Suspension / ChassisQuestions about your suspension? Need chassis advice?
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i was looking at doing an s10 manual steering box as i heard that it is a direct bolt in and will save a ton of weight but my question is just how much. im sure someone knows..
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__________________ 86 camaro Mike Ford racing engines pumpgas 383, FTI t-braked th350/ 8" 5000 stall. under construction..... again.
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nvm did a search and found it so before you start screaming i got it. just curious tho, how many of you woud do this? the car is mostly race its got skinnys on the front and is only driven once a month at the most. is it a pain to turn?
It doesn't take a lot of extra effort, you just have to turn the wheel a lot further. With skinnies, I'd just do the swap. Even if you don't like it, you can re-install power steering and only have wasted a couple hours.
BTW, it isn't a direct bolt-it if you're still using a front swaybar, you have to grind away a little bit of the top/rear part of the DS swaybar mount.
While you're at it, you should check and see if the S10 pitman arm will bolt on. If you could use the S10 idler arm, you could also use the S10 pitman arm, to reduce steering effort. My S15 has manual steering and a small aftermarket steering wheel, and the steering effort is noticeably lighter than it is in my camaro, even while not moving.
its used for drag for the most part no swaybar and a small grant wheel. my thing is if im going down the track and the car gets out of shape can it be corrected without turning the wheels a full turn.
I got well out the groove once this year. Just like a power box, it only takes a little effort to correct the steering while you're moving.
A power box has 2-1/2 turns from stop to stop. An S10 manual box is 7 turns. Because I use a 27.5" tall skinny, I can't turn from stop to stop before the tires hit the inner fenders. This just means I don't have a short turning radius and occasionally need to make a 3 point turn.
__________________
87 IROC-Z
All engine, no power adders! Bests: 9.260@146.31 (at altitude)
You can watch how much steering I do in these videos including turning off the track at the end. No more than a 1/2 turn in either direction for normal steering.
sounds good and this is a pretty simple install? probly less than an hour. also looking to pull the ac and water pump what kind of belt set up would you guys recommend switching to just need to run an alternator at that point.
currently i am running the serp setup that came on these cars that power the water pump,crank and alternator. Putting electric WP on this week though. NOw i need a new setup.
__________________ 1986 Camaro. 383 SBC. Scat forged bottom end, Diamond Pistons, Bullet solid roller, Crower HIPPO Roller lifters, Motown heads that flow 320cfm, Comp Pro Magnum Rockers, Ported Hurricane Intake, TRC 950 Carb.
TH350, RMVB. ATI 8" converter.
Strange S60 With 4:11's and Detroit Locker. Strange Adj Shocks
All Spohn Suspension.
275/60/15 MT ET streets. Sportsman up front.
84+ S10's with the 4 bolt top cover manual steering box. The manual steering box was only available in S10's with a 4 cylinder engine but not all 4 cylinder S10's have manual steering.
You can use an older version manual box with the 3 bolt top cover but it's not as easy to install because of the different sized input and output shafts.
it will take more than an hour start to finish.
you will need to REUSE your factory pitman arm from your camaro box.
there isnt much weight savings, but if its a track car, get all you can get.
the box itself is smaller. its a pound or two lighter.
weight savings will come in brackets, pump, pulley, hoses, bolts, weight of the fluid.
the most weight savings will come by converting to rack and pinion.
i weighed my entire factory steering setup at 52.5 pounds. i only put back 12 pounds.
you can buy kits, or fab up your own. a rack setup is for the serious only.
__________________ 1988 IROC-z/28. 4th gen interior. 408 LSx
sporting the stock fuse box and taillights.
too many mods to type.
6.23@109.71 pump gas. all motor.
Hey stage20, I am sure your car is mostly for the track but is it hard to turn the rack and pinion? I am thinking of converting to R&P (along with K-member) instead of the S10 box but I do some street driving too (plus the wifey drives the car occasionally). I know the weight savings are better but wanted to see how hard it is to actually turn the wheel. Thanks
__________________ "Paint doesn't make Horsepower!"
1985 Camaro Sport Coupe, Daytona Fiberglass Hood, B&M console Mega-shifter, Shaved firewall, Heat, A/C, and radio removed, 355 (350, .030 over), 9.75:1 cr, Summit Crank, Trick Flow Aluminum Heads 2.02/1.60, Comp Cams CS XE284H-10 Hydraulic Flat Tappet, Advertised Duration 284/296, Lift .507/.510, 1.5 Comp Cams Gold Roller Rockers, Edelbrock RPM Air Gap Intake, 650cfm Speed Demon Vac Secondary Carb, 1" ported Carb Spacer, Stock HEI, K&N Style Flow thru Air Cleaner, 1 3/4" Hooker Full length Headers, 2 1/5" pipe w/ H-pipe and two Summit Turbo mufflers dumped before the rear, TH350 w/ Turbo Action Shift kit, TCI 3200-3600 stall Super Street Fighter Converter, Open rear w/ 3:73 gears, 3 way adjustable Summit drag shocks, Stock Suspension.
Hey stage20, I am sure your car is mostly for the track but is it hard to turn the rack and pinion? I am thinking of converting to R&P (along with K-member) instead of the S10 box but I do some street driving too (plus the wifey drives the car occasionally). I know the weight savings are better but wanted to see how hard it is to actually turn the wheel. Thanks
you will have to shorten the steering arm on the stock spindle or get a set of racecraft spindles for a rack.
when i had a posi in the car, the pinto rack turns much easier(less steering effort)than an s10 box.
you are turning the wheel more, but much less force.
now that i have a spool in the car it feels like i have a power steering box with the hoses looped, but thats to be expected.
i could drive it with one finger in a parking lot before the spool.
you MUST use a shortened steering arm or dont bother, it wont turn.
