Unisteer Rack and Pinion Steering

I'm curious as to how it works out myself. Please let us know the details and driving impressions you get once your car is back in your possession and you make the shake down run.

I'm especially interested in knowing about the turning radius since the morons around here are designing roads and parking lots for cars about the size of a so called Smart Car (my Club Car Golf Cart is bigger than those things! ).

-Scott H.

 

Definitely interested as well.

I am seriously interested in a manual rack, though I *could* probably be convinced to go with a power assist if it was a really sweet setup.

I would really prefer the power assist to be adjustable, I'd like as little assist as possible, just a little help when parking. It is so much more responsive now with the power assist gone.

 

From another forum...
http://www.fordmuscleforums.com/all...column-electric-power-assist-system-epas.html

 

All that'll do, is give you electric assist, with a crappy old steering box...

 

You can add it to a manual rack and pinion if Nick's source comes out with one. No pumps, hoses, brackets, fluids or belts to fool with.

 

All that will come as a complete kit, the only messing around will be putting it together.

 

They are not going to put out a manual rack system.

 

If they offer manual steering I will be interested...

 

I prefer manual but if the price is low enough on a power unit I'm in.

 

I have had Spooky back from Unisteer for almost a week and my driving impressions of the system are that it steers like a new car and driving it is so much more enjoyable, well worth $1,600 in my opinion. I went from a newly rebuilt factory power steering system to this and there is no comparison. When driving on the highway you can hold the steering wheel still and the car will go straight. If you hit bumps in the road the steering wheel does not move and the car continues to go straight. When changing lanes you barely have to move the steering wheel and the car moves into the other lane with little to no effort, just a much better road feel with this system. On back roads it handles much better and goes into turns with much more confidence and stability. As far as turning radius goes, it has the same as factory range when turning to the right and when turning to the left it is 12 degrees less of a turning radius than factory due to clearance between a tie-rod and the block that holds the rack itself onto the frame so an internal stop that had to be installed to avoid contact. The 12 degrees less turning radius is hardly noticable and has no effect on driving or parking the car. I turned around in a dead end street and cleared it turning left with plenty of room to spare. The unit looks factory and is tucked under the car tight hanging about the same level as the bottom of the oil pan. The kit comes complete with all you need to fabricate your steering column after you cut off the rag joint, new pump, stainless steel lines, AN fittings, tie-rods, and all the hardware. There is no welding involved. Unisteer will be offering the kit in about a month and it is going to cost around $1,600. They are only going to offer a power rack and pinion and no non power or electic power. I am attaching some pictures, feel free to ask me any questions.

 

More pics!!

 

Some more pics.

 

Nick do you know if this system is just for V-8's ?

 

Good question Rick, I am not sure what the difference in the oil pan between the v8 and a 6 is. Maybe someone will be able to answer that. Other than the oil pan it should work fine. As long as the sump is towards the front of the car you should be fine.

 

I guess when the time comes I'll have to give them a call, or maybe they will be at Nat's North and I can talk to them. Thanks