I have a 1991 Z-28 drag car I am building. I am installing a manual steering box.

I dont know what kind of connection the airbag has to the steering column. Does it use two wires to the squib or does it use brushes and a commutator to make the electrical connection?

I want to install the manual steering box for weight. This raises the number of turns of the steering wheel lock to lock exponentially. I fear that if I don't replace the steering wheel that the increased number of turns could run the connection out of slack wire and cause it to short and fire. If it uses the brush and commutator style connection there is no amount of turns that could cause this to ever happen. I would rather leave the steering wheel with airbag as it keeps it more stock appearing as well as adds the safety for when it is street driven.

Am I overthinking this? is there no "finite" amount of turns on a column with an airbag?

 

a rack and pinion setup is much much much lighter than any manual steering setup. The steering box alone is like what, 60 pounds? Anywho, just some food for thought if you are looking for weight reduction.

 

yes but I cannot simply go to the wrecking yard and unbolt a rack and pinion setup that will nearly bolt into my camaro, I can do that with a manual box. The manual box is tiny and is very close to a rack unit in weight. Im into minimum fabrication here, the more I get stretched out on this car the higher the likelyness that it will never get done.

 

The airbag requires 12V power to be applied to it in order to inflate. Even if you ran out of wire and it broke, it would not cause the detonation of the airbag. But I guess something freaky could happen, so don't take my word for it.

 

Since it's a drag car your building, couldn't you just take it out?


-Derth

 

because it is a street car and that is not one of the concessions I wanted to make. I get tired of fast "so called" street cars. I want a fast STREET CAR.

 

You could probably take a column and wheel out of an earlier camaro and ditch the airbag and if you can disable the damn air bag light in the dash you should be fine.

 

turns out it does use the brush and commutator setup, so there are no wires that can get wrapped up simply by turning the wheel a few extra turns each way.