Disabling the Extras

[MooseNelson]

I bought this Rotwiler with the intention of it being a total minimal handshake.

Though I see that there are two things I don't really care for:

1. Air Conditioning

2. Power Steering.

Since I'm not experienced enough to completely dismantle these things, would it be OK to just take the belts off, since they have separate belts for the compressor and the PS Pump?

Seems kind of sketch, but they designed it so that these had separate belt systems

half pic:



thanks!!!!!

[Moppie]

What sort of car is it?
The AC is easy, just don't turn it on.

Power steering could be a problem, some racks work well with it disabled, some become impossible to use, and will require a new rack.

[curtis73]

Agreed. A/C doesn't use any HP if its not on. If you don't use it, it will dry out the seals and die, so if you leave it hooked up you can run it a few times a month and keep in in operating condition.

The powersteering will probably suck if its not hooked up. Many non-power-steering cars have a very low ratio like 22:1, plus a different suspension geometry to help make steering easier. Power steering cars often have a ratio of anywhere from 12:1 to 15:1. Trying to parallel park this car, or even just steer it at all might be dangerously impossible.

[GreyGoose006]

the best way to disable power steering would be to get the steering box from a car that dosent have power steering and try to use it instead of your power box.

i sympathise with your minimalist attitude. i had so much fun last year driving an old s-10 with no power anything, drum brakes (lots of pedal effort required) and a manual trans. its definately a more rewarding driving experience, knowing that you, not a computer, are resopnsible for drivng. it keeps you more alert when your braking distances are around double that of most cars, and your 0-60 time is measured in minutes (well not THAT bad, but still bad)

i blame automatic transmissions for most driver error. if you have both hands busy driving and shifting, there is no way you can eat a big-mac and talk on your cell phone while driving.

GOOD LUCK

[MooseNelson]

Thanks for the replys:

Well AC is good for defogging the windows at times, but you say running that belt, spinning the compressor won't use any HP? Seems like it would cause some drag...

ON the power steering, the parallell park thing, yeah I get it, the car stalled the other day (before I had changed the fuel filter) and woah, got hard to turn....

Thanks for the insight*

[curtis73]

Originally Posted by MooseNelson

, but you say running that belt, spinning the compressor won't use any HP? Seems like it would cause some drag...

Yes, it would cause some drag, maybe 0.004 hp worth Give the compressor pulley a spin sometime while the belt is off. There is a tiny bit of friction between the belt and pulley, but not even enough to make it warm, so the amount of power it takes is so minimal you'd never be able to measure it at the wheels with even the most sensitive of dyno.

[Moppie]

Originally Posted by MooseNelson

Thanks for the replys:

Well AC is good for defogging the windows at times, but you say running that belt, spinning the compressor won't use any HP? Seems like it would cause some drag...

They work on an electromagnetic clutch, so the compressor only spins when you turn the A/C on.
Turn it off, and the pully just free wheels, so as curtis said, the power loss is tiny.

[importloverh22]

Power steering is a feature you will miss once you lose it. My friend's taurus had a hole in his power steering hose somewhere and so no more power steering fluid in the car. I used to drive it and you had to have some muscle to take turns at slow speeds but above 45 or 50 it wasnt bad cos turns werent so sharp then. Still a bitch of a car to drive when you MUST use both hands just to crank the wheels. Not a bad deal though, $250 for that little car and still drives somehow after we would beat the crap out of it. Thats one strong car that just wouldn't take the hint and just die.

[GreyGoose006]

if the steering box was designed with lower ratios for non power steering, then it isnt that bad steering at low speeds. you just spin the wheel a lot mre than power steering cars.

[MooseNelson]

Well I went ahead and took the belt to the compressor off the other night, only because at work saw a bunch of cars coming in that the compressor had died or frozen up and they had the belt off

Anyway, I BELIEVE YOU NOW::: that AC electro clutch really does freewheel, I mean it should after spinning with the engine so fast, but enough so that I went ahead and put the belt back on (just to be able to keep the AC lubed)

thanks