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Old 04-17-2014, 05:49 AM
BattleBeater BattleBeater is offline
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Default De-powered Steering Rack

Hey guys,

My 98 Ranger's rack is leaking and my pump is crying for death, so I'm toying with the idea of ditching the power steering entirely; the truck is a low-budget rallycross beater and I'll willingly give up a little civility to keep it cheap, plus it'll free up some power and lighten it.

As I understand it there isn't a manual rack available for this truck, so if I want to get rid of the power steering stuff it seems like my only choice is to depower the existing rack. Has anyone done this?
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1998 Single Cab RWD Rallycross Beater
2.5L Lima, 4r44e w/shift kit and Focus-based floor shifter, Explorer LSD 8.8 w/ 4.56 gears, SUA w/ Explorer springs, Belltech shackles, 4 wheel disk brakes, Bilstein HD shocks, Energy Suspension plastic bits, 2 Hella 500s, 2 Hella 550s, Misc Autogage extra gauges, unknown 80's racing bucket seat, Racequip 5-point harness, bed-mounted roll bar.
Check out our rally team for Ranger rallycross antics: https://www.facebook.com/punkwerks

Last edited by BattleBeater; 04-17-2014 at 07:17 AM.
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  #2  
Old 04-17-2014, 09:05 PM
02RangerFX4 02RangerFX4 is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BattleBeater View Post
Hey guys, My 98 Ranger's rack is leaking and my pump is crying for death, so I'm toying with the idea of ditching the power steering entirely; the truck is a low-budget rallycross beater and I'll willingly give up a little civility to keep it cheap, plus it'll free up some power and lighten it. As I understand it there isn't a manual rack available for this truck, so if I want to get rid of the power steering stuff it seems like my only choice is to depower the existing rack. Has anyone done this?

No power steering is going to be absolute hell. I've has to steer a few cars into garage bays with people pushing on the back. We had to move the car back and fourth a few times just to align it because the wheel would move at most half a turn. Have somebody push your truck and you steer while it's off. It sucks.
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2002 ford ranger FX4 Off Road | 4.0l v6 | Flowmaster 40 S/I D/O | JBA Headers | Rebello Racing cams | port and polished heads | K&n Drop-in filter | TwinStick | 31 Spline 4.10 Torsen rear diff | Alcoa rims | Sitting on 31's|
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  #3  
Old 04-18-2014, 04:52 AM
djfllmn djfllmn is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 02RangerFX4 View Post
No power steering is going to be absolute hell. I've has to steer a few cars into garage bays with people pushing on the back. We had to move the car back and fourth a few times just to align it because the wheel would move at most half a turn. Have somebody push your truck and you steer while it's off. It sucks.
it's not that bad. It's harder to steer a car that had its p/s fail than it is to drive a car with no p/s. My DD has no power steering and it's fine
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  #4  
Old 04-19-2014, 09:43 PM
02RangerFX4 02RangerFX4 is offline
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Originally Posted by djfllmn View Post
it's not that bad. It's harder to steer a car that had its p/s fail than it is to drive a car with no p/s. My DD has no power steering and it's fine
The thunderbird? If you have a steering rack made for no power steering, then he could do it.
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2002 ford ranger FX4 Off Road | 4.0l v6 | Flowmaster 40 S/I D/O | JBA Headers | Rebello Racing cams | port and polished heads | K&n Drop-in filter | TwinStick | 31 Spline 4.10 Torsen rear diff | Alcoa rims | Sitting on 31's|
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  #5  
Old 04-20-2014, 04:49 AM
djfllmn djfllmn is offline
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Originally Posted by 02RangerFX4 View Post
The thunderbird? If you have a steering rack made for no power steering, then he could do it.
no the Honda my Tbird has P/S
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  #6  
Old 04-21-2014, 12:54 AM
Fx4wannabe01 Fx4wannabe01 is offline
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Default Re: De-powered Steering Rack

You may be able to make a universal "street rod" aftermarket manual rack work. But for the cost, you're better off maintaining it and replacing the leaking 17 year old rack...

Especially if you "rallycross" it where you regularly whip it around. As for running the stock one empty and presumably plugged, I worry about the gears being lubed and kept cool. Manual racks are designed differently internally than power racks.
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  #7  
Old 04-21-2014, 07:17 AM
BattleBeater BattleBeater is offline
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Default Re: De-powered Steering Rack

I've decided to just replace the entire system; grabbed the slightly faster-rate Explorer rack, and a new pump and lines will be waiting for me when I get out of work. Thanks guys!
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1998 Single Cab RWD Rallycross Beater
2.5L Lima, 4r44e w/shift kit and Focus-based floor shifter, Explorer LSD 8.8 w/ 4.56 gears, SUA w/ Explorer springs, Belltech shackles, 4 wheel disk brakes, Bilstein HD shocks, Energy Suspension plastic bits, 2 Hella 500s, 2 Hella 550s, Misc Autogage extra gauges, unknown 80's racing bucket seat, Racequip 5-point harness, bed-mounted roll bar.
Check out our rally team for Ranger rallycross antics: https://www.facebook.com/punkwerks
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