Pedro the Festiva's build thread.

[fastivaca]

Yeah. That's been done by a bunch of people. Pretty simple. Have you thought about running power steering?

I've never felt the need for power steering in the Festiva. Even with the wide tires I run and stock strut bearings I don't find the steering heavy at all.

[TominMO]

I've never felt the need for power steering in the Festiva. Even with the wide tires I run and stock strut bearings I don't find the steering heavy at all.

Likewise. The 175/65x14s I'm running now are ridiculously light-feeling as far as turning.

[Advancedynamix]

The benefit of power steering isn't in the effort, but the rack ratio. The Festiva requires a lot of steering wheel motion to turn, and that makes for a " not so sporty" feel. The power aspire rack has a quicker ratio.

[Gomez]

Can you run the power steering rack without the pump?

[Advancedynamix]

Can you run the power steering rack without the pump?

Yes. I've run many de powered racks. Most people make it more complicated than it has to be. Don't leave fluid in it and don't plug the line holes or it will be harder to turn because your fighting the hydraulic pressure in the plugged rack. I've run them dry and open for years, even decades on several vehicles with no abnormal failures.

[moz]

I've got a depowered aspire rack on mine.
When talking full turns on the steering wheel, the aspire is .75 of a turn faster than the Festiva and it has an inch more travel lock to lock.

[Advancedynamix]

I've got a depowered aspire rack on mine.
When talking full turns on the steering wheel, the aspire is .75 of a turn faster than the Festiva and it has an inch more travel lock to lock.

That's huge on a race track. Probably worth a second a lap on technical tracks, especially at the end of the weekend when your arms are about to fall off. Lol.

[fastivaca]

So if I understand this correctly I can take the powered rack from an Aspire, simply drain and leave the hose connections open and install it in the Festiva. I assume I would have to retain the Festiva inner tie rods.

[Advancedynamix]

From what I've gathered, this is correct. Dragonhealer has a brand new power aspire rack that he is installing in the road racing Festiva that he is building. The race car will have functional power steering though, not de powered.

[moz]

Correct
Direct fit
Only thing I did was fit festiva tie rods (aspire ones are longer) and I used tube benders to bend the hydraulic lines so they point down to prevent stuff from getting in the rack mechanism

[Advancedynamix]

That's a good idea. You could also glue little pieces of foam filter in them to keep the funk out.

[moz]

Question (possibly a dumb one)
Does the hydraulic fluid in the rack also serve as lube for the gearing?
Or is that greased separately?

[Advancedynamix]

it is separate.

[festyfreak39]

I have been wondering this for a while now, since Nate brought it up on our facebook page. This is a must-do mod for the festiva!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! now to find an aspire with power steering...

[Advancedynamix]

I started making the brackets today to mount the Capri air box into Pedro. The rear bracket is done (other than paint) in these pictures. I still have to finish the front bracket, but it's close.