1st Gen R53 Cooper S Finally, Gen1 Power Steering Delete Kit Available Soon!!!!!

Decided to take the plunge and give this thing a try. While I wait for delivery, here's a question.

Can anyone explain why that's a safety measure? I know where it is, had to check it a couple years ago when my pump stopped working (the pump was the problem, not the fuse), but going back in there and taking it out is just another hassle I'd rather avoid if removal isn't necessary.

 

In case anyone would like a better idea of the size of this thing. My hand for scale.



Also, instead of shipping with 5 narrow washers (see instructions post here) the kit now comes with just 3 narrow washers and 1 thicker washer to replace the doubled up pair on the larger banjo bolt.

I'm still bothered slightly by the lack of a torque spec for the banjo bolts but mine is installed on the rack for now just tight enough so I can clean everything in the area without having to worry about accidentally getting anything inside the rack. I'll send an email to Condor asking about the lack of torque spec and hope to get an answer before I'm ready to put the subframe back on the car in a couple days.

 

I asked Condor for torque specs but they still don't offer them. I'm not concerned about the don't crush bit, I can handle that, but I understand UHMW has a very low coefficient of friction and don't want to worry about the bolts backing out because I was worried about crushing and didn't tighten enough. They say "There are no specific torque specs and we have never had any issues with customers saying that it came loose." So, best guess.

I've had mine on for a couple hundred miles now and I'm increasingly happy (story below) but still not sure whether I'll leave it. Need to live with it a while longer before I make up my mind. Here's how it's gone, so far.

On my first drive it took me less than two minutes to decide "nope, not gonna work" and start thinking about how long it might be before I would feel like going to the trouble of reversing it (I pulled everything so would need to reinstall). But I kept going, ran a few errands and in the end decided I didn't quite hate it and would give it some more time. Low radius turns were a lot of work and parking was really tough.

Second and third drives were better but I was just adjusting to the need to use more muscle, planning ahead for every turn, man-handling the wheel, etc. Then I drove my other car (which DOES have power steering) and at the first turn I pulled too hard on the wheel and almost climbed a curb. After a quick "what the **** was that?!" I quickly figured it out and a couple neighbors out for a walk caught me laughing like an idiot (at myself) as I drove off.

I'd been thinking about it and decided I might be better off if I switch from my 8" wheels. I have some 7.5s - I know that's not much less - plus the 8s need spacers (12mm front, 15mm rear) to avoid rubbing on the struts/trailing arms. I'm surprised how much difference it made. The drive today was so much more fun! Low speed maneuvering in and out of parking spaces, etc, is still much less than ideal but low radius turns on the road require only about half the effort. I'm not sure how that's possible given the change I made but I'm not complaining. It also tells me those wide wheels/tires (plus spacers) put a lot of extra stress on my PS system.

To tell the truth, I'm glad I pulled the system rather than just draining the fluid and installing the delete block. I don't want to put it back in the garage on jack stands again right away so I kept driving instead of making a rash, premature decision to reverse it.

So, the experiment continues.

 

Time for another update.

I've put another few hundred miles on the car since changing the wheels/tires and I'm going to keep the delete. Decided yesterday when I realized I'm back to thinking up excuses to go to the store (and going for a drive anyway when I can't think of a specific excuse) just because it's fun!

I think I would think otherwise if I needed to do much parallel parking. I remember smiling once about a MINI with a personalized license plate - EZ2PARK - because it was so true.....not so much without a functioning PS system. I find myself thinking more carefully while choosing parking spaces but as long as it's not parallel parking, it's doable. On the other hand, I've been in some very tight parking garages in the past which I think would be a real fight with the delete. Haven't tried that yet...

Driving is interesting and, once you get used to it, fun. It takes a bit more muscle to turn, though after this much time I couldn't even begin to estimate how much.

I'm enjoying it, but here's a little insight into my mindset that you should consider if you're reading this and trying to decide if it's for you. Before I deleted my PS system, if you'd driven or even ridden in my car you'd have noticed a lot more NVH than most people are willing to put up with. I've carefully chosen mods, in part because I like tactile feedback from the engine, the suspension, etc (hmmm, probably need to update my Garage). I'm now feeling more of the road through the steering wheel. I like it, some would not. Without a powered assist to insulate from the dips and bumps, etc, I'm feeling them more as the wheel moves in my hands. Not much at all on a straight road, but definitely while turning the wheel at a corner.

One more reference. Those 7.5" wheels I switched to (see above) are on 225/45-16 tires. I assume narrower tires - thus a smaller contact patch - would make this mod even easier to get used to.

 

I'm still using mine. I'm still happy with it and have completely lost any desire go back.

Have not used it on track but I'll say this. The faster you're moving, the less effort is required to make the wheels turn. You don't notice that with a good powered assist because the system insulates you from that reality.