LS1RS89

I recently started driving my conversion (89 Camaro LS1 T56) and all I can say is WOW!!! This thing is just a pure blast to drive. I have one complaint though, the steering feels like a 60's caddy. I have 275/40/17's up front and I can three point turn with my pinkie finger!!. I am using the stock box which is about 2.25 turn lock to lock and the pump from a 2000 camaro SS. My questions how can I decrease the pressure safley? what other options do I have? Is this a common issue or is one of my parts defective?

Like I said, the car is a blast to drive but this takes some fun out of it as it just dosen't feel right.

Thanks for the help guys
Andy

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (17)

Hmmmm...never heard of that before... I just bought a new box for my 87 TA. My old box was the 2.5 turn lock to lock. I ordered a box from Autozone that was supposed to be 2.5 turn...but seems more like 3 turn. Im going to see what happens.

Ive never heard of it turning super easy. I thought the 4th gen pump worked perfect with the 3rd gen box.

Is it unstable? Like un-safe to drive? My first car was a 1967 Pontiac Bonneville. That thing had what they called heavy duty power steering and brakes. You could start out with the wheel locked to the left, give it a swift turn, and it would cycle all the way to the right lock by itself. I hated it... So if its going to be too light, Ill be interested in a solution too.

Justin

Hey man...just curious. Where is Latrobe, PA??? Im too lazy to mapquest it. haha...

pt67camarols1

I have one out off a Iroc Z Camaro. It is fast ratio box and feels realy good.

bczee

iTrader: (12)

I beleive that the P/S box can be rebuilt to replace or modify the Valves in it to increase feed back.

Try checking with some of the vendors that rebuild or sells new/rebuild P/S boxes.

LS1RS89

Thanks for the responses guys, I'm starting to think the box might be the issue. As far as Latrobe, about 35 miles southeast of Pittsburgh or about an hour drive. I'll see how many more people chime in but until then if anyone has had good experiences having a box rebuilt/revalved let me know.

Thanks
Andy

RFERG43

There is a spring inside the pressure regulator. Take it out and replace it with one with about 1/2 the compression force. I got one from Ace Hardware and cut it to length. Works fine in my RX7 swap.

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (17)

Can you elaborate on that alittle??? Where is the spring located? When you did this, it still functioned correctly, but lessened the "power" steering effect?? You've got my curiousity...

Justin

LS1RS89

That is exactly the type of information I was looking for. I really did not want to start throwing parts at it and create more downtime. Thanks I'll see how it works.

Andy

pjtimmer

Me too, please tell us!

thanks

RFERG43

The power steeing outlet hose screws into a hex head fitting that screws into the pump body. If you remove the fitting you will see the spring inside. Replacing it with a weker spring worked perfectly in my RX7. The steering feels just like it did with the rotary in it. For your application you may have to experiment a little to find a spring that gives the feel your happy with.

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (17)

So...just to be clear...You remove the power steering presure hose from the pump. Then remove the fitting that the hose screws into. It just screws into the body of the pump? Inside there, there is a spring. And if you match it up to a spring that is softer, it will reduce teh amount of assist that the pump gives. And this should effectivly increase the steering effort for the car? Just trying to get the basic jist of this down. I dont have the pump installed in the car yet. So now would be a good time to mess with this.

Andy if you get this work...you definetly have to post up with what spring you used and how good it works.

Good info! never even heard of doing this before!

Justin

bczee

iTrader: (12)

Question, I understand that Rferg43 has done this with his RX7.. but the start of the post was for LS1RS89's Camaro's steering.. And not knowing what RX7 box looks like, How close is a RX7 and a GM Box ?

Check out this link on rebuild a Chevelle box, but it is simular to a Gen 3 F-Body..
http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/te...ing_box_build/

Hope it helps.

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (17)

Does an RX7 even have a box??? I dont know squat about them. But if I had to guess my guess would be that it has a rack. Either way...from what LS1RS89 described, it seems like if this trick fools with the amount of assist that the pump provides, it will work for any power steering application. Im really curious about this because Ive never heard of a way to adjust the output of a power steering system like this. I like it because it sounds really simple, and you can use different springs with different compression strengths to get teh steering how you want it.


Justin

RFERG43

You can get more info by searching here:
http://www.torquecentral.com/forumdisplay.php?f=11
BTW, the RX7 has a rack. I might add that I just took the spring to a good hardware store along with a weight that would compress the spring to about 3/4 of its uncompressed length and found a spring the right diameter that the weight compressed to half its length. I had to cut the new spring so I cut it one spiral longer and heated the cut end to bend it so the end was flat. Don't know if that was necessary or not.

bczee

iTrader: (12)

Well.. with that being said.. we are looking at apples and oranges.. to correctly change the GM steering boxes feed back.. the Torque rod must be changed out for the correct amount of feed back for LS1RS89's 3rd gen Camaro.

LS1RS89.. from your name, I assume that you had a V6 RS car and swapped in a LS1.. ??

Maybe you should look into a different steering box (Z28/IROC/1LE box, as they may have more feed back over a standard box and a quicker ratio). Or swap for one of the suggested G-Body boxes in the artical.

BULLET99Z28

iTrader: (9)

Correct,the Iroc and Z28's have a quicker ratio steering box. Drive a regular 3rd gen,then drive an Iroc-big difference in feel and quickness. I would look for an Iroc box,or purchase one from AGR,you can get one as quck as 12:1

LS1RS89

Actually the car was a V8 TBI RS originally but the box was changed over to a 1LE unit from a wrecked SCCA car that I bought and parted out. I stole the sway bars, box, wonder bar, strut brace, springs and some other things before I parted it out and made some money The box is either 2.25 or 2.5 lock to lock, it is very quick.

The box was in the car with my last engine (carbed 406) using the pump from the TBI motor and it was low effort turning but nothing like it is now. As far as the other adjustments please tell me more about how the box actually works and what the torque rod is. I appreciate the responses so far as they have been great information. Worst comes to worst I'll just keep driving it the way it is or put a smaller steering wheel on it. The car is not dangerous to drive just feels less like a sports car then it should.

jeepinpete

The LSx pump does seem to deliver higher pressure. On my '79 Jeep, which never had heavy steering to begin with, has gotten to a new level of "Cadillac-ness" For my app this is fine (makes driving on the trails much easier). Lowering the pressure by changing the spring in the pump will reduce effort across the board.

Dhmoto111

iTrader: (1)

my swap did the same thing i put a 5.3L in my scout with the scout box it turn the 15.5" wide 38's like they arent even there, you can fling the wheel with one finger and it will go about another 1/2 turn

thats with hydroboost brakes too

im not complaining now because im used to it

LS1RS89

I'm just glad I'm not the only guy this happened to. This weekend I should have time to play with the pressure spring. I will post up some results when I get some. Thanks for all the input

Andy