Electric power steering.......

[Stag76]

I built mine using a Subaru "L" Series Wagon Rack, Volvo 240 Tie Rods, and a Ford Pump...total cost about 250 AUD. Power steering and improved front brakes transformed the car.

[Bobbieslandy]

This is the C type colomn and rack. I hope it will be a good move, i've done a bit of research on the wiring and it's not to scary. Watch this space. in a year or so[:D]

Stag76, ideally i want to stay away from a hydraulic system as all the small mods i made to the engine will be eaten up with all the weight / rotating mass. Or i could just eat one less pasty. I'm more comfortable with wires anyway!

[Craig C]

Tahni down in Tasmania has done this conversion. I believe she has not put in a speed sensor so it has a constant assistance, but she appears very happy with the conversion.

I have a Corsa C column and ECU (and speed sensor to give increased assistance at low speed and an interceptor to tune this (ie increase the increased assistance at very low speeds and dial out all assistance once on the move). If I could just finish the house I am building so my wife will allow me to work on my cars again so I can get it fitted...

Craig
TR7V8

[willywonka]

Bobby.

This is the type of kit you need to match up with your own steering column and standard rack.

http://www.peterlloydrallying.co.uk/ind ... 371cd82a7c

All the Gear, no idea

[bmcecosse]

If the steering is properly lubricated - it's not heavy anyway! I wouldn't want mine any lighter than it is - and that's on 195 tyres.

[Marsu]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by bmcecosse</i>

If the steering is properly lubricated - it's not heavy anyway...!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

True, but with 205 tyres most people find it heavy when parking

[Beans]

And with sticky 205 racing tyres, a quick rack and a smaller diameter steering wheel, parking makes for a good work out [:D]

<center>
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1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)</font id="blue">
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[bmcecosse]

Don't use a smaller steering wheel! Simples!!

[Bobbieslandy]

I'm on the standard 185 tyres, the rack and colomn is greased up with new track rod ends and bottom ball joints and although i have no probs, the missus finds it a little bit difficult. As the others say, when bigger tyres are fitted it will be nice to have some sort of assistance and my tyres are definately too narrow[}:)] To be honest i'm more intreagued about the way this type of power assistance can be used, i'm thinking a couple of buttons or a pot on the dash marked "Sport" for virtually no assistance and the other marked "wife" where it practically steers itself. Oh and i want a smaller steering wheel bigger tyres and power assistance. good enough reason i think.

If the steering is properly lubricated - it's not heavy anyway! I wouldn't want mine any lighter than it is - and that's on 195 tyres.

Bmcecosse, you're missing the point. This type of system won't make it ridiculously light, it will (once i've got it and figured it out) have very little assistance at speed almost feeling like a non-assisted setup, only lightening up when down to parking speeds which is the best of both worlds. Once i've figured how to get a speed reference to it.

Thanks for the link Willywonka, having pictures like that of it already adapted is a great help! i'm going to attempt this in the workshop though to keep costs down.

[busheytrader]

I found replacing the strut tops with needle / ball bearings took some of the effort out of the steering at parking speeds. I think it cost around £25.00 for the set and yes, the rack is well greased. I did mine when I replaced the front shox.

It might be worth doing even with power steering as it makes the action a lot smoother on the move as well.


Adam



TR7 V8 DHC Jaguar Solent Blue. 9.35cr Range Rover V8, Holley 390cfm, JWR Dual Port, 214 Cam, Lumention, Tubular Manifolds, S/S Single Pipe Exh, 3.08 Rear, 200lb Spax & PolyBushes all round, Anti- Dive, Strut-Top Roller Bearings, Capri Vented Discs & Calipers, Braided Hoses, 4 Speed Rear Cylinders, Uprated Master Cylinder & Servo, AT 5 Spokes and Cruise Lights, S/S Heater Pipes, Replacement Fuel Tank. No Door Stickers. Mine since July 1986, V8 from 1991

[Bobbieslandy]

Sorry, forgot to mention the strut top bearings, got those too. They have made it a lot smoother, certainly a must have upgrade especially if the struts are coming off for any reason.

[Hasbeen]

You lot must be stark raving mad!!!!

Here you have a great car to drive, with just enough weight to the steering to,

1/ Make it great to drive fast.

2/ Keep your shoulders nice & manly, with out having to spend a fortune at the gym,

3/ Keep the little lady out of it,

& you want to stuff it all

Fit some damn fool power steering, & you'll never get near the thing again. "She" will have it down at the hair dressers doing a bit of posing, every time you want it. You'll be consigned to that awful front drive box, she now professes to love.

One of the best things about my recently purchased Peugeot 306 is that the power drops off the steering as speed builds. It doesn't want to jump off the road every time you sneeze or something, like the mobile white goods things with overpowered steering do.

Incidentally, the 8 has a smaller wheel, only about 3/4" smaller, but it makes quite a difference. Strangely, the thing was lighter with 205 15s on the front than it is with 195 15s. Probably something to do with tread pattern, but it could be less weight per Sq inch of contact patch. The 7 with it's stock rack & wheel is nicer to drive enthusiastically.

When I was racing, & setting up open wheelers for other drivers, I found quite a few with fast racks. These were only 1 & 1/2 turns, & were far to "quick" for racing. I would change them for a 2 & 1/2 turns rack, & the owners always went quicker. You could not place the car accurately enough when the rack was too quick.

Fast racks are good for hairpins, probably suit the alps, but are not good things at for high speed sweepers.

Hasbeen

[FI Spyder]

I like the way Hasbeen thinks. [:D]

I find with the TR8 steering wheel (which is standard on the Spider) is a little too small, it makes it tougher to turn for say parking but also it obscures the signal lights on the dash and as it's usually noisey enough with top down I find I have to check to make sure the wheel has turned the signals off. The standard wheel would be just right. I'm taller than some but not as tall as many so it will be a factor for some of us. A little thing but bothersome none the less.


TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra