Bad news for the people that want to use the spare tire It have a front batery tray from WCF and it clears the rack and lines but the lines are in the way of the spare tire tub. I had to cut a big hole in the tub to clear the hydro lines on the steering rack spool. I will just make a cover/vent to cover the hole so the battery will have a better venting system. But I have WCF 12 inch C4 brakes and 17 inch wheels so I cant use the spare anyway.
These are pictures of the hoses and the hole. The spool is cast iron and can be turned so the lines won't be in the way but you have to make two new lines on the rack to do it. So, I just cut a hole.
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03:59 PM
Sep 25th, 2004
Rickady88GT Member
Posts: 10648 From: Central CA Registered: Dec 2002
I drove the car today It feels great. The steering effort is very close to the stock 88GT but you can turn the wheel at a dead stop with one hand. At speed it is very much the same as stock, but the ratio is faster so you dont need to turn the wheel as far to make lane changes and such. This was the reason I chose the "F" body rack and it works great
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04:08 PM
cptsnoopy Member
Posts: 2585 From: phoenix, AZ, USA Registered: Jul 2003
It was not as hard as it may seem. But on a scale of 1 to 10 it is about a 7 or 8. The any shade tree mechanic can do it, but the hard part is planing and detail. I blew the high pressure line (over 1000 psi) and spewed power steering fluid ALL OVER and busted another welded line in the same line. This was the down side of it. Other than that it went smooth. I formed high pressure steel hydrolic lines for the high and low pressure lines and had the "F" body metal line ends brazed to the new lines. Then had a high pressure hydralic Fuerl crimped to the high pressure rubber line that will be the quick disconect.
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03:19 AM
AusFiero Member
Posts: 11513 From: Dapto NSW Australia Registered: Feb 2001
Yes I did, thanks Aus.no plans for a kit yet. I want to do a few more first to work out the little bugs that came up along the way. That way I can offer something that is as easy to bolt in as posable. But it would be very general, because of all the different types of engines and pumps. And if I could find a way to put the hose nuts and flare the hose ends on the hydralic lines for the rack it would be MUCH easier.
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11:32 AM
Mickey_Moose Member
Posts: 7497 From: Edmonton, AB, Canada Registered: May 2001
Yes I did, thanks Aus.no plans for a kit yet. I want to do a few more first to work out the little bugs that came up along the way. That way I can offer something that is as easy to bolt in as posable. But it would be very general, because of all the different types of engines and pumps. And if I could find a way to put the hose nuts and flare the hose ends on the hydralic lines for the rack it would be MUCH easier.
I'll have my 355 back in a few months... That'll be a good one for you to practice on...
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11:41 AM
Rickady88GT Member
Posts: 10648 From: Central CA Registered: Dec 2002
Sure. The rack is out of an "F" body car. Mine is a 2000 Camaro SS with the ws6 suspention. I got it off of Ebay for $50 and looks like new. I have seen several of them go for that price. You can also get them out of the Firebird's. But dont get the V6 versions because they dont have the fast ratio. The pump is the factory 2000 Olds Intrigue pump that came the engine that I swaped in. I took it off at one time after I did the engine swap but put it back on just for the power steering.
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11:48 AM
PFF
System Bot
Nashco Member
Posts: 4144 From: Portland, OR Registered: Dec 2000
Great news, I'm glad to hear that you've got it finished up and debugged. I'd really like to do power steering in the future the same reasoning as you.
quote
Originally posted by Rickady88GT:
I wont say were the new rack comes from until I get one in my hands and see how well it will work. I have one, but it is the wrong version. That is how I know the specs.
Any update on this? I'm curious what you have planned. I'm by no means afraid of trying something new; even if you don't do it, I'd be interested to hear what rack it is and why it may be more appropriate for a swap.
Bryce 88 GT
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12:44 PM
Rickady88GT Member
Posts: 10648 From: Central CA Registered: Dec 2002
I had hoped that GM made a right hand drive rack for the "W" body platform. The rack in my Olds Intrigue is even faster ratio than the "F" body but has more travle. The F body is 2.25 turns lock to lock and the w body is 2.5. But the F body has less travle than the Fiero and the W body is very close to the same. So if I could find a right hand drive W body power rack, I would mount it upside down and in front of the wheels like a front steer rack. The W body rack is a rear steer rack and that is why the W body lefty wont work as is. If the W body rack is a right hand drive and can be fliped over to mount in the Fiero it would have the full turning radious of the Fiero without the modified steering arms.
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01:15 PM
Rickady88GT Member
Posts: 10648 From: Central CA Registered: Dec 2002
Songman you a wellcome to come over and drive it to see first hand how it feels The one thing that realy stands out for me is backing it up. I like to twist all the way around in my seat to look behind me as I back up. This was hard to do in the stock Fiero because I only have one hand to steer with as the other hand is on the pass seat. The car only needs one hand to drive now, and dont even feel like a Fiero any more when I back it up BTW if I could post a vidio of this I would shoot a short film showing the steering effort with one hand. It is not like a Caddy, it takes more effort than my Olds Intrigue to turn so for those that say they dont want to lose any "feeling of the road" this system is great. It has a stock Fiero feel at speeds over 5mph but is quicker than stock. I like it like that for the twisty roads.
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01:26 PM
Dec 29th, 2004
Rickady88GT Member
Posts: 10648 From: Central CA Registered: Dec 2002
but the lines are in the way of the spare tire tub. I had to cut a big hole in the tub to clear the hydro lines on the steering rack spool. I will just make a cover/vent to cover the hole so the battery will have a better venting system. But I have WCF 12 inch C4 brakes and 17 inch wheels so I cant use the spare anyway.
