Steering Power Assist
 

If any of you have driven a 2000 Pro and then a 2002 Pro you might notice that the steering on the 2000 is so much tighter. It took me a while to get used to my 2002's steering because it felt loose and not as precise. (I'm probably just nitpicking). I am thinking that there's a little too much power assist. But anyway, does anyone know how to adjust the steering to get that "2000" feeling?

I know exactly what you mean dude.

I got a 2000 es , and my dad recently got a 2003 p5.

Much different steering and looser.

Think they overboosted it.

Most cars nowadays have overboosted steering assist (especially american cars). You could press hard on the brake pedal while not in motion and turn the steering wheel from full left to full right with one finger -- the wheels will still turn! The stupid thing is that they somehow realize it and automatically add artifical "resistance" to the steering when driving at high speeds. If you've played any "realsitic" driving games at arcades, u'll realize that the feeling doesn't differ by a lot :D

Haven't driven the older proteges, but I know what you guys mean. My previous 95 civic has very minimum steering assist and it really feels great. Before I bought my P5, I've driven other newer cars (civic and the corolla) and I would say that the newer proteges still have pretty decent 'feel'.

Re: Steering Power Assist
 

You could replace the 2002 steering rack with a 2000 steering rack or you could just disconnect the power steering all together. I don't think there is a way to adjust the steering feel.

I haven't actually experienced the difference (believe it or not, I've never driven a 01+ Pro) but my 99 does have fairly heavy steering for a late model economy car. This is actually one reason I like the car- I like lots of steering feel, and the previous 5 cars I owned before my Pro all had manual steering. :D

Although I don't know this for sure, I'm fairly certain that the 01+ models use a different steering rack than the 99-00 models because Mazda press releases boasted of "friction-reducing" changes to the rack. (This may be secret code for "more power steering boost.") :) The 99-00 and 01+ racks might not directly interchange. However, the MP3 was equipped with a Euro-spec rack for improved steering feel, so that's where I'd start.

It's also possible that the p/s pump was changed, since the valve that regulates the boost is in the pump. I would check for an MP3 parts number for that too.

I would discourage you from disconnecting the power steering. Many modern p/s racks are not built to work properly without any boost. The steering may become EXTREMELY heavy, much harder than an equivalent manual rack. A member of the old Protegetech egroups list with a BG-chassis LX disconnected the rack in an effort to improve feel, but the car became so hard to steer that he could not complete an autocross run! Take this as a hint. :D

Good luck!

I've noticed the same thing. My 99 LX's steering is a lot heavier than the 2001 Protege LX I tested when the 01's first came out. The 01's felt effortless or something. The Protege5's steering feels a little tighter, though.

What I want is the Euro-spec steering rack for my car.

The steering on my P5 is pretty heavy, i can't finger steer it like i can on other cars

IMO it's not stupid, it's actually smart. There is a sensor which I believe is based on the speed of the car. It does add resistance to the steering at high speeds, just as it removes resistanse when parking the car.

Somebody correct me if Im wrong, but I thought I read somewhere that the p5 also had the "euro spec" rack.

I think the steering on the P5 is just about right, I cant really one finger steer either.

IMO why overboost it in the 1st place and then add resistance? They should just have very minimal steering assist and the wheel will just get lighter in high speeds (or reduce the assist slightly). It's just more "natural" that way. I have steady enuff hands to handle highway speeds. :)

This is another example where the car tries to guess what we want.

The Protege is not equipped with vehicle speed sensitive steering, which is what you just described. 99+ Proteges have ENGINE speed sensitive steering, which reduces the assist as engine rpm increases. Therefore, it works regardless of what gear you're in, which is nice IMHO. It is regulated by a valve in the p/s pump, which is why I recommend searching for an MP3 or Euro-spec parts number for the pump.

Also, I have NEVER seen anything indicating that the P5 is equipped with the Euro-spec rack. I have been told by people at Mazdaspeed that the ONLY difference between suspension and steering of the P5 and the ES sedan (or the 02+ DX and LX 2.0L sedans) is the P5's strut brace. Supposedly, only the MP3 (and the new MSP) have ANY special parts in the suspension or steering. However, the only way to know for sure is to do a parts number search. :)

So, anyone care to actually address my original question? :p

Since the racks are different, the only thing I would think of is to switch out your steering rack from a 1999 or 2000 model. I don't think this has ever been done before.

I thought I did address the original question in my first post, but here's the Cliff Notes version. :D

1) I am not aware of an easy way to adjust the steering assist.
2) Mazda changed the rack in 2001. I'm not sure if the 99-00 rack will fit due to changes to the car's suspension and steering. Do a parts number search.
3) The MP3 uses a Euro-spec rack. This may be the easiest, most hassle-free way to change the steering feel- albeit an expensive way. :)
4) Search for a Euro-spec parts number for the p/s pump also. The valve regulating the steering assist is located in the pump.

It may also be possible to modify the p/s pump to reduce the amount of steering assist. I've heard of this being done to several other vehicles, primarily DSM's. It involves disassembling the regulator valve. This is beyond anything I've ever attempted, and the FSM does not address this sort of thing.

Good luck! :D

Manual steering rack?
 

Does anyone know where I can get a manual steering rack from? I would be most grateful, I amworking on a custom supercharging project for my Protege.

Thanks in advance,
Drew