Aspire Steering Rack Swap

[defprun]

Ya but I would need LHD lol

Learn German lol Im sure they gotta have 121s littering the countryside...unless theyve all been systematically wiped out...

[Bert]

Moved all posts to a more convienant thread of its own
How rare is aspire power steering?

Both 97 Aspire parts cars I brought home had hydraulic-assist steering. Lots of extra pumps, reservoirs, hoses and space-robbing junk to swap over. I drove the both of them (one all the way from Montreal) and just like any other car with power steering the immediate response to quick dial on the wheel is negative. You really don't want a 'frivolous' feature like this if you're serious, enjoy driving, or race. Rio 'top hats' over a manual rack, in my opinion, is best of both worlds

[jawbraeka]

Ya but I would need LHD lol

Couldn't you just spin it around? Scratch that.

sent from the depths of hell.

[jawbraeka]

Both 97 Aspire parts cars I brought home had hydraulic-assist steering. Lots of extra pumps, reservoirs, hoses and space-robbing junk to swap over. I drove the both of them (one all the way from Montreal) and just like any other car with power steering the immediate response to quick dial on the wheel is negative. You really don't want a 'frivolous' feature like this if you're serious, enjoy driving, or race. Rio 'top hats' over a manual rack, in my opinion, is best of both worlds

My missus drove my car once and said "it needs power steering".. Me personally, I didn't mind it not having it, but in order to peak her interest, I will do it.. Even at times I've thought power would be handy in some situations.

So to confirm, the parts I'll need would need the upper and lower control arms and rack as i have the pump from the Capri.

sent from the depths of hell.

[Advancedynamix]

Both 97 Aspire parts cars I brought home had hydraulic-assist steering. Lots of extra pumps, reservoirs, hoses and space-robbing junk to swap over. I drove the both of them (one all the way from Montreal) and just like any other car with power steering the immediate response to quick dial on the wheel is negative. You really don't want a 'frivolous' feature like this if you're serious, enjoy driving, or race. Rio 'top hats' over a manual rack, in my opinion, is best of both worlds

We have recorded an average of 1-2 seconds a lap faster times on many vehicles with power steering VS non power. Typically, powered racks have a quicker ratio, and require less effort. When you are dancing a car on the limit from apex to apex, it helps dramatically to not have to shuffle the wheel. I typically drive 600 miles at full speed on the track in a weekend, and with the stock Festiva setup, my arms get very sore by the end of the weekend. I already have ball bearing style strut mounts.

[Advancedynamix]

My missus drove my car once and said "it needs power steering".. Me personally, I didn't mind it not having it, but in order to peak her interest, I will do it.. Even at times I've thought power would be handy in some situations.

So to confirm, the parts I'll need would need the upper and lower control arms and rack as i have the pump from the Capri.

sent from the depths of hell.

There is no upper control arms on a festiva, you only need aspire control arms if you are running Capri spindles/brakes. If you are running Festiva or Aspire spindles/brakes you can use Festiva control arms. You will need festiva Tie rods, and the ends depend on what spindles you are running.

[jawbraeka]

There is no upper control arms on a festiva, you only need aspire control arms if you are running Capri spindles/brakes. If you are running Festiva or Aspire spindles/brakes you can use Festiva control arms. You will need festiva Tie rods, and the ends depend on what spindles you are running.

I'm using aspire knuckles with aspire tie rod ends, and Festiva lca's. The combination seems to sit more naturally on my car.

Tried the aspire LCA's but the seemed to sit weird and would require a twist to make them sit straight like what the Festiva ones do normally.

[jawbraeka]

.

[TorqueEffect]

So what would all be required to fit a Aspire Power steering setup into a Festy?

Please excuse my ignorance.

I already have a A\C system from a power steering Festy, which used ribbed belt pulleys. So would it be right in saying I would just need to swap the rack, and the idler pulley out for the pump? Would I have to swap tierods?

[1chrisapple]

I would probably de-power the rack for my car, but I have a friend who needs the entire power setup for a car he's building. I have de-powered a lot of racks and I just drain the system and run it without lines attached to the rack. If there is no fluid in the system, there is no hydraulic resistance. I have had racks last over 100K miles this way with no problems on VW's, and that was when I lived in Maine, driving in snow and muck all the time.
Typically, power racks have quicker ratios than manual racks. Since I have never driven an aspire, power or not, I can't know that this is true here, just speculation. However, if Shadetree will count the turns lock to lock I can know for sure.

most vw guys get a loop made to go from one line to other on the rack so keep crap out of it and still keeps some fluid in rack to I guess

[Advancedynamix]

Fluid in the rack will give more resistance. I prefer to drain it completely and run it dry. The first car I built like that (a 1991 GTI with a G60 turbo swap) is still on the road with more than 150K miles and a decade of driving with an open and empty depowered rack.

[jawbraeka]

Hrrm something to think about definitely.

sent from the depths of hell.

[getnpsi]

Id do if it increased track width

[Damkid]

Fluid in the rack will give more resistance. I prefer to drain it completely and run it dry. The first car I built like that (a 1991 GTI with a G60 turbo swap) is still on the road with more than 150K miles and a decade of driving with an open and empty depowered rack.

Hmm this might be something to consider if I actually KL swap my protege, decisions decisions lol

[tripod808]

Fluid in the rack will give more resistance. I prefer to drain it completely and run it dry. The first car I built like that (a 1991 GTI with a G60 turbo swap) is still on the road with more than 150K miles and a decade of driving with an open and empty depowered rack.

To plug the lines and run with fluid OR unplug and run dry?? I see both sides argument. Would running it dry from fluid but greased be a possible compromise? I think I may do this when I obtain my aspire rack.