Go Back   986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners > Porsche Boxster & Cayman Forums > Boxster Racing Forum

Post Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 02-06-2017, 06:57 AM   #1
Registered User
 
truegearhead's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Richmond, VA (The Fan)
Posts: 978
Anyone running manual steering?

In the continual quest for weight reduction I'm thinking of pulling the power steering from my track car (I know there's an electric conversion). I've read a few threads but haven't found someone that has actually done it. I've owned non powering steering e30s and know manual steering is a rough life. Is anyone running manual steering? Bonus question, how much weight are we talking about?

__________________
1997 Boxster 4.2L Audi V8 Bi-Turbo
2003 911 C2
NASA HPDE Instructor
truegearhead is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-06-2017, 07:40 AM   #2
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: It's a kind of magic.....
Posts: 6,261
More so than the weight savings, the rack is ratio-ed to be power assisted, take away that assist and the effort required is going to jump up to arm wrestling levels. I'd suggest first try driving the car with the pump disabled before pulling it out.
__________________
Anything really new is invented only in one’s youth. Later, one becomes more experienced, more famous – and more stupid.” - Albert Einstein
JFP in PA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-06-2017, 08:20 AM   #3
Registered User
 
The Radium King's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 3,121
driving with the pump disabled is not a real simulation of manual steering. with a disabled pump you have to push the fluid through the pump - not so with a manual rack. i have a professionally depowered rack but haven't had the chance to install it yet. i have spoken w folks with 996's who are running manual steering (LS conversions) and say it is not an issue (slightly different weight distribution, however). probably not a lot of weight loss (10 lbs?) but also note less parasitic drag on the engine. with a track car however, note that you'll most likely have wider front tires that will increase steering effort, as well as the possibility of your steering biting back in an off.
The Radium King is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-06-2017, 09:45 AM   #4
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 99
In terms of electric conversions I suggest the MR2 unit or the VAUXHALL ASTRA unit. They should be very easy to implement since Frunk space isn't as limited as front engine cars. Self sensing contained unit. Perfect for racing use.
__________________
2001 Boxster S (SOLD)
1991 Nissan Silvia "K"(Forgotten somewhere in Canada)
1989 240sx (Track car)
1987 325IS (Soon to be Spec E30 racecar)
2001 GSXR-600 (Almost warm outside!)
WorkInProgressK is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-06-2017, 11:08 AM   #5
Registered User
 
Lemming's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: B'ham, AL
Posts: 265
I preferred the manual rack in my 944 race cars, even with 275 slicks up front. I would consider the swap in my boxster if it was legal for SPB.
__________________
Tim
1998 986 (daily driver Frankencar)
1999 986 (SPB)
2001 986 S (parting)
2015 981 (sold)
Lemming is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-06-2017, 11:33 AM   #6
Registered User
 
The Radium King's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 3,121
the other concern is serpentine belt. with both ac and ps gone, you need a dummy pulley up in that corner to keep things turning. gsr made one but are out of business. porsche made one for thte cayman r but that was a dfi engine. i found a cheap one and am about to check to see if it fits.
The Radium King is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-07-2017, 03:38 AM   #7
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: SE Ma
Posts: 261
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Radium King View Post
the other concern is serpentine belt. with both ac and ps gone, you need a dummy pulley up in that corner to keep things turning. gsr made one but are out of business. porsche made one for thte cayman r but that was a dfi engine. i found a cheap one and am about to check to see if it fits.
Please give us an update on the pulley solution and/ or share the product and source. I am looking for a solution to this problem now.
Deadeye is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-07-2017, 07:45 AM   #8
Registered User
 
The Radium King's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 3,121
ok. i will confirm and provide pics tonight or tomorrow.
The Radium King is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-07-2017, 01:13 PM   #9
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: uk, notts
Posts: 141
Idler pulley solution is to gut the insides of the pump....remove impeller etc. So basically left with a bearing and a pulley...mounted in the original pump casing.
A guy in Germany had built a lw 996 c2 and took his rack to bits for manual steering. Says it is not much heavier at all but tonnes more feel.
jimk04 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-07-2017, 08:50 PM   #10
Registered User
 
