Lost my power steering belt - any short term problems?

[jcs356]

After a spin into the gravel at Donington Park yesterday, I've lost the power steering belt. Thus I'm taking a trip back to the 1980's and manhandling the steering wheel. I actually prefer the feedback that the unassisted steering is giving me on the track - just realise how spoilt we've become when trying to park up and do slow speed manouevres.

I'm pretty sure that driving without the PAS pump being powered isn't going to cause any problems, but just thought I would double check first. As it is easy to get to the belt with the offside front wheel off, I'm thinking of taking it off every time I do a track day to get some better steering feedback.

Thanks for your help.

 

[m0rk]

weird - when it's slipped on my valver it was impossible to turn the wheel - I'd suggest you have no fluid? that's what makes it so hard to move

but an unassisted rack is what I've fitted to the vario now, to prevent any reliability issues with power steering (by deleting it!)

but my old 1.4 had a manual rack & the feedback was superior.

 

[Cupra Kid]

mines slipped and as m0rk said the steering just went completely dead! Not nice when your heading towards a wall at 30mph. Needless to say it has a new belt.

 

[jcs356]

I haven't lost any fluid and there is definitely no belt where their used to be one. I can most definitely still steer the car as I've covered approx 200 miles since it came off! Nicely weighted at speed but a handful in the car park!

The belt is only £2.75 at GSF - just nowhere near a GSF at the mo so was intending to drive back home (220 miles) and then fix it.

 

[Cupra Kid]

I would have thought it would be alright for the short term, but surely having no assistance might put extra stress on other components in the long term?

 

[thewiizard]

yeah id definitely say a short term effect would be having no steering

 

[jcs356]

Well despite everyone's prediction of impending doom, I'm back home now. Was quite fun trying to drive round a multi-storey in Nottingham yesterday... Off to GSF to get a new belt in a mo.