Grog Posted July 11, 2002 Share Posted July 11, 2002 Anyone with experience or advice on converting the manual steering on the 280Z to the power steering common on the 280ZX (others)? I am considering doing this if it is feasible. Any assistance is deeply appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted July 11, 2002 Share Posted July 11, 2002 I think the 82-83 with the powersteering wasn't a rack unit, but switched over to a recirculating ball type with steering box, idler arm and center drag link. I may be wrong, but I didn't think Nissan made a power steering rack thats a bolt on into our cars. You CAN relatively easily put in a 90's Ford mustang unit though. Terry oxandale is the first one I heard that did this, Al Silvera later did it and his contribution is he found you could use 95 mustang outter tie rod ends and they bolt up to the stock Datsun steering arms. You do have to cut down the rack on each side, but there is ample threads to do so. Then you just make a mount for the Ford power steering pump. There may be some circle track options too, there is a company that makes a above the rack assist ram which basically gives you power steering, but its pricey and actually the mustang is probably a better go for the money. Power steering would be nice to have in these cars IMHO. Good luck with it. Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted July 11, 2002 Share Posted July 11, 2002 I second Lone's reply. After Nissan's recirculating ball power steering though, I believe they produced a power assisted rack for the duration of the ZX line. So I believe that the later 280ZX line has the power assisted racks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest VertexZ Posted July 14, 2002 Share Posted July 14, 2002 This is my 260Z with p/s. Im told its a 280zx rack - looks the same as what I have seen in a 280zx ser 2 at a wrecker... Different crossmember to 260Z runs 260Z tierod ends 280zx power steering pump no idea as to the origins of this conversion though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grog Posted July 14, 2002 Author Share Posted July 14, 2002 VertexZ, could you provide more info on you p/s set up? I would love to see more pics and details if posssible. Thanks. Grog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted July 14, 2002 Share Posted July 14, 2002 Ah, cool, I stand corrected, I didn't know they went back to the rack (should have known they would, its cheaper to produce I think IMHO). I'll put that one in my archives, thanks for the info. Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest VertexZ Posted July 15, 2002 Share Posted July 15, 2002 To be honest, i dont know all that much about the setup. It is a RHD car (im in Oz). Standard 280zx pump, 260Z tie rod ends (although the 280zx ones look similar), 280zx rack from what im told. I dont know how it was done, but my guess if that the main problem is that cross member being different. You might be able to get one made up though. Interesting to note, that the RH tie rod is on the LH side and the LH tie rod is on the RH side, which *may* have something to do with the fact that a 260Z has the rack infront of the wheels, whilst on a 280zx it is behind. Steering column looks the same as 260Z... Sorry i cant provide you will all that much info, but i just dont know. I think the rack needs rebuilding, and when I do that (maybe in 6 mths or so) ill make sure I take heaps of pics of the setup, and get the part number off the rack (i cant read it when its in place/with the engine in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zcarnut Posted July 16, 2002 Share Posted July 16, 2002 Last year at a Z car show I spotted a power rack on an early Z car. The owner said he used a rack from a Subaru Forester. Unfortunately, as I was not interested in doing a similar swap on my 260Z, I did not get any other details. Might be worth checking out at the ole' junk yard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest VertexZ Posted July 16, 2002 Share Posted July 16, 2002 Yeah, theres a guy on this board from OZ (RB26DETT i think) who is running a WRX power steering rack in his 240Z. Ok now correct me if i wrong, but a crucial z/zx difference is this: on a 260Z the rack in infront of the wheels - the rack moving to the right turns the wheels right. On a 280ZX rack behind wheels - moving the rack to the right turns the wheels to the left is that correct? If so, then there must be some sort of gear which makes the rack turn the other way - eg if you hooked up a zx rack to a zed, then the wheels would turn the wrong way to the steering wheel. I had look at a 280zx series 2 at a wrecker a whicle back - p/s, no engine in the car. The rack looked the same and the tierods look very similar. This was from memory so I could be alittle off! anybody had the 260 and 280zx tierods side by side? Becuase when I replaced on, the 260Z one i got was approx 5mm shorter than the one that was on there - adjustable though via the nut on the rack. I put on a 260Z one because i had the rod on the other side replaced by a mechanic and they took it off and checked what it matched up against - 260Z is what they used. Power Steering seems to be one of the rarely tried mods on a Z - pretty much everything else has been done, so it would be nice to figure this one out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PETEW Posted July 21, 2002 Share Posted July 21, 2002 I was just going to post the 280ZX power steering question when I saw this thread. I have a '83 280ZX Turbo car that I am stripping out and using in my 280Z. I am in the process of doing the suspension, so I was hoping to hear some swap success stories. I guess I will try and do it on my own and see if I can document something for you guys. I really don't want to do the manual steering thing with a set of 245 series tires. I saw that other guys were using Ford systems, and always wondered if it was because it was easier to get the power racks or because it was just easier to use. I am hoping to use the ZX stuff since I already have it. If anyone can give me advice, let me know . Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meng86 Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Anyone who have convert manual steering to power steering for 280z. Please let me know how you did it. I am really interest to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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