4WS...disconnect rack rod ends?

Would you do this to keep 4ws as an option? If you are never going back to 4ws, I would say to remove everything from the rear. I did this with my car. The pros are that there is less weight in the rear, and everything else is easier to reach without all the 4ws parts in the way..........that's what i got.

 

Here's another perspective: If you immobilize the rack, keeping the rod ends hooked up, you can tighten up the rear suspension's tendancy to toe-in/toe-out in turns. Some folks have welded the rods to keep them from moving in/out of rack. Others have made spacers which do the same.

Slightly better handling might justify the extra weight.

 

Ok I gotcha...I had read from an old post of yours Bob about welding those together, getting rid of the passive rear steering altogether and getting a bit more oversteer out of the car.

So in theory the rod end removal would work, but the question is why do that instead of either:
a) capping the lines
b) capping the lines and removing the entire system

My thought is that I'm really not sure how long I'm going to keep the galant, and therefore not sure I want to completely disconnect the system permanantly by welding the lines. I just can't stand the 4ws and was looking for an alternative.

Maybe I'll just try it out and see what happens.

There's no consequences to removing the rod ends though right? I mean, those two lower arms don't "need" to be connected to each other via the rack, correct?

J

 

A Galant VR4 without the rear rack hooked up is essentaily the same as a TEL AWD rear.

As another approach, Rob at Mofugas was blocking the inlets of the rack which locked the rack hydraulically (assuming no air bubbles, yeh!)

 

Just a quick question here. We dropped the entire rear subframe last week and I was taking a look at the steering system.

I understand how to remove the 4ws by capping/welding the lines/front rack, but I'm wondering what would happen if you just removed the rod ends off of the rear steering rack.

So basically the rack would still move and all the lines would stay connected, but the rack would not be connected to the lower arm, thus not being able to move it.

Just a hypothetical here...any comments?

 

That's what I thought, thanks a lot Bob.

Jon

 

I've mentioned this several times over the years...

Disconnect the rod ends. Zip tie them up out of the way. Shouldn't take more than 5 mins. Now go for a test drive. If you like the way it handles now, then remove the 4ws, if you don't, then that 5 mins was very much worth it.

No 4WS makes for a more stable, more predicable handling car...but a more understeering car.


Mark

 

[Luke]

I have my 4WS removed: no rear steering rack, LSD diff with no 4WS pump, removed lines, etc.

I kinda feel that the rear of my car is a bit loose whenever I'm on a high speed turn, e.g. freeway overpass junction.

Am I just imagining things, or do I need to reattach my rear steering rack, and have the rack locked. I have read that you can do that easily with washers.

 

I've noticed from these replies that everyone has neglected the fact the 4WS works in conjunction with the deflective bushings in the rear control arms if u remove these and replace them with the bushes from an NA galant then u can get rid of that loose feeling from the rear when cornering at high speeds it makes the whole car feel more stable aswell. I've done this to my '88 VR4 aswell as removing the rear rack and its made a huge difference, it also gets rid of the huge amount of negative camber on the rear that u get when u lower your car.