Manual steering? Manual brakes?

[Insanejughead]

I'm just trying to find out who has manual steering (or swapped to manual steering) and likes it that way?


And has anyone stuck with manual brakes or swapped to them?


(I would've went with manual brakes last weekend, but the pedal shafts I have from my gen 1 are different lengths and I can't change them without fabbing them up differently.)

 

[rockin86ranger]

my 86 was manual steering and i loved the feeling of driving and being so closely connected to the truck. and it wasnt bad in a parking lot cause once you even start moving a littl bit it turned super easy.

 

[v-8power]

my 84 has manual steering and brakes. i like the steering, but with the v8 i think i would like power breaks.lol

 

[Funnyman141]

my dads Supa-Dime (what he calls it. LOL) has manual everything it wasn't a fun truck to learn to drive in at all and was a b!tch to take off in. (Still Is actually) Plus the brakes aren't fun when your used to power brakes.

Could have easily killed myself in that freaking thing this winter

But It's survived so far and so have I some how

 

[Insanejughead]

my 86 was manual steering and i loved the feeling of driving and being so closely connected to the truck. and it wasnt bad in a parking lot cause once you even start moving a littl bit it turned super easy.

Exactly! It's a closer feeling to what your truck is doing while you're driving.


I can't get any of my friends to understand why I took power steering out...




I'm still looking for someone else that has swapped TO manual, rather than deal with the stock box...

 

[bduke23]

My 86 has manual steering, not sure about the brakes. Can't say I miss power steering at all. The truck is light enough its not a problem for me or my girlfriend even when crawling along. I don't notice being closer to the truck at all, but on my fiero with manual steering I definately notice it and wouldn't have it any other way. And heres the best part, especially when the truck is almost 30 years old.... less parts to break!

 

[bduke23]

Just read your post, I did swap. When i swapped the engines in my truck i left the power steering out. Makes it less complicated, and builds your pipes

 

[Insanejughead]

That too...

but my gun show doesn't bring anybody around me.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

i have manual steering in the ranger, my 69 f-250, and 69 f-350. wouldn't have it any other way.

the f-250 has manual brakes and i HATE it. holding that thing still on an incline is a workout

 

[Louisville86]

My '86 Ranger is PS/PB and it's fine - an easy vehicle to drive.

But my old '66 Mustang has manual steering and manual (drum) brakes. The steering is quite OK, really. The only time I notice is when I'm parking and really cranking on the wheel (it's like six turns lock-to-lock vs. four turns for power steering).

The non-power drum brakes suck, frankly, but not because of the higher pedal effort. They are easy to lock up and they fade away after you use them hard a few too many times (e.g. mountain driving). Which is why I don't do much of that in this car! I am going to get a front disc conversion kit one of these days - all new hardware with a modern dual-reservoir master cylinder (non-power).

Took her out of the garage last week for the first time this spring. Straight to the car wash!

 

[bduke23]

Wow that is a nice car!

 

[ryan]

why would you switch to manual brakes? that makes zero sense

my last cj had them, the steering wasn't so bad, but the brakes were between very scary and ohmygodi'mgoingtodie most of the time

 

[atikovi]

I'm just trying to find out who has manual steering (or swapped to manual steering) and likes it that way?

Can't see why anyone would swap to manual steeing. My 96 Ranger has manual steering and it's a bitch to get into or out of a parking space. Yea I get it about road feel and all but this is a truck, not a sports car.

 

[adsm08]

As bad as the PS system was on the early trucks according to AllanD the manual system was even worse. Don't do it.

 

[John Smith]

actually..

Can't see why anyone would swap to manual steeing. My 96 Ranger has manual steering and it's a bitch to get into or out of a parking space. Yea I get it about road feel and all but this is a truck, not a sports car.

many of the first gen rangers w 4cyl came sans ps/pb....they seem to do fine...i have a friend who owns 3 of them...I have driven an 85 2.0 "powered" 4x4...and it did just fine....when u consider what extra HP it takes run the ps....

in a 4 cyl truck...if ur happy w 4 cyl....a good way to go IMHO....

most here don't run stock trucks..understandably..but if you run standard tires..and want econmomy....kinda hard to argue for ps....in a 4 cyl at least...again JIMHO

when i find the right candidate for a 4 cyl b2...which i am building..it WON't have PS....