Want electrical or hydraulic power steering conversion on my RX 7 first generation

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spitfire (spitfire) 2011-10-26 15:50:59 +0500 #52

I think EPS comes in Japanese Alto .....that is why it is a straight bolt on job with an addition of wiring of course...
Actually , Its a sensitive "department" of the car...."STEERING".....what ever is done should be very authentic and SAFE....
That is why I am reluctant to do some experimentation on the steering system and trying to get hold of some original /compatible stuff....
as far as EPS is concerned......I don't want to do anything with the existing steering column .....But some other (same/alike) which should be available I think....
Another problem ........the steering box and column is "ONE PIECE" on these first generation (FB) RX-7 cars.....
Hmmmmm......don't know what to do.....:(....

Xulfiqar (Xulfiqar) 2011-10-26 15:57:53 +0500 #53

yes - the EPS in the above cars were original parts. But in your case I would never do such a thing. firstly its downright wrong, secondly your car is absolutely beautiful. You are correct that the steering column and gearbox are one item - so if you add something then it means cutting off the steering shaft (bad idea)

secondly - you have a worm roller steering gearbox which inherently has a dead centre with slight freeplay which the EPS wont allow as the yaw sensor would pick up movement and the motor would apply torque (incredibly unsafe)

The only way for you to get power steering is an original steering gearbox from a RHD 1985 GSL RX7. Look in some australian forums or ebay etc, payment wont be a problem.

spitfire (spitfire) 2011-10-26 16:06:44 +0500 #54

Your point is VERY MUCH VALID that EPS wont allow that small play which is always there in these type of steering systems.....(recirculating ball type)...no matter how good the box is.....So like this....EPS is out of question as far as this project is concerned....

spitfire (spitfire) 2011-10-27 13:11:43 +0500 #55

@afarooqi....
Any update Adeel bhai???

afarooqi (afarooqi) 2011-10-28 01:34:08 +0500 #56

@spitfire
Today is final answer day. Lets see.

spitfire (spitfire) 2011-10-28 15:21:33 +0500 #57

Lets hope for the best....brother...

ian65 (ian65) 2011-10-28 18:15:36 +0500 #58

Hi Guys,
the above thread on Ausrotary regarding the 1st gen RX7 power steering set up is mine....although I'm in the UK..... I bought this setup about 6 weeks ago.
These were only available in RHD for the Japanese domestic market, no other market had PAS in RHD for the 1st gen RX7..... plenty of cars in the US had PAS but these were all LHD and you can't adapt the steering box.

The only way to put PAS onto an RX7fb is to find one of these mega rare RHD power assisted steering boxes or to get a front subframe and steering rack form a 2nd gen (FC) RX7..... using a FC setup will also get you rack and pinion steering which is miles better that the vague steering you get with a steering box....
here's a fb with the subframe / rack swap....

Mazda RX7 Forum - 1st Generation RX7's • View topic - FB slowly turning into an FC

Good luck with your conversion Spitfire!

cheers,
Ian

spitfire (spitfire) 2011-10-29 09:52:42 +0500 #59

ian65;3074294:

Hi Guys,
the above thread on Ausrotary regarding the 1st gen RX7 power steering set up is mine....although I'm in the UK..... I bought this setup about 6 weeks ago.
These were only available in RHD for the Japanese domestic market, no other market had PAS in RHD for the 1st gen RX7..... plenty of cars in the US had PAS but these were all LHD and you can't adapt the steering box.

The only way to put PAS onto an RX7fb is to find one of these mega rare RHD power assisted steering boxes or to get a front subframe and steering rack form a 2nd gen (FC) RX7..... using a FC setup will also get you rack and pinion steering which is miles better that the vague steering you get with a steering box....
here's a fb with the subframe / rack swap....

Mazda RX7 Forum - 1st Generation RX7's • View topic - FB slowly turning into an FC

Good luck with your conversion Spitfire!

cheers,
Ian

Thanks dear for your interesting post and link to your restoration/modification of RX7......very nice example of FB you got there...
Your suggestion to swap the cross member of FC along with power steering which is Rack and pinion is very tempting....
But the problem at our end is that FC is even more rare than than FB....most of the FB found are extremely altered and gone.....very few are in "presentable" condition...
So finding and swapping the power steering system of an FC is even more difficult....
Any ways thanks for your input ......
Regards.

spitfire (spitfire) 2011-10-29 18:36:04 +0500 #60

I think ......its a difficult/almost impossible job.....

levin (levin) 2011-10-30 03:14:40 +0500 #61

185:)

spitfire (spitfire) 2011-10-30 09:44:38 +0500 #62

Agreed Rashid Bhai.........185.....

But Rims for these tyres.....REMEMBER.....It is 110 pcd....

spitfire (spitfire) 2011-11-03 14:51:44 +0500 #63

bump

ahmed_nayyer (ahmed_nayyer) 2011-11-03 20:57:08 +0500 #64

Rehman bhai,

First thing is that your car has some problem like wide tires/alignment/steering box that is causing the extra effort, the original steering box is very drivable. You need to get rid of those hollow rims and have some well mannered tires.

