love my caddy!

[R.O.R-2.0]

The Caddy is doing well with the work I've been putting into it. One thing I do notice is that it has much less power compared to my 92 Ecodiesel. I really wish it has power steering. I cannot make quick turns at a standstill which I consider unsafe.

Will the power steering from a 91 Ecodiesel fit the 81 Caddy (I have the complete assembly including reservoir from a 91 EcoD)? I love the simplicity of the Caddy with just one accessory belt and do not really want to change that. Since I only need power steering assist during standstill maneuvers, I was thinking of driving the power steering pump only when below 2 to 5 MPH with an electric motor (stepper motor for better torque). What do you think? How much power do I need to drive the power steering pump?

well, to install power steering on a mk1, you need a full mk1 powersteering setup..

the mk2 pump might fit on the engine, and you might be able to route the lines out of the way enough, but it will never be right..

mk1s dont even need power steering.. the only time i ever wanted it, was when i had 205mm tires on it..

anyways, you cant install a mk2 steering rack in a mk1 car, its just too different..

most mk1 cars never had power steering..

[hillfolk'r]

One cool thing about a mk1 power rack tho is less turns lock to lock.it would be nice to be able to swap a power rack+pinion into a non power" case" for a nicer steering ratio....just disconnecting the ps hoses is lame imo

[DogDiesel]

I installed PS on my Caddy.  Unit came from a Scirrocco.  You must also change the steering column to rack U-joint shaft.  Used it first with MK2 (85) V-belt with AAZ and with AAZ with serpentine.

My Caddy is a daily driver, no right lane slug.  While MK1 Caddy never had cruise control, mine also has that.  It will pull any speed above 28MPH on cruise, something no stock MK1 will do.  Any speed.  75-90 on cruise.  YES.  Back off on hills- no.

Parking is so much easier.  Now that I have serpentine.  It too is a must.  Also don't have stock wheels.  Or stock radio.

I could never go back.  If I had to drive a Caddy without PS and cruise, I'd stop driving them.

Make it like you want it, and drive it like you love it.

...mk1s dont even need power steering.. the only time i ever wanted it, was when i had 205mm tires on it..

anyways, you cant install a mk2 steering rack in a mk1 car, its just too different..

most mk1 cars never had power steering..

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

engine hoist is under 150#s

engine is around 250#s

i imagine you had 5-600 lbs in the bed, not 1000+ like you thought..

if you had 1000#s in the bed, it would barely move..

beware guys, you can BEND a caddy right in the middle..

Today, I weighed each piece of my engine hoist and added them up and it is 275 lbs. I used a digital bathroom scale with a resolution of 0.5 lb.

[JamesT]

It states here that the payload for the rabbit pickup is 1100lbs. Another source I found said 565Kg.  This makes me think that the truck would still move with 1000lbs in it, and isn't anywhere near bending at that point.
I know European trucks are weight rated by what the engine can handle, not by the suspension, but I would think that the frame is designed to handle a bit more than the weight rating.

[8v-of-fury]

I would think that the frame is designed to handle a bit more than the weight rating.

Generally speaking, I would think they would design it this way as well.

Also, 1000# isn't even that much weight. If you were gonna carry that much regularly I'd suggest extra bed to body bracing.. but still 1000# isn't that much weight. 4 average sized guys in the bed? I'm pretty sure I've seen pictures of more than that chillen in a bed of one at those big car shows.

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

I would think that the frame is designed to handle a bit more than the weight rating.

Generally speaking, I would think they would design it this way as well.

Also, 1000# isn't even that much weight. If you were gonna carry that much regularly I'd suggest extra bed to body bracing.. but still 1000# isn't that much weight. 4 average sized guys in the bed? I'm pretty sure I've seen pictures of more than that chillen in a bed of one at those big car shows.

4 average size guys 1000 lbs? Naah. Mabe 4 fat chicks in the bed lol.

[JamesT]

I would think that the frame is designed to handle a bit more than the weight rating.

Generally speaking, I would think they would design it this way as well.

Also, 1000# isn't even that much weight. If you were gonna carry that much regularly I'd suggest extra bed to body bracing.. but still 1000# isn't that much weight. 4 average sized guys in the bed? I'm pretty sure I've seen pictures of more than that chillen in a bed of one at those big car shows.

4 average size guys 1000 lbs? Naah. Mabe 4 fat chicks in the bed lol.

That's why you get the "no fat chicks" sticker for your truck.

I wish I had my caddy on the road a couple weeks ago. I went to pick up an engine and trans for the caddy, as well as a bunch of rabbit parts. Managed to get it all into the back of the rabbit. Pulled it fine with 2 guys, 1.6D, 020 trans, radiators, alternators, 2 boxes of wiring and trim pieces. That is except for one long hill that got me down to 75km/h in third.

[745 turbogreasel]

I had airshocks with about 1000 lb leveling capacity in my Caddy, and when I had to have them full, brakes, tires, and chassis rigidity were all obviously lacking.  I even had added a lower tie bar and front sway.
Putting around the paddock with 4 fatties in the bed is not the same as evading a road gator on the freeway.

[JamesT]

I had airshocks with about 1000 lb leveling capacity in my Caddy, and when I had to have them full, brakes, tires, and chassis rigidity were all obviously lacking.  I even had added a lower tie bar and front sway.
Putting around the paddock with 4 fatties in the bed is not the same as evading a road gator on the freeway.

The words in the third sentence seem to be English, but the meaning is completely lost. I wouldn't ever assume the pickup would handle well with 1000lbs in the ass end, but even a ranger or an S10 rides like a bag of *** once you get over 600 or 700lbs sitting on or behind the rear axle. Those are actual box-on-frame trucks too, not just hacked up passenger cars. The fact that a caddy can haul an acceptable amount of stuff and get better mileage than even the best econo-box on the North American market today is impressive. It doesn't need to be a sports car as well.

[745 turbogreasel]

What I mean is that if you are loaded near 1000 lbs, and you get into a bad situation, you will probably crash, because no part of the car is ready to handle it, even with the suspension sitting level.  I wouldn't really call an S10 or Ranger a truck either, they only have 5 bolt wheels.

[wolf_walker]

My old 81 LX with 650K+ has a bit of a bowed bed, and waved fore/aft as well.
I've had it filled level with bricks, front to back.  Bout 80 miles of that cost
very little fuel and a set of rear wheel bearings.
I've had 400lbs in the bed and towed a heli refueling station that was half full,
probly 800lbs.  That wasn't fun with a NA 1.6 but it was flat ground in the midwest
thankfully.  We had an engine lift and a turbine for a downed medical bird in there out in a field
in Kansas once, they aren't all that heavy but it was MUCH easier getting the thing
swapped in and out of the nice low to the ground Caddy bed than the other grown-up
trucks.  Ah the memories...

[hillfolk'r]

Gators..road gators..
a shredded tire laying in the road just sitting there waitin to bite your undercarrage.
Its bigtruck speak.
truckers,good dudes!
This was rollin 80e thru pa in the middle of the night.
ya cant tell in this pic but it was trucks as far as you could see.
pretty

Def an owner operator,sorry for the quality