Jake:  Make sure you email me about how you dealt with the steering
shaft to rack coupler issue.  That's the only thing holding me back
from making the switch.  Ken Wilfy I think had it figured out, but I
don't remember which coupler/knuckle they were using.

FWIW, I've been driving with the small wheel, no power steering,
and  sorta waiting for the PS rack to seize up or something so I have
an excuse to replace it with the standard rack.

It certainly doesn't take Hans and Frans to steer your Vanagon with
no PS, and that's no BS!

DM&FS

At 11:15 AM 9/6/2005, Jake de Villiers wrote:
>For what its worth, our 86 has has a power steering-ectomy, including the
>installation of a manual rack and a big steering wheel, and neither my wife
>or myself find it difficult to drive. Our 84 drives and parks easily enough.
>I can't imagine voluntarily giving up ANY horsepower to run the pump!
>Seeya, Jake
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Roger Sisler" <rogersisler2000@YAHOO.COM>
>To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2005 8:22 AM
>Subject: Re: Steering rack leak....rebuild or trash? 85 GL
>
>
> > Yeah, Im in the same situation. I took the ps belt off and have been using
> > the van without ps for about 8 months( stole this idea off the list
>without
> > giving proper credit to the postee). I do have bigger bicepts(sp)but I
> > still cant sjpell it.Actually this is not bad driving.Only parking.  The
> > vanagon ps does not compare with other vehicles'ps when the engine dies.It
> > actually,practically, can be used this way. As for replacement, I gotta
> > wait still.Maybe forever.The rebuild kit is about $80, and is said to
> > require no special tools.However, isnt it a good idea to do the inner tie
> > rods at the same time($35 eachx2, and new boots $25, and the little flex
> > plates(3 of them @ $15 each, and 4 mounting grommets $6 each X4), and por-
> > 15 to make it look cool? My penny jar will still have to help out here,
>but
> > that $275 rack w/innerand outter tie rod ends and boots, and mounting
> > grommets looks real good at BD.Maybe Bd will discount this for me for this
> > advertisment-say $100-$200.How long will a ps steering rack last anyway?
> > Anybody got any testimonies  for endurance out there? Did you flush the
> > fluid at anytime during it's life?
> >