Adding Power Stearing To A 964
 

How hard and expensive would it be to retrofit power steering to a 1993 RS America. I have Parkinson's and am loosing upper body strength

I don't think it would be hard to redo it back to stock. Also, I do not care what the changes do to the value because all a RS is is a 2wd drive 964http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1386292602.jpg

It's not impossible, but it's not an easy job. Costs for the rack pump and all the related bits will run a few thousand plus installation. RSA racks are easy enough to sell, but I'd keep it with the car.

With the values of RSA's at an all time high, you should really consider selling it and buying a new Cayman or Boxster. They are amazing machines and much easier to deal with at low speed.

Instead of retrofitting an OEM setup (which was never available on an RSA), consider an electronic power steering pump mounted in the front tub. There's a Porsche Motorsport pump that is popular for such applications and the third generation Toyota MR-S/MR2 pump is also popular. Basically you'd need a power rack off of a C2/C4 and do some fabrication of lines and give the pump power.

For example, using a Mercedes A-class pump.
http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/10470846-post96.html
http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/10485574-post114.html

+1 On the Toyota pump. I have it on my C2 track car for weight and power savings and it works great.

^It's on my "modification wish list"

Looking at the mess of OEM PS hardware and lines in the engine compartment annoys me. I can't wait to ditch all that.

PS pump
 

Thanks for the great idea. I was not looking forward to dealing with all the Porsche parts. It sounds like what I really need is the rack of a C-2.
Thanks for the infof

I recall the ratio is different on a 993 vs. 964, you may want to test drive
a 993 and see for yourself.

Who here has first hand experience with the electric PS pumps?

I am pondering replacing my (leaky) setup with an electric pump, and would like more info about the level of assistance. The 964 steering is a light assist, not a buick style one finger steering job.

These guys are getting a lot of press coverage over here in the UK at the moment --->

EZ Electric Power Steering

EVO magazine's Harry Metcalfe had them fit a system to his Countach, Octane recently fitted one to editor Crouchers classic Jaguar. All the systems have variable assistance via a potentiometer hidden from view - everything looks bone stock and is of course reversible should you want to sell the car on. No affiliation, but a pal of mine also makes very similar setups for rallying and racing Ford Mk2 Escorts, with great success.

HTH

Spencer

steering rack
 

Any body have a c-2 or c-4 rack for sale

Thanks for the link Spencer. I just wrote them a email to get more information about their system. I'll post their reply when I get it.

I'm in Spain for the winter. If I get a reply from them I like, I'll drive my RS America to them in April or May for installation. I'll post about that too.

Driving around Europe with manual steering can sometimes be a real ***** on narrow medieval streets. Yesterday I was driving on some to get to a castle. There were spots where I was lucky to have 3-4 inches of clearance on the rear view mirrors. I was actually driving half on the sidewalk to get past some cars and no there isn't enough room to turn around. Backing up is scary. A wide body would be screwed.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1387970200.jpg

If you decide to go stock, I have all of the engine mounted components (pump, bracket, pulley, belt, etc.)

Googled EZ Electric Power Steering and found this. Real Interesting.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/625956-installation-ez-electric-power-steering.html

I don't think that setup is gonna work on a 964. The only place you'd be able to mount anything like that might be under the dash, and you can go look down there, it isn't spacious at all.

si Banker: Was this you at Cars & Coffee this month?

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.n...57866340_o.jpg

I've installed power steering racks and 997 cup PS pumps on several RSA's
IMHO it's a great improvement and not terribly hard to do.
Due to the electric pump having lower pressure I think the steering feel is better then a standard 964. I like to use the 993 rack

I believe you'd also need to open up the motor to swap out the camshaft since the RSA cam doesn't have the PS pump drive gear on the end.

si Banker: you have PM

Got this email back from them. Sent a email to the shop in the Netherlands, think that would be the shop I'd go too.

