Anyone try the old school trick - reduce steering assist on a fox?

[stangstevers]

I made a mistake in building my suspension, I put a stock 5.0 replacement rack and upgrading to a 2003 Cobra rack will cost me more because I already have an M&M steering shaft (and I need a hybrid one). The car handles like a mofo but if you sneeze at the wheel, it will make the car want to turn 90 degrees lol... Not to mention the bumpsteer issue I'm having with the lowered suspension and wider front tires (I have offset bushings and bumpsteer kit).

Anyway the steering feeling is very "over-assisted" as typical but I'm thinking about cutting the "pressure" spring in the steering pump to reduce pressure and make the steering a little harder to turn. The other option is to bite the bullet, get a Cobra Rack and new M&M hybrid shaft and do it right. I could sell my (https://lmr.com/item/MM-MMST11/79-93-Mustang-Steering-Shaft-Assembly-For-Power-Steering-Rack) ($300) and buy (https://lmr.com/item/MM-MMST13/79-93-Mustang-Steering-Shaft-Assembly-For-94-04-Power-Steering-Rack) (roughly $400)... Cobra steering rack is $300 on Rockauto.

First I will try the spring trick to lower the pressure.

[ZR]

What your describing can typically be brought well under control via alignment and will require at least a set of MM CC plates and alum rack bushings plus sway bar end links, assuming rest of front end and tires are in good shape. Difference between feel of early vs later model racks is not as significant as we've been led to believe.
Many also discount how much poor quality rear arms have on the overall feel and balance of their rides. Sure the poly arms make it feel like it handles better vs sloppy stockers but add in any bumps or crown in the road and they become more of a hindrance vs advantage (not to mention poly / solid upper are brutally hard on the chassis itself). Same can be said of much an overly lowered stance that puts suspension well out of the range of providing anything beyond a cool look.
As for the alignment itself, lots of peeps do them, few have the expertise to adjust beyond factory specs. While my own drove very well with local shops set up, pales in comparison to what Scott from Can Alignment was able to dial in.

JMO

[stangstevers]

What your describing can typically be brought well under control via alignment and will require at least a set of MM CC plates and alum rack bushings plus sway bar end links, assuming rest of front end and tires are in good shape. Difference between feel of early vs later model racks is not as significant as we've been led to believe.

Had alignment done, straight as an arrow. Tires are new, has MM CC plates, MM coilover kit, MM alum offset rack bushings, MM steering shaft, MM tubular K-member & control arms and strut brace too...

So the rack change won't be worth the hassle and cost? I'll mess with the spring and see if that helps enough lol Maybe I'm just too used to the newer electric pumps and a button to change the steering feel (I keep it in the firmer position on the new GT).

[ZR]

Don't be confused between straight as an arrow and drives how you like it. Which holes are lower control arms in? Did you do bumpsteer (stock t rods or bump kit?)? How much caster / camber is dialed in? Is alignment geared more to max handling or super nice cruiser? By offset bushings, assume you mean MM K member specific version?

[Slick_89_Hatch]

Having an alignment that adds caster helps a fox track much better over uneven roads.... but the key is installing a bumpsteer kit and having it set up properly. I have MM arms, Steeda CC plates, MM bumpsteer, non offset poly bushings, mm shaft, 03 GT rack and my cars road manners are incredible, especially considering how low it is. Get that bumpsteer kit installed, and have the front set up properly from a guy like Scott (he did mine) and you'll be amazed.

[hammerhead]

Bumpsteer is usually .caused from incorrectly angles if your still using the factory tie rod end you may need to swap that out for aftermarket to maintain correct angles

[stangstevers]

Who is Scott? I went to an alignment shop in Oshawa on Taunton.

I think I may just buy the ghetto tools and do my own alignment.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iY6G4ue1ZKE/VL348bR7YeI/AAAAAAAAWow/4oa-6K5Rx9w/s1600/mr_deeds.jpg It drives straight though, just a bit twitchy like 1/4" turn and it feels like full lock (hyperbole but still not that impressive lol).

[hammerhead]

Generally to correct bump steer the rod end should be more or less parallel to the lower control arm with the centre line of the tie rod end running with the centre line of the strut to the top or ball joint pending front end if that explanation is understandable don't have a pic but you can find info online - this area is where I would begin to look since the car has bee lowered - with mm products you may have also lengthened your wheel base by 1"

[Frankie]

Which steering rack is currently in your car? They made a 15 turn and 22 turn version.
Swapping to the 22 may help with your feeling - these are generally only $100 or so.

I read somewhere that the 91 tie rod ends position the steering arm a little lower, correcting some bump steer.
Could be a cheap way to correct the alignment of the steering arm and control arm.

[stangstevers]

Which steering rack is currently in your car? They made a 15 turn and 22 turn version.
Swapping to the 22 may help with your feeling - these are generally only $100 or so.

I read somewhere that the 91 tie rod ends position the steering arm a little lower, correcting some bump steer.
Could be a cheap way to correct the alignment of the steering arm and control arm.

Stock replacement for the 5.0... isn't it 14.7 turns or something?

I do have a real stupid idea that just may work....

I wonder if I can retro fit a Volvo (or whatever) electric-hydrolic steering pump and remove the Factory stuff. That way I can run a potentiometer of sorts in the circuit to control the pressure. That would be a pretty cool mod that no one is really doing.

[ZR]

Aftermarket power steering has been out there for awhile now, no experience with it myself.

[stangstevers]

Looks like people have been using an older Toyota MR2 pump, but they seem $$$ more than it's worth at this point. I'm looking at a 2010+ Mazda 3 pump and remote reservoir... Probably won't pan out as my ADD will kick in to something else before I even start. I do want to try cutting the spring on the factory pump to reduce the assistance a little and that may just do the trick. But I like the idea of electric-hydro steering just for the sake of doing something stupid like the good ol days.

[stangstevers]

ahhh here we go... simple solution https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/hdt-ps-101/overview/

[Frankie]

Stock replacement for the 5.0... isn't it 14.7 turns or something?

I do have a real stupid idea that just may work....

I wonder if I can retro fit a Volvo (or whatever) electric-hydrolic steering pump and remove the Factory stuff. That way I can run a potentiometer of sorts in the circuit to control the pressure. That would be a pretty cool mod that no one is really doing.


A quick look at Rockauto shows 2 different racks available:
Cardone 97207 (22207) is the standard 2.4 turns lock-to-lock unit
Cardone 22203A is 3 turns lock to lock - this may slow things down enough for you?