Power steering removal?

[scrounger]

I'd like to remove the power steering from my VW. The car steers light enough without it (engine off). No sense of wasting power.
Has anyone done it? Probably want to put in an idler pulley to keep the drive going to the water pump.

[rallydiesel]

Yes it's been done many times. If you want to keep your PS rack, then you can put a short section of hydraulic hose to join the in/out ports on the rack itself. Then you can delete the pump.

[scrounger]

I had figured it had been done. There isn't much new under the sun.
When you did it did you replace the pulley with an idler wheel?

[rallydiesel]

I took the a/c and PS pump out and switched to a non-a/c alternator.

[bbob203]

I have a manual rack in my car that was originally equipped with p/s. 1 belt off Crank pulley drive water pump and a/c if equipped. No need for idler. There is someone selling a manual rack in the f/s section. i recommend getting the urethan bushings as well makes steering much better.

[scrounger]

One belt? On mine the belt only goes about a 1/4 turn around the WP. Probably like yours. Maybe I am over thinking what is needed?
I want to keep the stock steering box otherwise it can get more expensive than I like.  My car has a lot of plastic bushings in it from a PO. I have not looked at the steering rack though.

[bajacalal]

You can get a brand new manual rack (and associated boots and tie rod joints) for not that much money if you can't find a good used one. A few of the VW specialty suppliers sell them.

And lots of cars use the 1/4 turn around the water pump up to the alternator belt configuration. This was very common back in a simpler era when they sold vehicles without a/c or power steering. The water pump does not take a lot of effort to spin. Try spinning it by hand. If the belt isn't getting enough traction on the water pump pulley it will squeal.

[R.O.R-2.0]

I'd like to remove the power steering from my VW. The car steers light enough without it (engine off). No sense of wasting power.
Has anyone done it? Probably want to put in an idler pulley to keep the drive going to the water pump.

the amount of power the steering pump takes is miniscule..

[scrounger]

Do you prefer the power steering?

RoR sez...the amount of power the steering pump takes is miniscule..

I have figured as much....

The amount of fuel that my car uses is minuscule, I would like to use less.  The PS pump must take a quarter horsepower or something to turn it over at 3000 rpm. Might be one or two mpg. I have driven the car for 20,000 miles and one mpg more would mean about one free tank in that mileage.

According to the manual the PS pump can generate 60 Bar of pressure under maximum load. Every time you turn the wheel there is some drag from the pump.

[R.O.R-2.0]

Do you prefer the power steering?

RoR sez...the amount of power the steering pump takes is miniscule..

I have figured as much....

The amount of fuel that my car uses is minuscule, I would like to use less.  The PS pump must take a quarter horsepower or something to turn it over at 3000 rpm. Might be one or two mpg. I have driven the car for 20,000 miles and one mpg more would mean about one free tank in that mileage.

According to the manual the PS pump can generate 60 Bar of pressure under maximum load. Every time you turn the wheel there is some drag from the pump.

the pump operates at around 150psi normally..

the only time the pump makes much higher pressure, is when you are turning HARD over..

[bbob203]

Ill say this. I drove around a car with a p/s loop in it for 6 months then swapped in the manual rack. The manual rack nearly feels identical to having power steering but even better. The looped rack had a lot of resistance in it. I will have a manual rack and all associated pieces less the tie rods(which can be purchased for about 100 bucks) for sale soon if you still want that dash ill give you it all at a good price.

[bajacalal]

Aside from the increased power/economy from removing the p/s pump, doing so also makes several repair tasks on these engines much easier.

[bbob203]

Aside from the increased power/economy from removing the p/s pump, doing so also makes several repair tasks on these engines much easier.

this

[R.O.R-2.0]

Aside from the increased power/economy from removing the p/s pump, doing so also makes several repair tasks on these engines much easier.

there is no increase in power or economy..

i drove my car for a long time without a pump, and it didnt change the mileage at all when i hooked the pump up, it just made my wrists hurt ALOT less.

the only repair that requires removal of the power steering pump, is changing the thermostat, and the alternator belt..