Converting a 924S Power to manual Steering

[Marks924S]

Hey all, fixed the car up and it was perfectly fine after the clutch cylinders were replaced, now that it's gone into hibernation I want to get started on a few projects. The top of the list is converting the car to Manual steering, I think its a well weighted system but would like a quicker ratio if possible but ultimately better feed back for autocross and tracking. I'm wondering if any one on here has done this and could give me some tips and pointers and maybe a list of what I'll need for parts and what to look for, also I found at my local parts store there's no listing for a manual steering rack for my 87 924S but there is a listing for an 87 944 NA, are these the same? And where would be the best place to get a remaned manual steering rack? Thanks in advance everyone!

[Rasta Monsta]

You need the manual rack and intermediate steering shaft from an 83 944. Good time also to refresh the control arms with seam welds and powder coating, install poly control arm bushings (Prothane 22-201), and renew ball joints and tie rods.

I would also go for the biggest junkyard swaybar you can find, poly innner sway bar bushings, and the anti-flex kit from Rennbay. What about shocks and springs, brake hoses, caliper refresh? How are your motor mounts? Rod bearings?

[JHinOH]

Personally, I wish I had power steering for auto-x and the manual for the track on my 924S. I love the feel of the manual rack at speed but it's a ton of work on an auto-x run. I also run full neg. camber for auto-x and it's still a workout (I run 225/45/15's).

[Marks924S]

Thanks for the response Rasta I was actaully hoping you'd answer honestly,

So shocks I replaced with a set of sachs and 944 springs don't know if there's a difference but so I have my old struts I want to replace with better springs and konis if I can do the hacksaw mod on them. calipers were good but I honed the cylinder lightly and replaced the seals for the piston and such. hoses looked good no cracks still pliable I think there may have been replaced before I got the car. Never though about rod bearings, what are the tolerances one those any how? Is it in the factory manual? If I'm gunna pull the pan I should probably do my front and rear seals motor mounts I was going to do any way, I planned on pulling the motor to do the clutch.
Is the 924S an early off set like the early 944? I thought phone dials were an indicator of late offset? I know the drive line is basically the same as the early cars and interior wise as well. oh wait only the early cars came with a manual option right? DOH haha

JHinOH- I like the power steering for parking lot manuevers but honestly I'm still a rookie and have a tendency to turn the wheel to quickly anyway, my steering pump is also on it way out I feel and it does leak just enough to bother me (not much though) and I used to autocross a CRX with out power steering and got a chance to drive an old triumph with no power steering at an autocross and posted a a similar time to the owner. I don't plan on getting rid of my parts so if I don't like it I'll switch it back next winter I Suppose.

[Rasta Monsta]

Your 924S is "late offset". . .phone dials were the only factory wheel to come in both. Also, you have easily replaceable strut inserts. . .no hacksaw mod needed.

I like the Paragon coilover kit for the fronts, and a company called cip-1 has VW torsion bars dirt cheap. . .ours are the 26 9/16. Obviously you can't stiffen the front and leave the rear stock, the car will handle like arse.

I like your idea to pull the motor, refresh all seals, refresh the clutch. I would consider a head refresh as well.

Have fun! We just did all this stuff to a 924S and this is what we got:



P.S. Once you pull all that power steering crap off, it is never going back on. . .don't kid yourself!

[v2rocket_aka944]

As stated, you'll need the manual rack and intermediate shaft from an '83 car. You will need to be creative with tie-rods for a late-offset car. I believe someone said these (MOOG-EV271 Front Inner Tie Rod End Made By MOOG) with the standard late power-steering tie-rod ends will work for your car and be fairly inexpensive compared to OEM stuff. Alternatively, you can have the ends of the manual rack drilled and tapped for regular late power-steering tie-rods as seen here: (Manual rack - power tie rods - what's the answer? - Rennlist Discussion Forums)

As far as a reman'd rack, there's not really anything to wear out on the rack with the exception of the pinion shaft bearing. I can rebuild one in less than an hour in my garage with regular tools and a healthy dose of moly wheel-bearing grease.

[Rasta Monsta]

Actually, "late offset" means something slightly different for a 924. The suspension geometry is actually the same as an "early offset" 944, but due to the skinny fenders, it runs the ET52 wheels. Tie rods shouldn't be a problem.

[andyshoun]

Mark,
The power steering rack on my '86 was leaking so I pulled the pump and looped the lines. The car was hard to park, but every where else fine. Then I switched to a manual rack. The car is a daily driver and sometime track day car. If I had it to do over, I'd leave the de-powered original rack in the car. It was quicker (fewer turns lock to lock) on the track (road course) and the tie rod ends are cheaper.