The Radium King's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 3,121
ok. fml for taking a risk. i lost. here is the gsr item:



1/2" plate w 3" pulley, designed to mount to the same flange that the ps pump mounts to. gsr gone, but perhaps contact hergesheimer motorsports as i *think* they had some affiliation with gsr?

here is the 987.2 item:



the dfi engines have a different belt routing and need an idler pulley if you delete the ac. this is the oem porsche part for the cayman r. i cross-referenced part numbers and the ac compressor is the same part number for the m96/m97 and dfi engines so i thought it would work on my car. wrong. must've been screwed by the part # cross-references. so, anybody want a 987.2 ac delete pulley?
The Radium King is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-08-2017, 01:53 AM   #11
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: SE Ma
Posts: 261
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimk04 View Post
Idler pulley solution is to gut the insides of the pump....remove impeller etc. So basically left with a bearing and a pulley...mounted in the original pump casing.
A guy in Germany had built a lw 996 c2 and took his rack to bits for manual steering. Says it is not much heavier at all but tonnes more feel.
I guess I will try this solution. There is a ps pump kicking around somewhere in my shop.
Deadeye is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-08-2017, 05:54 AM   #12
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: uk, notts
Posts: 141
GSr part looks easy enough to replicate. There are a ton of pulleys with bearings in them in various cars. A trip to a wreckers may prove fruitful.
jimk04 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2017, 03:11 PM   #13
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: uk, notts
Posts: 141
UK eBay but I just searched for idler pulley.

Look at this on eBay Auxiliary Belt Idler Pulley T38099 Deflection Gates 059903341A 059903341E New | eBay
jimk04 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2017, 04:40 PM   #14
Registered User
 
The Radium King's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 3,121
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimk04 View Post
UK eBay but I just searched for idler pulley.

Look at this on eBay Auxiliary Belt Idler Pulley T38099 Deflection Gates 059903341A 059903341E New | eBay
that looks to be it. lemme know and i can provide additional dimensions for the gsr mounting plate and fasteners.
The Radium King is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2017, 10:53 PM   #15
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: uk, notts
Posts: 141
The above one is 70mm.

Here is an 80mm

Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331971191062

Lists some Cadillac applications so should be available Stateside
jimk04 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2017, 10:55 PM   #16
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: uk, notts
Posts: 141
Can you provide an alignment dimension...to get this idler offset correctly to line up with the belt?
jimk04 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2017, 11:45 PM   #17
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: uk, notts
Posts: 141
Wow nearly job done with this one
..pity not a 6pk.
Look at this on eBay RENAULT CLIO MEGANE KANGOO Fan Belt Tensioner Pulley - V - Ribbed Belt Idler | eBay
jimk04 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2017, 02:55 AM   #18
Registered User
 
WillH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: QC
Posts: 412
Just curious if a real manual rack from a 993 or 964 might fit as opposed to de-powering a boxster/(I assume 996) rack. Does the Gt2/gt3 still have a power rack?
WillH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2017, 08:12 AM   #19
Registered User
 
The Radium King's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 3,121
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimk04 View Post
Can you provide an alignment dimension...to get this idler offset correctly to line up with the belt?
i'll get better dimensions in a bit. really, the gap between the pulley and 1/2" plate is quite small (a few mm). this is why the fastener length is important, otherwise you'll run into interference between the fasteners and the pulley. i think that the final alignment is just attained by how far in you thread in the pulley.
The Radium King is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2017, 10:33 AM   #20
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: uk, notts
Posts: 141
Fair comment on final thread alignment...you'd have to rely on thread lock if the stud isn't bottomed out.

jimk04 is offline   Reply With Quote
Post Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -8. The time now is 04:08 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page