I upgraded my 02 steering rack to an STi rack a while back and I really enjoyed the quicker steering...but, going from a 16:1 to a 15:1 ratio really isn't a huge leap. Is anyone running a quicker ratio steering rack on their car...the devil inside me wants a 11:1, but I would like to feel something closer to that first before buying. I would love to get a feel for a quicker rack, so if anyone has one and would be willing to meet up and let me drive their car around a parking lot that would be awesome. It doesn't have to be an 11:1 rack, even something in the 12-13 range...I think that I could make a decision from there. I am 31 and I have a perfect driving record, no wrecks, no speeding tickets...and I am not talking about autocrossing your car across a parking lot...I am more concearned about how the car behaves in a straight line...like if I were on the freeway.
go drive an evo. they've got way quicker racks than our cars. Also, I think Ball is/was working on an adjustable ratio-type ps setup. May be worth asking him.
Cool, thanks...I don't know anyone with an evo...I figured I had a better chance of finding an Impreza. I'll check with Matt too.
for the price of the quick racks i've seen i'd just tear up the column and use a steering quickener instead.
Cruical used to do that. A friend of mine had one on his WRX -- and it was mucho nice. If you buy me a quicksteer Ill let you know what I think.
L & E fabrication sell a steering column with a quickener. I want one pretty bad. They are around $700 but their website is down for renovation. http://www.landefabrication.com/
use my old Forester 19:1 rack for a while then swap back to the STi and you'll be happy again. And I think STi racks are faster than 15:1... not that it matters because you want faster than whatever it is.
I have considered a steering quickener...but from what I understand they keep the steering column from being able to collapse in a collision...that may not be true, but I'd rather just get a rack. I bet that a Spec-C rack is about the same or very close to the price of an aftermarket q-rack...and above that...even finding a LHD spec-C rack would be very difficult.
I had the L&E unit in my old GC8 and I wouldn't install another one. The increase in steering effort was difficult to get used to and the play in the steering wheel waiting for the quickener to engage was even worse. Do it right or don't do it all.
The quickener limits column colapse to like 1/3 of the designed colapse. I think any play in the system would be the deal breaker for me.