Weight saving help needed, abs and power steering removal.

[k20 gtr]

Has anybody removed the power steering system to save weight and drag on the engine??
Any tips or pointers??
Whats it like to remove the abs system, is it a pig of a job? does the master cyinder need changed??


Thanks guys :-D

 

[vss irvine]

if you intend to use the car on the road or even track then i would think twice about removing the pas, gtir are very heavy over the front wheels so you need the power part!

you could convert to electric pas, realistically theres plenty more to be done before you go to these extremes.

 

[Spikey]

i removed the Abs which weighs quiet a bit.

 

[k20 gtr]

Thank you, i didnt think of the front weight of the car, your right. Ive had plenty of cars without power steering but have been alot lighter

 

[skiddusmarkus]

Removing power steering and fitting an electric pump to reduce drag on the engine won't do anything anyway as the electric pump would still take the same amount of power as the OE pump did, just that it will draw it as current from the alternator so moving the drag to that pulley instead.

 

[vss irvine]

it wont use as much drag though as your not turning a pump, some of the electic pas set ups use very little current these days, and if you bought a race spec pump they draw even less. depends how much you want to spend.

ive got a 54c block pas deletion kit and converted steering rack if anyone was that serious, though it may be getting used now...

get yourself some bracpan grp panels, change the standard wing mirrors, standard bumper bars, etc etc

 

[skiddusmarkus]

No, but the drag will increase on the alternator by the same amount as if it takes say 5hp to power the steering then it will still need that power from somewhere.I looked into the theory behind it a while ago and as you replace mechanicly driven things for electricly driven ones the current drawn on the alternator just increases making it harder to turn and increasing drag so no real benefit.Maybe having one less pulley will improve efficiency slightly.I know you weren't really suggesting it as a good idea though.

As said, he is better of stripping weight from other areas before messing with harder stuf flike steering and abs.My steering is already pretty heavy with the bumpsteer mod.

 

[PobodY]

Meh... the alternator already turns harder at high revs than low, plus you've got a buffer in the battery; you can draw the current from that to turn the PAS pump and re-charge it from the alternator at a slower rate. - It works just like a huge capacitor in the circuit.

 

[skiddusmarkus]

You're steering all the time though so wouldn't that just flatten the battery and if it didn't then it wouldn't it be back drawing from the alternator again?Law of physics says you don't get owt for nowt and the power has to come from somewhere.I don't really know what you mean about capacitors btw unless its the flux variant.

 

[Jon Olds]

Last rally misjudged a corner (ice: tankslapper!) and ended up in the gravel trap. stones took the PS belt off. finished the stage, just. car was undriveable. So, forget taking the PS off top save weight.
Same car, thought when I built it that having the ABS switchable might be some benefit: Wrong. The system is so crude, compared to what you can achieve with proper spec brakes that it is worthless. Next time the engine is out all the plumbing is getting binned. Live and learn.

 

[Sunny-D]

Dropped the engine to do the clutch so i binned the abs and pas while it was out, hopefully the car will be up and running in the next week or so, first impressions are the steering feels quite a bit heavier but no more than my old xr2i.

 

[JIMMYBACK]

im binning the ABS this week half the abs sensor where missing anyhow, wish me luck

 

[Sunny-D]

The abs ecu had loads of extra wires going to it that wasnt coming through the fire wall, hopefully they wasnt important cause i chopped the lot!

 

[JIMMYBACK]

The abs ecu had loads of extra wires going to it that wasnt coming through the fire wall, hopefully they wasnt important cause i chopped the lot!

:shock::shock::shock: well you soon find out:lol::lol:

 

[williams]

i have a non abs sunny brake proportioning valve for sale for anyone thats junking abs.

jon - if you fitted a manual rack it would be lighter to drive than drive a car with PAS fitted but not running.

 

[k20 gtr]

Sunny D, keep up updated on how you get on once the car is back on the roads!

 

[Jon Olds]

A manual rack must be lower geared if it is lighter, surely? Not what I need trying to hussle the lump between chicanes. My opinion is that you will fit the ps again, either OE or electric.
PS. I have avoided commenting, but believe electric is the answer.
Same subject, anybody heard of a quick rack for the GTIR?

 

[williams]

id rather go electric PAS. i dont want it too light though as you'll just loose feeling.

you must be able to get a quick rack, this car has one http://www.racedandrallied.com/rally-cars-for-sale/nissan-sunny-gtir-gra-rally-car

 

[Sunny-D]

I've had a chance to road test the car and sort of regret getting rid of the ps, its not undriveable but it really makes driving a chore. Anything below 5-10mph is really hard work, its only when over 20mph that it becomes more manageable but still takes the fun out of driving the car. Next step is electric ps.

 

[MarkTurbo]

What are you using the car for that made you think it would be a good idea to bin the power steering?

Unless your competing in an event where every 100th of a second counts i really can't see the point in it, it probably doesn't even weigh that much :lol: