Manual steering options?

SC_Shi

SC_Shi

1st Gear Poster
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Jan 1, 2025
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Ft. Lauderdale
Vehicle Details
93 Super Coupe
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Did some searching around and there’s a lot of talk about converting to a manual steering rack over on the other forums, but everything is almost 10 years old and no part numbers in sight.

Does anybody have any real information about what is needed for a manual steering conversion?
 
I never did it but I looked into it very extensively. Our steering racks footprint are actually shared with the Mustang II/Pinto, of which there are many manual rack options, but I also found there might be a slight variance in width to the mount points where you might need offset bushings turned sideways to mount it. Beyond that you want the inner tie rods for a 90s dodge caravan. The shaft input is the same 3/4 36 spline our cars use but you might need a u joint anyway as I’m not sure if there’s the flat spot for alignment in them.
 
I need to get back to work on the electric steering pump mod we started. I also disassembled an evo valve, about the time I had my stroke; I saw it in a bag when I was looking for heat sink compound. There has to be a way to use a spacer to get the 'most effort' setting. Anyone remember what it defaults to, unplugged at the valve?
 
Grog6 said:
I need to get back to work on the electric steering pump mod we started. I also disassembled an evo valve, about the time I had my stroke; I saw it in a bag when I was looking for heat sink compound. There has to be a way to use a spacer to get the 'most effort' setting. Anyone remember what it defaults to, unplugged at the valve?
Click to expand...

Unplugged = max assist.
 
That's what I thought; I remember unplugging it once to see, but not the result. I'll look at the valve again tomorrow. IIRC,it pulls a pin out of a hole, and connects it to a side passage. Makes sense, bleeding pressure to drain.

Edit: I went and found the evo I took apart; As of now, there's an assembled evo valve, and a bunch of parts. Evo valve rattles slightly when shaken. I don't see the pin I remember, but I do see the bid spring that was on it, and the parts holding the spring. And the valve has new viton orings on it.
I've forgotten everything about it; I guess those memories are what was draining into the bag when I woke up.

So, from guessing, and knowing how I work, I think it's ready to reinstall and test. And if it works, we have an easy mod for minimum assist.
It appears that disassembling the valve, yanking the spring and the spacer/holder at the top, and reassembling it might work. I know I put the pin/slider back in loose,pressure should move it up,and hold it there.The coil and top cap are in, spacing it and holding it together. IIRC, there's an oring on the top cap, which unscrews. The entire evo valve also screws into the pump.
I'll post pix tomorrow.
 
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Grog6 said:
That's what I thought; I remember unplugging it once to see, but not the result. I'll look at the valve again tomorrow. IIRC,it pulls a pin out of a hole, and connects it to a side passage. Makes sense, bleeding pressure to drain.

Edit: I went and found the evo I took apart; As of now, there's an assembled evo valve, and a bunch of parts. Evo valve rattles slightly when shaken. I don't see the pin I remember, but I do see the bid spring that was on it, and the parts holding the spring. And the valve has new viton orings on it.
I've forgotten everything about it; I guess those memories are what was draining into the bag when I woke up.

So, from guessing, and knowing how I work, I think it's ready to reinstall and test. And if it works, we have an easy mod for minimum assist.
It appears that disassembling the valve, yanking the spring and the spacer/holder at the top, and reassembling it might work. I know I put the pin/slider back in loose,pressure should move it up,and hold it there.The coil and top cap are in, spacing it and holding it together. IIRC, there's an oring on the top cap, which unscrews. The entire evo valve also screws into the pump.
I'll post pix tomorrow.
Click to expand...

So this disables EVO entirely correct? Just instead of defaulting to max assist it will now be minimum? Honestly I don’t find that desirable, EVO bleeds off ALOT of pressure at min assist to the point it’s probably not far off from a fully depowered power steering system with looped lines. Parking will be a chore, you’ll feel the torsion bar/spool valve hit its stops whenever you turn the wheel (which feels like slop) and it will be heavier steering than a manual rack which at least has a slower ratio for more leverage.

