Steering Column & Power Steering

[rsimoes]

Who makes a tilt wheel column and power steering rack for the Cobras?

[jwoodard]

and Flaming River make tilt columns that will work and I beleive Flaming River also makes a manual and power rack that will work.

Jim

[Roscoe]

do you really think you need power steering?

Roscoe

[Back in Black]

Power ASSIST steering... best of both worlds, if it is done right. Some may disagree, but I personally do not enjoy muscling a vehicle in parking lots and super slow speeds, with a manual rack. Gets to be irritating after a while.

[rsimoes]

The problem is that all power racks I'm finding are about 4 turns lock to lock. I wanted 2.5 to 3.0.

What do most people use when they use power racks? Who's pump?

[Mr.Fixit]

Forget the power rack, you do not want or need it in a 2500 lb car. If you want blindingly quick steering rack, "Sweet" makes one that has a ratio way too quick for me to consider. manual though.

[rsimoes]

I'm driving a 1991 Honda Civic with manual steering (my snow car) and it has 3.75 turns lock to lock and it's a pain in parking lots. I'm thinking the Cobra with a 460 will be much worse. . . wouldn't it be?

[Mr.Fixit]

Don't know, never driven a honda, don't want to. My chevelle has a 12.5 turn lock to lock manual box in it that is harder to turn than the sweet rack that was in the johnex. the johnex also had big front tires and the chevelle has 5" skinnys. I wouldn't want to sacrifice "road feel" for easier parking lot manners. But to each, his own. only about 98% of cobras have manual steering, to much effort is rarely a complaint.

[rsimoes]

I guess I gotta drive one before deciding. . .

[Jack21]

Have power steering in CR, and love it! Since it's a daily driver, in and out of parking areas are daily occurances.

1) Used rebuilt '79 - up late Mustang standard ratio power rack from AGR. Summit sells them.

2) Used rebuilt non-metric Saginaw PS pump by AGR. Again, Summit sells them.

3) Installed RB's low pressure valve in Saginaw pump. Uses 900 psi rather than 1300 psi relief pressure.

4) Had to buy Chevy high side PS line (3/8"), and Ford high side line (5/16") from local auto supply store.

5) Had 4 above cut, and joined by local hydraulics shop. Fork lift repair shop mainly. Hi side was 8". Yours may be longer or shorter.

6) Needed Ford Mustang rack return line ( 3/8") connection from Ford dealer. Shortened it for Cobra. Used fuel injection rubber hose line for PS return line. Standard clamps on both ends.

Anyway, PS works beautifully. This was the one place I thought would be a continuous hassle, aand it isn't. Works like factory system, and I'm shickled titless!

[Tom Wells]

Hi rsimoes,

I use PS in my E-M w/460. I love it!

Don't know what the turns lock to lock are. Car's not here so can't run down and count...

I used the '93 Mustang GT 15:1 rack and a standard Mustang pump using a custom PS bracket. The "standard" Mustang PS and manual racks have an 18:1 ratio if I recall correctly.

I used the Mustang II spindles which may or may not have the same length steering arms as the later Mustangs, hence the mystery about the overall ratio.

Take a look in my gallery for an idea as to how it went together.

I think all the Mustang GT racks, certainly those from '89 to '93 have the same 15:1 ratio. They also have built-in nylon stops to prevent the wheels from turning as sharply as the standard racks, due to the wider tires in the GTs, so they don't hit the Mustang frame. This works fine for me; turning circle is plenty small, and it may contribute to the lower number of turns lock-to-lock. The stops can be removed, I believe - never tried it though.

The resulting steering is quick and easy, rolling or stopped. Others who have driven the car notice the difference. It is sometimes described as twitchy at first, but after you get used to it - at least for me - there's no going back

Just think "right turn" and you're doing it

Haven't tried it autocrossing yet, but hope to later in the Spring. Should work just fine!

It isn't for everyone. It IS the way I like it

Regards,

Tom

[klayfish]

Rob,
You do not need power steering in these cars. The power steering rack, usually from the Mustang, it FAR too twitchy for highway driving. Good for autox, but at speeds above 50 mph, you better not sneeze, or you'll be two lanes over. Power steering also lacks feedback. If you want it to be as "close" in handling to your 'Vette as it can be, skip the power rack. If you want around 3 turns lock to lock, your only choice really is the 15:1 Flaming River Rack. It will be slightly harder to turn in parking lots, but shouldn't be a big deal. The only time I can imagine it would get tedious is if you were parallel parking it. And I don't ever recall parallel parking my Cobra yet.

If you want, you can come on back out to my place. We'll take my Cobra to the high school around the corner and I'll let you run it around the parking lot (sorry, like I said before, my insurance won't allow me to let you drive the car on the road), and you can feel my steering at low speeds. My car has the 18:1 Flaming River rack, but also has 17" wheels and sticky tires.

Steve

[Jack21]

Tweaked power steering for lightweight cars is what we're doing here. AGR (Andy Granitelli Racing) takes the stock '79-up Mustang rack (20:1, or 3 1/4 turns lock to lock) and uses high effort valving in the rebuild. Feels more like manual until you crank it.

Either Ford or Saginaw pumps can be used. AGR likes the Saginaw pump because it's quieter and more durable. I like the Saginaw because it accepts the RB's Antique Automotive reduced pressure bypass valve (1300 psi down to 900 psi line pressure - which takes away the twitchiness), and the pump lasts forever. It uses less crank HP with the AGR modifications as well.

Car has good road feel on the road and highway, works great in parking lots and the like muscling sticky 235 17" radials around.

Bottom line. With correct component selection, it works great.