Steeroids?

[vettegirl]

If you have installed Steeroids, are you happy with the results? Getting ready to order this for our 71.

Also, does anyone have contact info for the manufacturer? Can you purchase it from anywhere but Ecklers??

Thanks!

 

[Stallion]

I don't see what the advantage is of rack and pinion to our stock C3 steering.

 

[bari]

Steering with TOO MUCH ASSIST???

If you have installed Steeroids, are you happy with the results? Getting ready to order this for our 71.

Also, does anyone have contact info for the manufacturer? Can you purchase it from anywhere but Ecklers??

Thanks!

I have just gotten my 75 back from the mechanic who did the mods for me. I had the steeroids installed and even had the pump replaced from Chevrolet as my original one had a leak.

My experience is that there is too much assist on the steering now and it feels very soft! Prior to the swap, I had the stock power steering and it felt much better then.

So I called Speed Direct where I bought it from and they told me I need to buy what they're selling as detuned pump for $120! It supposedly has a flow rating of 850 psi.

I have not read or heard from anyone about having to buy special pump for the setup. Anyone out there with the same experience??? Did you buy the detuned pump?

Thanks,
Bari

 

[mrvette]

Back around 2001 or so, I did my own rack/p conversion, b-4 steeroied came out with their own system....commercially that is...well anyway...I did a 2.7 turns lock to lock on the rack out of a junkyard '92 Trand Am,,,,,did my own tie rods, and mounting brackets, hooked it up to a stock pump, and it's fine...

I suppose your 'light feeling' is from you not used to the fast ratio and right NOW steering....I suspect you need get used to it,...yeh. it's totally a differant car now...
helps if you upgrade the wheels/tires too...but that's an old story from years previous to my steering upgrade....

GENE

 

[Ol Blue]

I'm not sure where I heard this, but someone told me that Steeroids lessen your turning radius and increase toe steer. Has anyone noticed this to be an annoyance or problem?

Flaming river is the process of making a rack and pinion steering (non-power I think) for our cars and I was told that it doesn't affect turning radius.

I saw an ad in one of the hot rod magazines that made a bolt in 605 PS box for our Corvettes that has 12-1 ratio. If that really fits, it might be an easy way to improve our cars steering.
Ol Blue

 

[Stallion]

Why not just stick with stock steering? It seems great to me on my '78. No complaints there.

 

[yellow77]

I have had the Steeroids (purchased from Mid America Direct) for about six months. Installed and aligned in a day.
At parking the assist is great, however turn radius is slightly less than stock. At speed, it is a little light, and the quick ratio (2.4 turns lock to lock) can make it seem a little touchy. I have no issues releasing the wheel on an uneven road at 70 mph, the car just goes down the road like it is on rails. Initially I had a lot of wander, but the susequent blow out and replacement of all 4 tires fixed that.
I really cannot find anything negative to say about the system, I love it.

Cheers

Richard

 

[Evolution1980]

Why not just stick with stock steering? It seems great to me on my '78. No complaints there.

Stallion, what is your daily driver? If has any type of performance factor to it, it likely has a nice rack & pinion ("R&P") steering setup. If you notice on your vette, even when the car is not moving, you'll have a little left-to-right play in the steering. This is due to the recirculating ball steering that we have.

You can get an excellent description here: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/steering.htm

Anyways...what happens is that over time, these pieces parts get worn and you get that 'play' in the steering wheel. This causes a 'loss of sensation' in our steering. You lose that feel of the road because the minor bumps and changes are absorbed by this slop in the steering box.
I notice it all the time, especially when doing high speed runs. The car gets really flighty and the steering wheel gets more play in it than I care to feel at such speeds. An R&P steering eliminates all that (and 12 lbs up front). You'll get a much better 'buttoned down' feel for the car. The steering becomes immeasurably more responsive! I've been wanting it for years and finally I'm having it done.
I'll have it done in time for CruiseFest '05...yeah!!!!

If you are happy with your current steering, then there's no need for you to fix something that ain't broke. Me? My daily driver is R&P and I require that feedback that R&Pprovides. Quite frankly I can't stand the vette's worn recirculating ball setup. BLAH!!
I won't miss it one bit!

PS - That HowThingsWork site is fantastic. There's tons of really good info there...

 

[Evolution1980]

Vette Brakes & Products is now selling the Steeroids Rack & Pinion Steering Conversion.

For a 1971 Vette:

Small Block: 83030-1 $1156.00
Big Block: 83030-2 $1156.00

About a week for delivery.

Tony
VBP
800-237-9991

Tony! That's the best news I've heard in a while now! When I talked to you folks last summer, you hadn't had it yet. I was disappointed to say the least, as I really wanted to buy from you again!
And now looky here! Awesome!!! You'll definitely be getting my credit card number again in May sometime. Boy, two years in a row my big projects come from you.
Hmmmmm...now it's got me thinking...do you ever do "group buy" discounts?

Do you have any comments about the steering lock-to-lock ratio? Is it a wider radius than the stock? I actually wouldn't mind a hair less than the current stock setup. (I come from a racing background, so sensitive/quick steering is my preference.)

And finally, the Steeroids isn't listed on your website yet, at least not under the C3 steering section...

 

[Thumper]

To aid in reducing the "over-assist", you can do away with the PS pump altogether and just cap off the R&P and go manual. It's a bit heavy in the parking lot, but tons of road feel cruising around.

Some folks like the stock steering setup, but I'm not one of them. I love my Steeroids. I do have the PS pump hooked up to mine, but I also have Hydroboost brakes. I still had to enlarge a hole in a valve on the pump to bring the assist back down to get the road feel I was looking for.

I am also watching curiously for the Flaming River setup to hit the market. I want to compare the two and see what they do different.

 

[Ol Blue]

I spoke to Ron at Flaming River while at the Hot Rod Restoration show. He said that the non power rack and pinion for Corvette was done and installed on his 73 Vette, but that he wasn't going to put it on the market until they could also provide a power unit. He said that it could be 6 months.

Ol Blue

 

[WayneLBurnham]

Having driven for over a year with the PS disconned

because of the several huge leaks even after I let some idiots replace everything, and after having general leaks in PS systems on other vehicles, I would be more interested in a non-power R&P system.

I hope Flaming River will consider offering that as well. I would consider a change to a manual R&P system.

(I would like to go to the hydraboost system eventually - just for clearance to valve covers on the eventual engine, but I am so tired of the flakey leak prone PS systems....)

Not only that, but manual steering is less weight, one less belt to brake and less parasitic loss off the engine.

I also considered changing to a remote reservoir and solid connection pump system instead of the flakey sheet metal and oring fit of the one piece sheet metal reservoir system - but typically only some of the leaks come from reservoir leakage.

What about steering boxes on regular systems? Anybody have any preferences between the GM issued 12:1 versions, the Flaming River, the AGR or any of the others? I definitely want 12:1 - had it in several cars and much prefer the more direct control.

I suspect the stop to stop turns would be less on mine anyhow with the whole VBP front spring and tubular aframe system since the only drawback I've had is a small but definite loss in stop to stop, regardless of ratio. (The handling improvement was just stunning though...)