Electric power steering anyone?

[Jo Diesel]

Has any one tried any kind of electric power steering? Like this column which I think takes some kind of controle module

Or even a electric rack and pinion

 

[rrvolare]

NO thanks ... to many things that can go wrong .....

 

[BigBlockMopar]

I put more faith and usefulness in a remote electric hydraulic pump that provides pressure for the power steeringbox.
With those column mounted units you're still 'stuck' with your stock/many-turns locktolock steeringbox.

 

[Jo Diesel]

so if I put my power steering on it will decrease the steering ratio? I have my Duster that I want power steering on but the pump is going to be in the way of my Paxton. And I also have a Dart that would make more room for turbos

 

[Jo Diesel]

Electric columns are on Malibo Cobalt G6 and many forien cars. And the rest including all hybrids have those or electric racks. When they quit working it just goes to manual steering. THe Mazda racks are just a 2 wire hookup

 

[67Dart273]

so if I put my power steering on it will decrease the steering ratio?

No he meant you'll still have the "slow" manual box ratio

But you COULD drum up the faster sector ratio, or the (whoever makes) the fast ratio pitman / idler arms and use this.

I've also thought about what is called a "torque amplifier", sometimes called a "Char-Lynn" unit.

These, if you are unaware, are a simple looking device resembles an electric motor. You install it "inline" with the column shaft, and hydraulic line goes in / comes out.

This is a complete "Char Lynn" unit off some old Farmall tractor

 

[rrvolare]

Electronics means just that ... your not going to have room for power steering pump.. are you going to have room for the LARGER alt/harness circs , elec steering assembly .... i would concentrate on finding a location for the current pump .. instead ..

 

[BigBlockMopar]

I've recently bought an electric powersteeringpump from a Toyota MR2. It's about the size of the stock starter.
You can just about mount this thing anywhere you want under the hood like in a fender or below the battery-tray.

The only challenging part is how to 'intelligently' control the steeringpump, as for instance, you don't want/need full pumppower when the car is idling or going straight down the road. So to save pumplife it would need to be throttled down to a lower rpm.