The reasons to convert to manual steering are threefold:
1) The electric motor can create interference aftermarket stereo systems.
2) The manual steering has better “feel”
3) It will considerably lighten the car.

This write-up is intended to supplement the BGB procedures, and is not designed to be a stand-alone guide.

1) Jack the front of the car up as high as possible, support with jack stands, and remove the jack.

2) Center the steering wheel as per the BGB procedure, and secure it with the seatbelt.

3) Remove the plastic shielding from under the steering rack/front suspension

4) Siphon the fluid from the power steering fluid reservoir, using the pump.

5)Disconnect the hydraulic lines that run from behind the suspension cross member to the power steering rack and allow the fluid to drain onto your rags, or into the catch basin.

6) Unclamp the rubber boots on the steering rack, and slide them towards the wheels. Use the 2 crescent wrenches to detach the tie rods from the steering rack.

7) Remove the tie rods and sent them aside.

8) Using a 12mm socket and breaker bar, loosen the four bolts that secure the support brackets for the power steering rack. Remove the bolts and brackets.

9) There is a brace that runs just to the driver’s side of the power hydraulic lines, it’s welded to the body on top, and bolted to the cross member at the bottom. Unbolt this to allow some free play.

10) Remove the spare tire and plastic cover over the steering column in the front trunk. Unplug the power steering motor. (2 plugs)

11) Unbolt the universal joint from the power steering rack inside the front trunk.

12) Unbolt and remove the other end of the steering column from inside the driver’s foot-well, just above the brake/clutch pedals.

13) Remove the steering rack and column. The rack will tend to hang up where the hydraulic lines cross the suspension cross member. It is tight, but it WILL come off. (You could use a 21mm socket with a breaker bar to remove the banjo bolt on the end of the rack, which would probably make this part easier.)

14) Now you have the rack and steering column off the car. You’ll need to use your hole-saw and Dremel to enlarge the keyhole shaped hole in the body where the U-joint goes through. The U-Joint on the manual steering rack extends down through the body, and connects to the rack underneath the car. The power steering one connects inside the front trunk. I made the hole roughly oval, and wide enough so the u-joint could turn freely, without hitting the sides of the hole.

15) Now it’s time to put the steering column through from the driver’s foot-well to the front trunk, but do not attach it to the rest of the steering column yet.

16) Slide the universal joint onto the end of the steering column in the front trunk, and loosely fasten the 12mm bolt that secures it to the column.

17) From underneath the car, lift the manual steering rack into place and support it. You will note that the driver’s side support bracket has a 90 degree bend in it, this fits over the corner of the rack, opposite from the part that the universal joint slides over. The rounded portion of the rack fits into the bracket welded onto the underside of the body.

18) Secure the support bracket loosely, with the 2 12mm bolts

19) Secure the passenger side support bracket.

20) Slide the universal joint over the knob with splines that projects from the top of the steering rack and loosely secure it.

21) Install the new (manual steering) tie rods.

22) Torque everything down to spec, according to the BGB.

23) We gave the car a rough alignment, by sighting down the body to ensure the front wheels were even with the rear wheels and measuring the space between the front of the front tires, and the rear of the front tires, which tells you the toe-in.

24) Replace the plastic undershield

25) Take the car for an alignment

26) Enjoy the feeling of being in touch with your front wheels for the first time :)

Full Power Steering Assembly	Hydraulic lines under car	Electric Motor and Universal Joint
Power Steering Opening	Opening enlarged to accomodate manual steering ujoint	Driver's end of racks
Power Steering rack vs Manual	Full view of both racks	Universal Joints
Universal joint close-up	Steering Column Comparo	Steering columns, different angle