manual steering

[badge 180]

I am setting up a 1/2 ton dodge truck for a local 1/3 mile high banked asphalt track. The truck has a manual steering box in it now. I want to try not to use power steering for the weight and h.p. savings. Anyone running a manual box that can give me a suggestion on where to start with the caster/ camber settings?

[DYNO360]

It is tempting to save the weight and horse power, but stock manual steering boxes are too slow for circle track racing. I doubt if you can find a set of quick ratio gears for your truck, either. You can go ahead and leave the manual box in, but it is very hard to correct if you get sideways.

[RonsDirt]

DYNO360 is right, years ago we used manual steering with a 3 to 1 chain drive, it took a 25" steering wheel to turn the thing. P.S is so much bettor.

[Torpedotom]

I'll just echo what's been posted already. I've worked on lots of cars and learned (more than once) power steering gives the driver so much more than the weight & HP savings can ever make up.

[340duster1]

I tried manual steering in my duster street stock (for weight savings) it lasted one race and I took it out. The car was very difficult to drive. I wouldn't recommend it.

[krash]

call it inexperience but i emptied all my tranny fluid and power steering fluid one night at practice (not intentionally) only had enough fluid for trans so disconnected pump and finished the night. found that while it took more effort, i quit spinning out by not oversteering (again that inexperience thing)