the rack or pinion on the 520 ? The 3,7 one is seriously lethal in the wet !
bengt
Nope I have the standard ratio but I do have PAS. Considered it but was quoted around £800 to get a PAS rack modded. In practice with the modified suspension, wheels and everything else, I raerly need to apply more than 3/4 turn and in reality a quick flick is all that I need to bring the cra under control.
Steve
Steve
is there any reason why a cortina mk IV or V power steering rack cannot be fitted, i assume that they are the same length as the manual rack and ford parts are usually interchangeable with each other ( are the mounting holes the same?), the track rod ends would have to be changed and also the part where the steering coloumn fits is slightly higher, are these the only differences?
Yes. The chassis gets in the way because the PAS rack has a bigger dubris where the steering column joins it. This hits the chassis and means you can't get it past it and the steering column won't join up unless you cut and shut the chassis.
The chassis history states that the PAS cars had different chassis and unless your car has this, it is really a non-starter.
Steve
The chassis history states that the PAS cars had different chassis and unless your car has this, it is really a non-starter.
Steve
When I had the Tasmin and the 390 side by side, I never got round to comparing the 2, cos I always thought the Tas would have benefitted from PAS as the column was very poorly braced.
Looking at the 390, the rack (a Ford/ Camgears item) is bolted to two triangular plates that are welded to the front of the crossmember. The crossmember has a small 'dent' in it to allow room for the pinion shaft housing as Steve says, but it wouldn't be too difficult to recreate that. I can't remember if the Tas had such a dent as well. I can't see any other obvious mods to the chassis. The centre section of the column looks to be the same as my old Tasmin, and the upper column is similar to that shown in the Haynes manual for the SD1, but the lights switch is on the other side for some reason.
The PAS pump is a Hoburn Eaton unit; I presume it's the Rover SD1 type but as I have a Montego unit that looks identical apart from the length of the filler neck, I'd say it was probebly a generic BL type.
The rack has the casting number 34 001 103 near the left-hand gaiter, if that helps you pick one out of a scrappy!
Ian
Looking at the 390, the rack (a Ford/ Camgears item) is bolted to two triangular plates that are welded to the front of the crossmember. The crossmember has a small 'dent' in it to allow room for the pinion shaft housing as Steve says, but it wouldn't be too difficult to recreate that. I can't remember if the Tas had such a dent as well. I can't see any other obvious mods to the chassis. The centre section of the column looks to be the same as my old Tasmin, and the upper column is similar to that shown in the Haynes manual for the SD1, but the lights switch is on the other side for some reason.
The PAS pump is a Hoburn Eaton unit; I presume it's the Rover SD1 type but as I have a Montego unit that looks identical apart from the length of the filler neck, I'd say it was probebly a generic BL type.
The rack has the casting number 34 001 103 near the left-hand gaiter, if that helps you pick one out of a scrappy!
Ian
The cross member is pretty important as it provides additional bracing for the suspension upright. Screw with this and the main front suspension upright may start to crack at the bottom as it flexes. I've had to seriously strengthen this with the 520 because of this weakness.
If the need to have PAS is overwhelming then cut and shut the tube but then think of the impact this might have trying to sell the car, the insurance aspect and what might happen in a frontal impact.
To me it is in the same league as cutting the gearbox cross member out to drop the gearbox.
The rack fitting also changed as they swapped racks with versions of the Rover SD1 rack being used. These do not have the triangular mounts and have a flate mounting plate. Again the chassis details give different chassis for different racks. ..
You will also need to change the steering column U/Js and drive shafts to compensate for the length.
Up to you but think long and hard.
Steve
>> Edited by shpub on Monday 29th July 07:29
If the need to have PAS is overwhelming then cut and shut the tube but then think of the impact this might have trying to sell the car, the insurance aspect and what might happen in a frontal impact.
To me it is in the same league as cutting the gearbox cross member out to drop the gearbox.
The rack fitting also changed as they swapped racks with versions of the Rover SD1 rack being used. These do not have the triangular mounts and have a flate mounting plate. Again the chassis details give different chassis for different racks. ..
You will also need to change the steering column U/Js and drive shafts to compensate for the length.
Up to you but think long and hard.
Steve
>> Edited by shpub on Monday 29th July 07:29
Thanks for all the replies and information. There is certainly more to doing a PAS conversion than meets the eye. Time to reflect before making a decision but looking at the specs in Haynes the SDI rack is stated as 2.7 turns lock to lock which would be a better bet than the Cortina 3.7 rack.
Before you rush and go for PAS make sure all the rest of the set up is in good order. As soon as new ball joints went on my car it was like night and day -- really the steering is light and quick enough now (apart from parking in tight spots, which I avoid). Like on Steve's car Tower View have re-inforced the front end on my car to good -- this chassis is at the limit in any V8 wedge and I don't think it's a great idea to distort it.
quote:
Thanks for all the replies and information. There is certainly more to doing a PAS conversion than meets the eye. Time to reflect before making a decision but looking at the specs in Haynes the SDI rack is stated as 2.7 turns lock to lock which would be a better bet than the Cortina 3.7 rack.
Yes but the racks were modified, TVR used several different SD1 racks with different ratios and if your car has the manual Cortina rack, the fittings are not compatitable with the SD1 rack. They are not even similar! If you want a manual Quick Rack this can be done. TAS do them for £1-200.
The only way you can do it was a Cortina rack and a touch of cut and shut.
Steve
Just read this posting. I have fitted a fast cortina MK IV rack to the 200, it has a ratio if 2.5 : 1.
Now it reacts like the Chimeara, but a bit easier to park. I don't know the difference in front wheel weights between the 200, 280 and 350.
I got mine from Peter Lollyd rally spare, but i think demo tweeks, quafie and a few others can supply rack.
Now it reacts like the Chimeara, but a bit easier to park. I don't know the difference in front wheel weights between the 200, 280 and 350.
I got mine from Peter Lollyd rally spare, but i think demo tweeks, quafie and a few others can supply rack.
It is manual, cost about £100. I looked at some of the electric pas conversions ala vauxhall and renault, but thier where in the £500 bracket. This was cheaper an only a bit of a problem when parking, just drive in and out straight. The tas is slightly easier to park than a manual chimeara, even with 205's on the front, but does it turn quick.
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