Subaru power steering mod.

[Fenderer]

I've recently bought a 1995 Chimaera 400HC and have been lurking on here researching the best way to do a power steering conversion. This thread http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... has been really useful and I'm taking the plunge and converting my manual steering to a powered setup using an Impreza rack an Astra electric pump.

Impreza rack sourced and I've stripped it down and moved the housing around 180 deg. Not sure whether I'll get away with it but I've managed to bend the existing pipes into the new positions.



Next up is trying to get the Ford Ka steering joint to fit the pinion. Need to get it to a 17mm hex shape which isn't looking easy. The Astra pump is pretty big and there doesn't seem a very obvious place to mount it. Any help and tips from those that have done it would be very welcome.

[Fenderer]

Thanks, that looks a great install. Yes I guess I can move the expansion tank to make room for the pump. Will let you know how I get on filing the flats on the pinion.

[Fenderer]

I think I've cracked it, it's not pretty but it should do the job. I ended up with a combination of draw filing and angle grinder. I drilled another bolt hole in the KA UJ as the single one didn't feel man enough for the job.




Bassfiend, as I understand it the TVR manual rack track rods should screw straight into the Scooby rack but not got to that stage yet myself.

phazed thanks for the offer of a look, I'm in Waterlooville nr Portsmouth.

Next job to get the hoses and hydraulics connectors sourced.

[Fenderer]

My car came from Christchurch it was my dad's and a regular on the Avon Causeway battling to do a hillstart with the dodgy handbrake to get over the river.

Ebay goodies arrived in the post today. Blank plates, spacers, bolts and the fluid connectors for the Scooby rack and Astra pump



I've gone for a standard M16 and M14 x 1.5 to AN6 connectors and I'll need to machine these a little on my mini lathe to get a seal on the bottom of the rack with a copper washer.

[Fenderer]

LongBaz463BHP said:

Where abouts in Waterlooville are you? I am on the Riverdale estate.
Barrie

Good grief you are practically next door. I'm off Crystal Way.

[Fenderer]

OK, I managed to get out the TVR manual rack after about 3 hours and a lot of swearing. Both steering couplings were seized on for death.

The next problem is I can't remove the steering arms off the old rack. I've put a large F spanner on the flats and belted it with a lump hammer but nothing is moving. Any ideas how to shift them?

[Fenderer]

I just can't shift them. There didn't look to be enough access to unscrew them under the car. I also can't see a way of getting the new rack in without removing the exhaust Y piece which looks hard work. The pinion won't fit through the gap in the wishbones. Not easy this.

[Fenderer]

Thanks, will give that a go.

[Fenderer]

Damn, bit of a set back. The reason my steering arms wouldn't unscrew are because I wasn't appreciating there is a locknut on each joint. At a mate's with a bigger vice, once the locknut was released, the joint broke free. The problem is there is NO male screw thread on these steering arms, It's a larger female thread with a wierd spring inside so these have no chance of being used on the Scooby rack. For some reason my rack is completely different to those I've seen pictures of previously on here and has no female thread in the ends. It's slightly longer too. Weird.

So now I need to source 2 new Chimaera steering arms with a male thread to fit the Scooby rack.

Edited by Fenderer on Monday 12th October 23:54

[Fenderer]

My manual rack is totally different 620mm length and male ends. Very confusing.

Can anybody confirm what length track rod arms they have used in the Scooby rack as they seem to come in three different lengths 295mm, 335, and 305mm?

[Fenderer]

OK we are back in business. 2 new TVR steering arms screw straight into the Scooby rack. Here's the two racks side by side, overall length is the same. Trial fitting the rack next.

[Fenderer]

It's done already. First job I did then re-bent the pipes for the new orientation.

[Fenderer]

Many hours later, Scooby rack is in. Pipes connected, fluid connectors on.

Next job, order a shorter 330mm steering linkage. and connect the steering arms, fit the TREs. It looks like the steering linkage is going to be very tight for clearance against the upper wishbone. Hope it doesn't foul it.

[Fenderer]

Bit more work tonight fitting the new steering linkage, and as suspected it's fouling the wishbone a little, when the suspension is on full drop. Not sure if this will get better with the tie rod reconnected. It will be OK when the weight of the car is on the suspension but not ideal to have the steering fouled when the car is jacked up.

Phazed I know you said yours was OK but can you remember how tight yours is with the wheel off?

Some other clearance issues on the nuts on the Ford Ka joint but should be able to sort those with some grinding.

[Fenderer]

Thanks, I think I've cracked it. I 'adjusted' the sharp lower edge of the U section of the wishbone with a large hammer, and it's created a good 5mm clearance. Bit of grinding here and there for the UJ and it's all fitted.

Did you use nylon bump stops on your rack? I'm wondering whether I'll get away without them as I they weren't on my old TVR rack, so can't use those.

Getting my hoses made up tomorrow.

[Fenderer]

Great I should be OK then as I only have skinny 205s.

Well it's all connected up, pipes in and pump mounted, just the wiring to do now.

Got some questions on the Astra pump wiring,

1. Where did you take the switched ignition live from?
2. The blue/white wire that does the engine running signal. Did you wire this directly to the alternator charge light terminal?
3. The big red wire to the battery. Did you literally go straight to the battery through the bulkhead or pick up the starter motor cable?

Thanks for your help.

[Fenderer]

Thanks, that's great info. Finding the fuel pump feed wiring doesn't look easy.

Putting both the black and blue/white wires to the Alternator charge light seems the easiest but I'm not sure what the current draw is on the black wire. You don't really want to pull down the voltage on the alternator check light but I guess it's only a signal wire to the pump.

[Fenderer]

Just thought I'd update this to say my install is all done. I went straight to the battery for the pump wiring, found the fuel pump relay for the +12v and used the charge light on the alternator for the pump run signal.

It all works brilliantly! It's much easier to drive now, and doesn't do too much in the straight ahead position so still feels nicely weighted. The Astra pump also makes a nice engineered whine when manoeuvring.

Very pleased, thanks for everyone's help on this thread.

[Fenderer]

Wiring ended up being easier than I thought. Picture above shows the mess of wiring but it's really easy once you find the fuel pump relay which is relay in the blue socket in the picture.

-Main pump feed via 80amp fuse direct through the bulkhead to battery +
- Black wire wire from pump via 10A fuse to pin 86 on the Fuel pump relay to pick up the IGN switched +12v
- Blue/white wire connected to the brown (middle) charge light terminal on the back of the alternator.

For the steering shaft I bought this one from Motorsport Tools which was the perfect length .

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231555676851?_trksid=p20...

Edited by Fenderer on Sunday 1st November 20:22