The days of your patience are over as I am going to remove the steering by tomorrow or the day after from my car for you, I think we have spent/wasted enough time for something that is not at all **available.
On your follow up I've cleaned all the sludge and oil on my box for a closer look and found that the steering box is very similar to the original but not the same part, **please take into consideration that power steering was available as an option only in 1984 GSL and SE models, so thats why.
Yes, the pitman arm is different, mine is machined to accept the normal Rx7 linkages below, it's very strong. If you accept this I will ship it to you.
My mechanic will thoroughly clean and wash the box inside and out, service it with new bushings and new main+visible bolts, will prime it first and paint it matt black, so that you can have a feel of a fine installation.
This steering is not feel free soft like some stupid Honda cars have, it has a sporty feel to it, it is geared for less turns and is slightly stiffer in the good sense, but you can still turn the car with your fingers.
I will leave the car without steering, I do not drive it these days and it's battery has lost gravity, I will keep finding the power unit for my mazda, for that amount of time, kindly ship me your stock steering box so that I am able to drive/move the car since I will be busy rebuilding/overhauling one of my three 12A Rotary engines.
Please let me know if you need the pump and the reservoir, the pump is attached to the kind of Rotary Air Pump bracket with the rotary engine, so maybe you will need to make a bracket and the filling bottle is attached to one of suspension tower mount bolts.

Please pray for me, as the engine and parts will be at stake, in case of any mistake, I will lose all morale.

Please enjoy these pictures while you wait for your steering. The car is no longer for sale.

"She took my heart, and my soul, so she is gonna stay with me"

Sincerely
Ahmed Nayyer

levin (levin) 2011-11-03 21:17:58 +0500 #65

maybe servcing the steering column and proper psi in tire will help

Xulfiqar (Xulfiqar) 2011-11-03 22:10:05 +0500 #66

may I ask since what time have you owned this red 7, Ive had some old pictures of this car and reg plate. It was back in 1993 when the pictures were snapped.

ahmed_nayyer (ahmed_nayyer) 2011-11-04 11:09:05 +0500 #67

Since 2 years, I have been keeping Rx7s since more than 9 years, I have another red one, which was previously owned by Fazila Qazi/Qaiser Khan. Also kept a 3rd Gen, but it's secondary turbo failed.

I would like to see those pictures.

Xulfiqar (Xulfiqar) 2011-11-04 12:23:09 +0500 #68

then you are not that original owner I thought, the person who owned it in 1993 was my maternal uncles friend and he had somehow got a full overhaul kit for this cars engine and had a very well educated mechanic for it too. This chap also had a 1976 corona mk2 with a 6 cyl engine and a 1990 Mazda Luce with a 1.3 turbo rotary engine. Quite an odd person.

Those pictures would be buried somewhere in my home in Pakistan, and as my mom loved her camera more than her kids - there are about more than 7000 pictures that need sifting through.

spectra (spectra) 2011-11-07 08:33:49 +0500 #69

Rehman bhai
Update? Also I have 110 pcd rims on 74 corolla so can relate to the pain u r getting through.

spitfire (spitfire) 2011-11-07 17:02:44 +0500 #70

ahmed_nayyer;3083746:

Rehman bhai,

First thing is that your car has some problem like wide tires/alignment/steering box that is causing the extra effort, the original steering box is very drivable. You need to get rid of those hollow rims and have some well mannered tires.

1. The days of your patience are over as I am going to remove the steering by tomorrow or the day after from my car for you, I think we have spent/wasted enough time for something that is not at all **available.

2. On your follow up I've cleaned all the sludge and oil on my box for a closer look and found that the steering box is very similar to the original but not the same part, **please take into consideration that power steering was available as an option only in 1984 GSL and SE models, so thats why.

3. Yes, the pitman arm is different, mine is machined to accept the normal Rx7 linkages below, it's very strong. If you accept this I will ship it to you.

4. My mechanic will thoroughly clean and wash the box inside and out, service it with new bushings and new main+visible bolts, will prime it first and paint it matt black, so that you can have a feel of a fine installation.

5. This steering is not feel free soft like some stupid Honda cars have, it has a sporty feel to it, it is geared for less turns and is slightly stiffer in the good sense, but you can still turn the car with your fingers.

6. I will leave the car without steering, I do not drive it these days and it's battery has lost gravity, I will keep finding the power unit for my mazda, for that amount of time, kindly ship me your stock steering box so that I am able to drive/move the car since I will be busy rebuilding/overhauling one of my three 12A Rotary engines.

7. Please let me know if you need the pump and the reservoir, the pump is attached to the kind of Rotary Air Pump bracket with the rotary engine, so maybe you will need to make a bracket and the filling bottle is attached to one of suspension tower mount bolts.

Please pray for me, as the engine and parts will be at stake, in case of any mistake, I will lose all morale.

Please enjoy these pictures while you wait for your steering. The car is no longer for sale.

"She took my heart, and my soul, so she is gonna stay with me"

Sincerely
Ahmed Nayyer

Sorry for late response.......
Thank you so much Ahmed bhai.....I am really obliged....I think dismantling the steering box would not be adviseable unless there is any problem like leak etc....
I think pitman Arm of the Manual steering can be fitted to this one as well.....if not ...even then its fine with the machined one....
Pump will also be required .....making bracket is no issue...
Oh forgot one thing....that is steering column.....
So the Parts required for swapping....
(1) power steering box..
(2)steering column.
(3)power pump.
(4)reservoir bottle...

Thank you so much for this favour...
Regards.

your Nova is in great shape....

spitfire (spitfire) 2011-11-07 17:05:22 +0500 #71

I think we got the desired parts....