Hi Don,

Thank you for your e mail, it sounds like you get around in your Porsche, where are you based? I only ask because our main workshop/ factory is in leerdam Holland. And they have converted a number of LHD 911's

The price varies between 1300-1400€ ex vat & fitting depending if it's a car with A/C

Or I am able to do the installation here in UK (Devon) for £2,350 fitted inc Vat

Kind regards

Mike Waters

EZ power steering UK

07967 439596

si banker

if you do convert over to the power steering i would love to purchase the manual rack from you. or does anyone else out there have one for sale?

regards

pf

Dan is the man. I drove an RSA with this set up at the track, it had a perfect, smooth, linear feel to it.

ps In a 964
 

That's my car; I believe it was at the December Cars and Coffee.

I got a ps rack today and will be keeping the one that's on the car now.

I will keep everyone up dated with pictures as the project unfolds. I am located in the DFW area and will have the work done by Mayo Performance.

Please advise when Mayo will be doing the work. I work in the midcities area, i'd love to stop by and check out the conversion in progress.

PS conversion
 

The rack arrived yesterday. Tom at Mayo Performance got a rebuilt rack and it looks like it is brand new; the cost was $800. We also looked at MR-2 power steering pumps on e-bay and decided on one that was a power steering fluid/pump combination. Tom found a great place to mount the unit in the trunk on the right hand side in front of the fuel tank. Because the power fluid supply is part of the pump it has to be level .

No problemo, glad you got a prompt response back from them. I have no idea how the steering feel compares to that using retrofitted OEM parts from other models, interested to hear any feedback (although I guess a lot of it will be very subjective without any direct back-to-back testing)....Certainly the likes of EVO magazine are very dialled in to chassis feel, with manufacturer electric power steering coming in for a lot of criticism from them over the last few years...so, I surmise that the EZ setup must be pretty damn good.

As well as publishing it in EVO #108, it looks like Harry posted the topic in FerrariChat

Lol at the backstreets photo - have driven those kind of roads in Majorca out the back of Polenca...utterly, utterly terrifying....especially at night in a recently collected hire car, as a passenger while (ex) Wife was blatting down them like she was remaking "C'était un Rendez-vous"

parts
 

Here are some brackets that I made for the pump and master cyc. I have a brace in the trunk which I will use to hang the partshttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1393530851.jpg

Parts
 

Here are some other photoshttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1393531021.jpg

pump mount
 

This is how the pump bracket will work. The other parts are made to clamp on to the strut bracehttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1393544904.jpg

si Banker, thanks for posting. Please keep updating.

Oleg

So this is a 2nd-gen MR2 power steering pump? You have to install a separate power steering fluid reservoir?



This is the MR2 pump I had in mind when I made the suggestion earlier in the thread, and what most folks use for this type of conversion. It's from a 3rd-gen MR2 and has the reservoir built into the assembly.
http://www.evdrive.com/prototypes/fi...steering_1.jpg

Hey man, I saw you today over in Grapevine, by William D. Tate near Bone Daddy's.

Did you get your PS installed yet?

Anything new???

WOW.. that is some beautiful machine work. You are very talented!

I hope that the instal goes smoothly.

Stephen

PW Steering
 

All the work on this project is done by Mayo Performance in Euless. Texas

The install of the power steering rack was a simple "bolt in;" there was a problem getting the correct hose fittings to connect the steering rack to the Toyota power steering pump. I will post a list of what fittings are needed tomorrow.

The under side of the car does not look any different. One woould be hard pressed to tell the difference. Tom should get the pump mounted tomorrow. I will posr pictures then

Power Steering
 

Tom finished the install yesterday afternoon and Saturday morning we took it on a 250 mile test run. It preformed fantastic. The steering effort at low speeds is greatly reduced and at highway speeds you don't know it is there. Parking the car is easy

The power steering pump is rubber mounted to the front of the tub where the tools are and the reservoir is from a 944 and is clamped to the shock tower brace. Tom put a 40 amp fuse in-line from the car to the pump. Everything is so sanitary you do not know it is there.

Tom is sending me some pictures to post. I would like to this time to thank Tom and everybody at Mayo Performance for their help.

Planning to do the same, any insights in the wiring side off things?,also does it makes much noise?, nice work on the mounting brackets.,enjoy, cheers, Stef.

here are some pictures
 

Pictures of the finished job

photos
 

photoshttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1398743610.jpg

more photos
 

Photohttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1398743770.jpg

more
 

photohttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1398743887.jpg