Steering Response - short wheelbase

[rsimoes]

Why is it that most Cobra's I see have steering racks with a ratio of 4 turns lock to lock? (18:1)

I keep hearing it's because of the short wheelbase.

Why does the short wheelbase make it okay to have bus like steering? I would think that you'd still want responsive steering, specially in a car like the Cobra?

Can someone "school me" on this?

Also, why is it that most don't have power steering? If my Civic needs power steering, why doesn't a Cobra of the same weight and a big block over the front wheels (instead of an aluminum 4 cyl.) doesn't need it?

Thanks for your help.

Rob

[David Kirkham]

The original cars had 2 7/8 (fast MGB) turns lock to lock. The Flaming River Cobra rack has 3 turns lock to lock. And the slow MGB rack has 3.2 turns.
Steering effort is due to several varibles including the ones you mention. Others are Caster angle, scrub radius, trail, tire size, etc. Also steering effort is very important at slow (parking lot)speeds in a Honda where in a Cobra slow speeds are not important. There is an original CSX3000 car that is autocrossed at the national level that has been modified with a 2 turns lock to lock power steering steering rack.
Tom Kirkham (I high jacked David's computer)

[RallySnake]

Rob,

I understand the slow rack that you spoke of, helps out with leverage in moving out of a parking spot and it slows down steering on the highway where jerkyness can be a problem. But the effect I hate about slow steering is the ability to "catch" the car in a slide. It's almost impossible. If you do get the wheel around quickly enough to catch the slide, it's coming back too fast to keep up in the opposite direction. I much prefer the "faster" rack.

Paul

[rsimoes]

If you were going to install a 2.75 or so power steering rack on a car that had 16 inch apart mounting holes, what would you install?