steering upgrades?

[Tem]

you know now that this has come to mind... I'm a bit curious about our steering system and how would I go about updating it .

The fact that touring cars have looser steering so that the steering is soft and smoothe

meanwhile sports cars true sports cars have a more direct steering IE I think our cars have a play of 2.5 revolutions to each side left/right while I belive my fathers vette is only 1.5 to each side I dont remember but I know the steering was alot tighter than on other cars. is there anyway to make our steering tighter?

[ls six]

The tightnes of the steering is a different thain all together than the ratio.

To tighten the steering up you should replace inner and outer tie rods wheel bearings if needed and the rack bushings.

This will reduce free play in the steering system so more of your input at the steering wheel will reach the wheels and not be used up by taking up slack in the system.

To reduce the steering ratio is something else entirely and proabably wont be easy.

You can swap the rack&pinion assembly for a quicker one but I dont know of any compatible racks that will interchange or even what cars would have a quicker ratio.

You might be able to relocate the hole in the spindle. Placing it closer to the hub will result in a quicker ratio but the rack will need to be moved forward the same amount to maintain geometry.

Swapping a spindle from a different car like a B chassis car is possible and if it has a shorter arm it would do the same thing but using the 4 lug hub and tiny brakes might be necessary.

Check Summit and Jegs for somthing called a steering reducer. It goes between the steering wheel and box/rack and has an internal gear reduction. It will require custom fab work and welding to use on our car's though.


Lastly this is somthing I have thought about. Swapping the internals from an MX3 GS rack to an MX6 rack may work but I havent tried it yet.

[Tem]

Originally Posted by ls six

The tightnes of the steering is a different thain all together than the ratio.

To tighten the steering up you should replace inner and outer tie rods wheel bearings if needed and the rack bushings.

This will reduce free play in the steering system so more of your input at the steering wheel will reach the wheels and not be used up by taking up slack in the system.

To reduce the steering ratio is something else entirely and proabably wont be easy.

You can swap the rack&pinion assembly for a quicker one but I dont know of any compatible racks that will interchange or even what cars would have a quicker ratio.

You might be able to relocate the hole in the spindle. Placing it closer to the hub will result in a quicker ratio but the rack will need to be moved forward the same amount to maintain geometry.

Swapping a spindle from a different car like a B chassis car is possible and if it has a shorter arm it would do the same thing but using the 4 lug hub and tiny brakes might be necessary.

Check Summit and Jegs for somthing called a steering reducer. It goes between the steering wheel and box/rack and has an internal gear reduction. It will require custom fab work and welding to use on our car's though.


Lastly this is somthing I have thought about. Swapping the internals from an MX3 GS rack to an MX6 rack may work but I havent tried it yet.

well yeah I was acctualy reffering to the ratio you are correct and I was thinkign how about an RX-7 rack? I need to find out the exact measurements of our rack see if I can compare it to taht of an rx-7 being that its a true sports car its ratio should be a bit better? I'll have to look into that.

but now that you mention it is the ratio on the MX-3 better than on the 6?

[ls six]

Originally Posted by Tem

well yeah I was acctualy reffering to the ratio you are correct and I was thinkign how about an RX-7 rack? I need to find out the exact measurements of our rack see if I can compare it to taht of an rx-7 being that its a true sports car its ratio should be a bit better? I'll have to look into that.

but now that you mention it is the ratio on the MX-3 better than on the 6?

I dont think the RX rack will fit. It's mounted in a different position but swapping the rack and pinion gears in to the 6 housing might be possible. I dont know what the various ratios are except for the MX3 GS. I need to find that issue of GrassRoots Motorsport though.

It could be that the RX steering knuckles are different also. So swapping the rack may not get the same ratio as the 7.

[Tem]

Steering ratio for a 94 Mazda RX-7 = 16.6:1

Steering ratio for a 97 Mazda MX-6 = 17.8:1

Steering ratio for a 94 Mazda MX-3 GS = 15.0:1

Steering Ratio for a 08 Mazda Miata( MX-5) = 15.0:1

Steering ratio for a 95 Mazda MX-5 = 18.0:1 ( 15.0:1 with power assist ) <--- what does that mean by power assist?

Steering ratio for a 95 Chevrolet Corvette = 10.5:1 <-- I knew it had a really drastic ratio

hmm so I need to reffer to rack and pinion rebuilders....

[2old2zoomzoom]

Originally Posted by Tem

hmm so I need to reffer to rack and pinion rebuilders....

No, you need to go to the junk yard and get a rack from a MX3 and a MX6 and have some fun.

[kozalmighty]

Steering Accessories
made for off road. but could be of some use.

[Tem]

Originally Posted by 2old2zoomzoom

No, you need to go to the junk yard and get a rack from a MX3 and a MX6 and have some fun.

that does sound fun. but I have a friend who rebuilds them I'll go bug him

[ls six]

Originally Posted by 2old2zoomzoom

No, you need to go to the junk yard and get a rack from a MX3 and a MX6 and have some fun.

Exactly

Originally Posted by kozalmighty

Steering Accessories
made for off road. but could be of some use.

Yeah these are exactly what I meant.

Part # 1110

Steering Speeder/Reducer 1.5:1 Ratio
Also available in 2:1 Ratio (Part # 1112).

I just dont know if we have the room. Our rear mounted racks make for little space between the column and rack.

[kozalmighty]

Well I guess thats why they call it moding

[Tem]

Originally Posted by kozalmighty

Well I guess thats why they call it moding

yeah just like fitting a viper engine in our cars =P sometimes there are just things that cannot RATIONALY be done.. but what i was thinking is damn so the ratio for those converters are 1.5:1.... THATS like DAMN... I think that may be a bit much... I would be cool with a 10:1 ratio.. the 1.5:1 would also make for a really stiff steering would it not? or are they not in the same measurements? because 1.5 vs our stock 16.7 seems like damn lol
or does it REDUCE by 2:1... hmmm

14.8 that may do...

[kozalmighty]

Shoot, im just trying to keep mine from falling apart at the moment

[Tem]

Originally Posted by kozalmighty

Shoot, im just trying to keep mine from falling apart at the moment

stick a viper engine in itt!!!

[Goatcrapp]

lol.

the adapter doesn't make your ratio 1.5:1 that's the conversion factor.

if you had a 20:1 rack, adding in a 1.5:1 adapter would reduce it to a 13:1 (approximate)

using a 2:1 adapter would spin the adapter twice for every 1 revolution of the rack, making it a roughly 10:1 setup.

conversely, if you install it opposite - you can turn a "too quick" steering setup into a slower one.. ie: a truck with 10:1, using the 1.5 adapter, would spin roughly 15:1 now.

MOST offroaders use it in this fashion, as you want more minute precision rather than quickness.

[Tem]

Originally Posted by Goatcrapp

lol.

the adapter doesn't make your ratio 1.5:1 that's the conversion factor.

if you had a 20:1 rack, adding in a 1.5:1 adapter would reduce it to a 13:1 (approximate)

using a 2:1 adapter would spin the adapter twice for every 1 revolution of the rack, making it a roughly 10:1 setup.

conversely, if you install it opposite - you can turn a "too quick" steering setup into a slower one.. ie: a truck with 10:1, using the 1.5 adapter, would spin roughly 15:1 now.

MOST offroaders use it in this fashion, as you want more minute precision rather than quickness.

oooohh.... so the 2:1 would make our steering 8.9:1 and the 1.5:1 would make it 11.87 ... hmmm