Any harm in removing P/S components?

[N/A Camry Sleeper]

OK - so I drove the entire week without P/S on the Camry - through rain, warm and cool temps - cold in the morning and have come to the conclusion that I can do without it...

Will there be any long-term adverse effects to the steering system without the circulation of fluid? I noticed when it's colder, steering is more diffcult, but still manageable. I am thinking of removing all the components - the pump, lines, etc and capping off the rack so that the existing fluid will remain inside and not leak out over time...any ideas?

BTW anyone who needs P/S parts for a Gen3 Camry just let me know - worked perfectly last week and will sell them for practically nothing - PM me...

[Zembonez]

Over time, the rack that is designed to have fluid circulating through it will become harder and harder to turn. Any chance of scoring a manual rack for that car?

[reluctantmechanic]

Originally Posted by N/A Camry Sleeper

OK -

Will there be any long-term adverse effects to the steering system without the circulation of fluid? I noticed when it's colder, steering is more diffcult, but still manageable. ...

From what I've read, if you remove the pump, you need to cap the lines (to keep the fluid in).

You, sir, are what we would call "hard core"...I think you might want to consider making one of those early morning infomercials "the no power steering exercise program"...which basically consists of parallel parking your camry for 30 minutes per day....It's a million dollar idea - you can make money selling the videos, and charge for removing the power steering belt...

[Zembonez]

I'd like to see him leaving a parking lot on a good cold morning! Upper body strength might be enhanced though....

[Chris Crash]

Find a manual rack, it'll weigh less.

[iovaykind]

If he's trying to save weight, being bulky so he gains upper body strength wouldn't help the cause Like chris said, you'll need a manual rack.. over time you'll find that it's harder and harder for you to turn

[N/A Camry Sleeper]

Originally Posted by iovaykind

If he's trying to save weight, being bulky so he gains upper body strength wouldn't help the cause Like chris said, you'll need a manual rack.. over time you'll find that it's harder and harder for you to turn

I'm not exactly a lightweight person either at 245 lbs - maybe that's why the manual steering is not much of a problem...could stand to lose 30 lbs though - any more after that and I'll need new clothes!!! Have lost about 15 lbs since May when I started to get more serious (read obsessed) about weight reduction - after I quit smoking I started to gain some...

Well - anyway - this is a TN forum not Jenny Craig

Where could I locate a manual rack? Now that all the lines are off it should be less of a PITA to change out - Does a Celica have it or an MR2 - I know where there's a 1991 MR2 in a salvage yard...

[N/A Camry Sleeper]

Where could I locate a manual steering rack to fit the Camry? I know some 80s and early 90s Corollas have them, along with the MR2, but a larger, heavier car like the Cam may have NEVER came stock with a manual steering setup - anyone point me in the right direction?

[LynchburgCSI]

^^^ Merging this with your other thread, since its related.

[reluctantmechanic]

Originally Posted by N/A Camry Sleeper

Where could I locate a manual steering rack to fit the Camry? I know some 80s and early 90s Corollas have them, along with the MR2, but a larger, heavier car like the Cam may have NEVER came stock with a manual steering setup - anyone point me in the right direction?

your biggest problem here is time - it's been a long time since the days of manual racks...

I think three measurements will help you see if you can swap a rack from another car....total lengthyour tie rods are adjustable, so I bet you'll have 2-3 inches to work with on each side), the distance between the mounting bolts, and the position of the flange that connects your pump to your steering wheel....

in terms of a direct bolt in, the mr2 is going to be your best bet...hopefully someone with more knowledge will pipe in.

Also, every pound counts on your front end in terms of being able to steer more easily...I would move the battery back to the trunk, and consider removing the front bumper support (which I believe weights 25-30lbs)...of course it's not safe, but I would argue making the car lighter on the front end is the most important thing you can do without power steering. Not going to make a huge difference, but if your tires are rated to 32psi, overinflating them makes it easier to steer...you might want to experiment to find a psi you feel safe with.

[Mister_Perkins]

I drove my 93 integra with out the Power Steering hooked up no problem. Where the lines run out of the rack I Made a loop for the steering system and topped it off. (Where the two hose attachments go)

I'm not sure on the weight difference between the integra and camry, but I'm fairly certain the camry is heavier. It may, however still work

[reluctantmechanic]

Originally Posted by Mister_Perkins

I drove my 93 integra with out the Power Steering hooked up no problem. Where the lines run out of the rack I Made a loop for the steering system and topped it off. (Where the two hose attachments go)

I'm not sure on the weight difference between the integra and camry, but I'm fairly certain the camry is heavier. It may, however still work

I think this is the best option - periodically flushing the fluid...

[N/A Camry Sleeper]

Originally Posted by reluctantmechanic

your biggest problem here is time - it's been a long time since the days of manual racks...

I think three measurements will help you see if you can swap a rack from another car....total lengthyour tie rods are adjustable, so I bet you'll have 2-3 inches to work with on each side), the distance between the mounting bolts, and the position of the flange that connects your pump to your steering wheel....

in terms of a direct bolt in, the mr2 is going to be your best bet...hopefully someone with more knowledge will pipe in.

Also, every pound counts on your front end in terms of being able to steer more easily...I would move the battery back to the trunk, and consider removing the front bumper support (which I believe weights 25-30lbs)...of course it's not safe, but I would argue making the car lighter on the front end is the most important thing you can do without power steering. Not going to make a huge difference, but if your tires are rated to 32psi, overinflating them makes it easier to steer...you might want to experiment to find a psi you feel safe with.

That makes sense - if I can bolt in an MR2 rack and then possibly change out the *rods between the tie rods* (I forget what those are called) it may work. May have to find a common denominator between the two cars like I did with the seats, but if it directly bolts in, that's half the battle won right there

[Pvt-Public]

I drove a 1969 Cutlass with a seized P/S pump for 4 years, a Camry can't be that tough. But now I gotta try it and see.

[N/A Camry Sleeper]

Removed all the P/S components today and lost another 13-14lbs not counting the fluid that spilled everywhere - it's getting closer and closer to the 2600 lbs target weight each day!

Next step in the steering department is to use an MR2 manual rack and possibly shed another 15-20 lbs!!!