Reply With QuoteFor a daily driver I wouldn't go with manual steering.
For an autocross car I wouldn't go with manual steering.
For a track car, maybe, the manual steering might be better.
Power vs. Manual steering
My car has power steering and, while it's very light and direct, it seems a little bit TOO light and sensitive on fast sweepers (I recently had it aligned when I put shocks on it, so I don't think that's the issue). Now, I'm not complaining or anything, BUT I've heard that the manual steering is a whole different animal. Having owned several old RX-7s with manual steering, I can see how the Miata would be suited to a manual rack. So... I'm actually thinking of swapping out to the manual rack. Am I mentally challenged? Do I need to just stop bitching and get used to it? Does anyone have anything to weigh in with on this debate - power vs. manual?
For a daily driver I wouldn't go with manual steering.
For an autocross car I wouldn't go with manual steering.
For a track car, maybe, the manual steering might be better.
Thomas
V-to-the-Dub
I disagree with Miatamoto, my car (when it ran) had manual steering and I loved every minute of it. Later, when I drove a NA with power steering it felt extremely loose. YMMV
Another option is depowering your current rack.Originally Posted by trickyrix
Did that to my track car. Since its not street-legal, I can't say much for daily driving other than its a bitch moving it around the garage with the shaved RA1's! At Hallett, it felt great.
90 MX5 281k miles! - euro spec, Porsche Riviera Blue w/black hardtop, 97 motor swap, vintage Borbet rims, GC, FM shock hats/frame rails/rear sub-brace, AGX, sway bar, stb, Fidanza/ACT combo, EBC Yellows
92 COMMA SM - new paint coming soon...
Depowering is not street legal or your track car is not street legal...
One thing to keep in mind about the manual rack is that it has a slower ratio than the power unit.
My '99 had a factory manual rack. I loved it at the track and on longer autocross courses, didn't like it at all on tighter autocross courses. On the street there were times I liked it and times I didn't.
Personally, I'd try to find someone with a manual rack and drive their car before you make the switch. You may love it, you may hate it, but I'd rather find out before I went to the trouble of swapping them.
Iain
"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Depowering is street legal, he means his car
FWIW, I depowered my Miata's, would never have gone back to the powered rack afterwards.
'02 Berlina S2k
J's 60RS, K&N FIPK, AUT CF cooling panel,
JDM sidemarkers, S badges, BYS emblems,
Mugen TP, 11.7:1 CR, Comptech Header,
Hello Kitty Mugen badge
Interesting... I like the thought of de-powering the power rack, since the ratio seems to be just fine. However, I'd like to drive a car with the regular manual rack before I do anything. Wouldn't mind driving a de-powered car too... hmmmm.
Posting Permissions