From VAPS to No VAPS

[whlav]

From steering that feels light and not really in touch with the ground as well as pulsing and pulling back in wide turns to a solid,heavier and well connected feeling with no pulsing is possible by dumping the VAPS and putting in a non VAPS from a gen 1 SHO.

Just had mine done and my SHO steers like a performance car is supposed to. Much better than new.

Just wanted to pass this along to all of you who have posted similar questions about crappy steering and pulsing from the steering wheel.

 

[projectSHO89]

Was it the rack you replaced or something else?

Steve

 

[Mike Stitzer]

Can't you just disable the VAPS by pulling a wire or two? I thought I read about that. I'd like to do it. I don't see the need to swap entire steering systems to get the same result as disbling this "feature".

Mike

 

[Sammage]

Mike Stitzer:
Can't you just disable the VAPS by pulling a wire or two? I thought I read about that. I'd like to do it. I don't see the need to swap entire steering systems to get the same result as disbling this "feature".

Mike

Yes you can AND change how much or how little VAPS kicks in. thumbs_u http://www.shotimes.com/php-bin/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0&sid=186

 

[Mike Kopstain]

My GL came with the "sports steering" package standard.

 

[kaoticSHO]

whlav:
From steering that feels light and not really in touch with the ground as well as pulsing and pulling back in wide turns to a solid,heavier and well connected feeling with no pulsing is possible by dumping the VAPS and putting in a non VAPS from a gen 1 SHO.

Just had mine done and my SHO steers like a performance car is supposed to. Much better than new.

Yes, I have been enjoying this steering "mod" for over two years now.

Just wanted to pass this along to all of you who have posted similar questions about crappy steering and pulsing from the steering wheel.

 

[tominos]

sorry to bring this back from the dead but...

i have pulsing steering, have had it forever. do you guys have a how to on how to disable the vaps? on the shotimes page, it says to hook up a switch, and turn it off at speed. is this what most of you guys have done? will this cure my pulsing steering by having the vaps in low or high boost only?

 

[92inPA]

The pulsing may be caused by the pump not operating perfectly. Over time some of the vanes in the pump can get stuck, which will produce a cycling of the pressure in the system. It is likely cause by a combination of high mileage and the fluid not being changed often enough. If this sounds like a potential cause of your pulsing, try replacing the fluid in the system.

Drain the fluid from the reservoir and refill it with fresh atf. I use a Mighty Vac, but a turkey baster would work quite well too. Drive the car for several days, and then change the fluid again. Repeat this process for half a dozen times or so. Eventually the fresh fluid may clean out and free up the stuck vanes. This is a lot cheaper and easier than replacing the pump, so you you may want to give it a try.

 

[FOMOCOTOSHO]

I'm going to bring this one back from the dead again, as it doesn't ever seem to have answered the guy's question about completely disabling the VAPS. I'm sure there are other posts somewhere describing it but after searching over 100 VAPS threads & not finding it, I guess I"ll have to ask again.

So is there a way to disable the VAPS? Rather than just adjusting it like the SHOTimes article states?

My '89 has a brand new rack & good flowing pump with freshly flushed & changed PS fluid.

And to be quite honest my '95 ATX has the same symptoms as my '89. It's awful going into a long interstate onramp loop , as the steering will **** & tug the wheel every few seconds in a "pulsate" feeling. It's terrible to try and steer. That has a brand new pump & fluid on that one.

Thanks!

 

[luigisho]

You can always switch (with a little extra work) to a GenIII VAPS rack which is superior to the GenII.

 

[Toolman]

That pulsing feeling can also be a speed sensor, as the Variable Assist varies according to your speed.

 

[FOMOCOTOSHO]

You can always switch (with a little extra work) to a GenIII VAPS rack which is superior to the GenII.

The rack is brand new & was just replaced, so I don't want to replace it again.

Toolman, exactly what speed sensor are you referring to? The VSS on the transmission or something else?

Thanks

 

[J.L.Gordon]

I just located mine and pulled off the connector at speed on the freeway.I also just replaced my rack and pump and vss and p/s hoses and pressure switch and still felt like the car was steering on ice and pulsing going around sweeping turns

 

[.RaMpAgE.]

same here! from my slk to the taurus it feels numb everytime i jump in and it pulsates

 

[FOMOCOTOSHO]

Also note,

When the previous owner had this car recently, he never had this pulsing problem ever. He had to replace the rack because it was leaking. The problems arrived only after the new rack was installed.

So... bad rebuild or what?

 

[.RaMpAgE.]

i think im gonna try to replace the vss ive already done the steering fluid a couple times no help

 

[SHORANGERBIRD]

-bringing back one more time!!!!

who has done the vaps to non-vaps swap and did you use a pressure line with a pressure switch in it or just a regular line? asking because a tech thinks i need to run a pressure switch for bumping the idle when i turn the wheels. thoughts or ???

 

[Mrhappytuzi]

I just used a regular pressure line..

 

[ourd]

I am also seriously considering disabling VAPS. Right from the beginning I had had a lot of problems associated with it. My steering wheel vibrates a lot. This has made driving a horrible experience for me. So nowadays I use my vehicle only for short distances. I hope that disabling VAPS will solve this issue.

 

[.RaMpAgE.]

old thread, but go to shotimes it shows you how to disable it, i did that its still a pos rack soo i swapped to a zf rack