ALFAGTV6.COM

Hi guys,

Ive done a search but cant seem to find what i'm after.
I'm looking at putting power steering into my 87 gtv6 and was wondering if there was a direct bolt in replacement?
Does anyone have a project thread or description of the process.

Many thanks
Karl

Hi Karl
I have seen three GTV6 power steering conversions.
My mechanic swapped the power steering out of my '85 ALFA 90 into a '87 GTV6
for one of his customers.
I drove the car and it drove very well the mechanic said it was a straight forward swap.

John

No there is no direct bolt on replacement. You will need to change the steering colum over with the power rack to get the correct height of the respective mounts. You will also need to fabricate/modify the LHS rack mount as it is further out than the manual rack.

I used a 90 rack with a 164 pump to do a conversion for my wife's car. Be prepared for custom brackets to attach the pump and an oil cooler.

Lots pf previous debates about this topic for and against. Yes its convenient if you spend your life in the shopping centre. It looses response speed and feedback comapred to the manual rack and if you are an Alfa peddler, that's something you dont want.

Remember, this is not a front wheel drive car and as such should not require it.

Your choice.

The PS rack and pump on the 75/90 is one of the best one out there when it comes to feedback and weight. Maybe the 164 pump put too much pressure into the system making it too light?

Did I not mention debates so here we go. Some more debates. I never said anything to do with light or heavy. Key words here are:

Feedback
Response speed
Reaction time
Precision

Now I assume you are telling me that a power rack will provide these equivalents to a manual rack. Well sadly, that rack has yet to be invented and when it is, I'll be in the que.

This is due to the very nature in which power racks work as opposed to how manual racks work.

Zamani, you need to know that I drive all sorts of cars and have done so for decades and not just Alfas with or without power steer and I have to say there is not a car out there that I have ever driven that beats my GTV manual rack for desirable sports car attributes.

If I have the skills to install a power rack to my wife's car and they are so good, why wouldn't I do it also for my GTV? Because I wouldn't want one even as a gift !

So at the end of the day, these comments represent my personal experience in relation to steering racks.There is no obligation to agree with them and I'm cool with that.

MD wrote:Did I not mention debates so here we go. Some more debates. I never said anything to do with light or heavy. Key words here are:

Feedback
Response speed
Reaction time
Precision

I've had the same experiences as you MD, my Giulie is a manual rack, my 33 power steering as well as my dad's 146, can't beat the manual for all those things you mentioned above, even the modern power steering, wich have gone a long way since the Alfa 33 or 164, lack that feedback and precision of a manual steering.
Plus you get to workout every time you drive!

GTV6s aren't heavy in the steering anyway.
I run 8" wide wheels and a 12" steering wheel with a manual rack and you can turn it into a parking space with one hand (almost).
Get your castor and camber right and it'll lighten up - it's all to do with tyre contact patch.

You couldn't pay me to put a power rack in.
In fact, I want a quicker manual rack.

Zamani wrote:The PS rack and pump on the 75/90 is one of the best one out there when it comes to feedback and weight. Maybe the 164 pump put too much pressure into the system making it too light?

AR164 pump makes smaller pressure comparing to pump from AR75. I can check but as a rough guide; AR164 (V6) makes 100 bar, while AR 75 (V6) makes 120 bar.

Power steering is not a crime (although it takes some HP to work).

I have weighed up the pros and cons and i think i will pass on the power steer.

I went on a 300km round trip on the weekend over some twisty hills and the steering was not heavy.

Just parking is a pain, might have to go to the gym instead!

Thanks anyway quys.

MD wrote:No there is no direct bolt on replacement. You will need to change the steering colum over with the power rack to get the correct height of the respective mounts. You will also need to fabricate/modify the LHS rack mount as it is further out than the manual rack.

I used a 90 rack with a 164 pump to do a conversion for my wife's car. Be prepared for custom brackets to attach the pump and an oil cooler.

MD any idea if 90 PS rack is the same as 75 PS rack(mounts)? I've just came in possesion of the latter, I'm planning to convert it to manual, and it seems to me that 75 rack has more splines on the shaft connecting to the steering column, than the stock rack.

Daniel,

What do you have your caster and camber set to?

AL

Peter,
I am surmising that the two racks are the same ZF units. The 75 power steering pump however is not the same as the 164 which is very compact. If there is a spline difference, simply change over the entire steering columns at the same time. Obviously be sure an ignition key comes with the new column. Otherwise you will need to fabricate a conversion spline in a machine shop.

Hi all,

I have fitted the power steering from an Alfa 75 and it works well, but the trouble I had was with the head lights from the column switch, as the 75 lights are square not twin, the switch turns the head lights out when putting on main beam.

Hi MD, sorry I havnt been in touch lately, my mother passed away last month so I have been somewhat busy, I will email you soon.

Paul UK

Guys it's not really about fitting the ps into my car but quite opposite. And here's the question. I'm putting alfa 75 TS rack into my gtv6. Of course I'll be running it without PS. Any idea how I should connect the balance lines on this rack? My rack hydraulics layout differs from the one on Greg's super verde site, he's not replying too so I guess he's busy now. Appericate any ideas:

Here's another thread. I've put some pics and explanation of what I did on page 4:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=2323&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=45

Scott