Date:         Mon, 11 Oct 2004 11:36:54 -0500
Reply-To:     Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
Subject:      Re: Power steering rack to standard rack Bentley Chapter and Verse
Comments: To: Max Wellhouse <maxjoyce@IPA.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <6.0.0.22.2.20041011112003.045107a0@pop.ipa.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

Bentley Chapter 48 Verse 6 says that the changes from Manual to Power
steering include:

The steering knuckles are different
The coupling disc (between steering gear pinion and transfer gear
connecting shaft) has been replaced by universal joint.

On my westy with no PS, changing from the big fat michelins to the
skinny light truck tires took out about half the effort, offering about
half the contact area. You might consider that, too. It drives MUCH
better now.

Jim

On Oct 11, 2004, at 11:23 AM, Max Wellhouse wrote:

> I think Ken Wilfy has done this swap to manual and there is an issue
> with
> the couple to the steering wheel shaft if I remember correctly.  I will
> eventually do this swap on my van as I've been going for 3 years with
> no
> pump and eventually that lack of PS fluid is going to lock something
> up in
> there.  I don't  mind the extra"exercise".
>
> Max
>
> t 11:03 AM 10/11/2004, Christopher Brooks wrote:
>> l definitely agree with Dennis. My power steering rack started going
>> bad
>> about this time last year, dropping the reservoir level from max to
>> min in a
>> couple days.. Then by Feb... it needed to be filled every day. I
>> rolled
>> the dice
>> and bought a used rack from a guy who was parting a van out for $90
>> and I have
>> put on about 3400 miles since then with no problems.
>>
>> I have never seen a standard rack installed on a Power steering van,
>> but I
>> would imagine that it would take quite a bit of elbow grease to turn
>> the
>> steering wheel.
>>
>> Only took about 30 minutes to change out the rack, and that was with
>> clean
>> up, too.
>>
>> Chris
>>
>> In a message dated 10/11/2004 11:56:52 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
>> dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET writes:
>> If you disconnect the lines at the rack to allow all the fluid to
>> drain out,
>> there is little difference. The non PS vans use a larger steering
>> wheel and
>> different spindles to reduce the effort. Replace the rack and you
>> should
>> be good
>> for another 100K.
>>
>> Dennis
>