I’d actually suggest rather than modifying the valve modify the module so it starts reducing assist at lower speeds. Actually you could throw a speedometer calibrator in front of the EVO’s VSS input to accomplish just that; make the EVO think the car’s going 50mph when it’s actually going 30mph.
 
I'm good with minimum, but it could be set anywhere in between with spacers.
Doing it electronically shouldn't be complicated; the cheap pwm driver I got from Oscar will run it. It has a knob.
Seems like the towncar has the features you want; I looked into it last year. There's a control on the dash,iirc.

Found it:
ariable effort steering 1996 lincoln town car


can anyone tell me the correct terminology to describe my power assist system components and where they are located?

i know the big ticket items like the steering gear, hydraulic pump, and all the linkage parts.

what i am not familiar with are the components in the system that control the hydraulic pressure and where they are located.

there is a low-high steering adjustment switch on the dash and i understand what its purpose is but i do not know were the other components are in the system that specifically vary the hydraulic pressure to change the effort required to turn the steering wheel (as i understand it) according to vehicle speed and the speed at which the steering wheel is turning.

Thats from here:https://www.lincolnsonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84436

Their module is in the air ride module, from another post.

Seeing as it's possible, I'll see if I can build something.
 
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XR7-4.6 said:
I never did it but I looked into it very extensively. Our steering racks footprint are actually shared with the Mustang II/Pinto, of which there are many manual rack options, but I also found there might be a slight variance in width to the mount points where you might need offset bushings turned sideways to mount it. Beyond that you want the inner tie rods for a 90s dodge caravan. The shaft input is the same 3/4 36 spline our cars use but you might need a u joint anyway as I’m not sure if there’s the flat spot for alignment in them.
Click to expand...
I’ve seen also the 94 mustang rack is exact mounting points, but tie rods are too short, would it be possible to use the caravan inner tie rods on that rack? Or is the pitch different for the inner threads? Could bird outer tie rods could mount onto the dodge inner tie rods aswell?
 
I had a flaming river manual rack put into my cougar. It needed some bushing fabrication and tie rod ends. I paid to have it done.
 
SC_Shi said:
I’ve seen also the 94 mustang rack is exact mounting points, but tie rods are too short, would it be possible to use the caravan inner tie rods on that rack? Or is the pitch different for the inner threads? Could bird outer tie rods could mount onto the dodge inner tie rods aswell?
Click to expand...

I can’t speak to the aftermarket but the actual factory SN95 rack uses the exact same inner tie rods as MN12s, just the outers are different.

With the manual pinto racks the toe rod ends need to be male thread, our stock racks are the opposite.
 
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Grog6 said:
I'm good with minimum, but it could be set anywhere in between with spacers.
Doing it electronically shouldn't be complicated; the cheap pwm driver I got from Oscar will run it. It has a knob.
Seems like the towncar has the features you want; I looked into it last year. There's a control on the dash,iirc.

Found it:
ariable effort steering 1996 lincoln town car


can anyone tell me the correct terminology to describe my power assist system components and where they are located?

i know the big ticket items like the steering gear, hydraulic pump, and all the linkage parts.

what i am not familiar with are the components in the system that control the hydraulic pressure and where they are located.

there is a low-high steering adjustment switch on the dash and i understand what its purpose is but i do not know were the other components are in the system that specifically vary the hydraulic pressure to change the effort required to turn the steering wheel (as i understand it) according to vehicle speed and the speed at which the steering wheel is turning.

Thats from here:https://www.lincolnsonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84436

Their module is in the air ride module, from another post.

Seeing as it's possible, I'll see if I can build something.
Click to expand...

*I* don’t want anything :tongue: Literally, I actually deleted EVO entirely as I found it too aggressive with the 255s, high caster and SPR-ZM rack I’m using, plus I’m trying to rid my car of as much electronics as possible. I was just curious as to your plans.
 
I drove a 63 tbird for several years with no power steering. I'm going to use the evo I made. If I hate it, I'll try something else. I'm also trying to get more info from the company that makes the dogbones for the rack rebuilder companies.
 
1997ThunderbirdLXV6 said:
A slower ratio would be a complete deal breaker for me. I like that I can drive fast curves without repositioning my hands on the wheel.
Click to expand...

Thats why I ultimately got the Cobra rack. Manual racks are lighter, cleaner, maintenance free(yet easier to work on) and have incredible feel/feedback without the torsion bar/spool valve slop but it’s too racecar for what my car is.
 
Fred Smailes said:
Have you looked into electrical power assist?
Click to expand...

Electric pumps have been done, I started experimenting with a Volvo one that I ultimately cast off to @Grog6 who it sounds like also gave up lol

Electric racks would be the shit but the motor is extremely bulky and there’s no drop in ones that fit our mounting points, so it would be a big fabrication project. Electric columns with a manual rack might be feasible though, but they notoriously kill feedback
 
Yes it is a fairly involved fabrication. Put one under the dash of the Comet out of a ScionScreenshot_20250324-130018~2.png
 
Fred Smailes said:
Yes it is a fairly involved fabrication. Put one under the dash of the Comet out of a Scion
Click to expand...

Was the Comet originally a manual steering or hydraulic?

I guess if it was originally hydraulic, I'd be a bit concerned about putting all this electric torque on a linkage which really isn't used to applying such force. I mean with hydraulic steering, the linkage really doesn't do any hard work, since the pressure is applied directly at the rack.

Am I overthinking it...?
 
You may have to soften your caster settings if you go manual. My car factory my manual steering 2° caster, tough to maneuver parking etc. I modded the the suspension to get 7+° but needed power assist to drive it. And, the assist is adjustable.
 
Exactly, it’s no different of a stress on the linkage as one muscling trough a parking lot with manual steering, which most old cars came standard with.
 
XR7-4.6 said:
Exactly, it’s no different of a stress on the linkage as one muscling trough a parking lot with manual steering, which most old cars came standard with.
Click to expand...

I get that.

What I meant was: if the linkage was originally designed with hydraulic steering in mind only, would they potentially have designed such linkage lighter, less solid, etc. than a linkage designed for manual steering?
 
I think the linkage is designed to handle the stress induced by the road.
The linkage receives the same input to turn the wheel whether hyd, electrical or manual input.
 
On my car the assist is on the 3/4" steel steering shaft so the input to turn the tire is exactly the same into the steering box and through all the components regardless of assist. The only difference is the input required at the steering wheel.
 
1997ThunderbirdLXV6 said:
I get that.

What I meant was: if the linkage was originally designed with hydraulic steering in mind only, would they potentially have designed such linkage lighter, less solid, etc. than a linkage designed for manual steering?
Click to expand...

There isn’t any difference in “strength rating” between manual and power steering columns/linkages, it’s not a power/durability ratio where beancounters will go with lighter duty trans/axle components for a less powerful engines. For obvious liability reasons manufacturers don’t really skimp on the materials with steering, same with power vs non power brakes. With steering (and brakes) as there are scenarios where the power can go away (hydraulic failure(loss of vacuum with brakes, or also hydraulic failure with hudroboost)), requiring manual strength input from the driver, it would be pretty bad for business if the shaft or u joint or rag joint etc. snapped!
 
The hangup on the electric steering pump is that the control software only works sometimes. It'll work for a bit, throw an error, then ignore commands until I reset it. Still working on it.
I also started looking at the mitsu 200A alternator project; I think I've figured out how to not boil the battery,lol.
 
I can't imagine driving one of these cars without power steering. They are not light in the front end, and we all run wide tires. The only car I drove without power steering was a Fiero 20+ year ago. Even in that tiny ass mid engine hot wheels car, it was miserable cranking the wheel around in parking lots.
 
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