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Has anyone upgraded to electric steering and replaced the old outdated hydraulic steering i… I’m thinking of trying to us one from a dart
Electric steering
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It's been done 15+ years ago on Steve C.'s 87 CSX. He used a MR2 pump I believe.
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Your choice, but if it is the same (probably is) unit GM was using, a complete failure of the motor can lock the steering where ever it was when the motor seized. I helped a friend with a Chevy, I believe it was an HHR that the motor had failed in the gear. Put fuses in it, turn on the ignition, bang. both gone. It took all your strength to turn the wheel even rolling.
A failed water pump on my truck took out both belts and left me with armstrong steering, but I was able to drive it about 1/2 mile to get home. Moving it wasn't too bad, not much worse than my 1966 Shelby, but once I was slowly turning a corner, it wasn't fun.
A failed water pump on my truck took out both belts and left me with armstrong steering, but I was able to drive it about 1/2 mile to get home. Moving it wasn't too bad, not much worse than my 1966 Shelby, but once I was slowly turning a corner, it wasn't fun.
Because there's no room to run a power steering pump on that Toyota engine
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I have been thinking about trying to use the Volvo electric pump. I have seen it done on many cars and it look pretty simple to set up. But I haven't had power steering on my Omni for 12 years, never really needed it.
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That is why I like the idea of the Electric pump. If it goes out, you just have manual steering again.
I have had a drive by wire failure in my old Subaru Outback. Even that wasn't a big deal. Car just went into limp mode. Still had enough power to get to the side of the road. So much can be done now with tuning and drive by wire. Would love to switch my car over to it someday.
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So your Subaru had a physical mechanical linkage as a failsafe?
The electric steering in the F150s is on of the biggest fail points on the trucks. Known to lock up.
Nothing simpler than rack and pinion steering. Not to mention they OEM's used the Saginaw pumps well into the 2000's especially GM.
That giant thing hanging under the dash looks like your knees would be into it all the time. (the photo I seen on the FB pages).
Nothing simpler than rack and pinion steering. Not to mention they OEM's used the Saginaw pumps well into the 2000's especially GM.
That giant thing hanging under the dash looks like your knees would be into it all the time. (the photo I seen on the FB pages).
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137 Posts
[QUOTe
The electric steering in the F150s is on of the biggest fail points on the trucks. Known to lock up.
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[/QUOTE]
Since Iv worked the ford service department for almost 25 years .. please tell me more about this …as I drive a f150 myself as do most of my coworkers… Iv never seen this before…anything can fail … steering shafts seizing up from rust .. yes. It reverts to manual steering if it does fail.. as all of them do …. Takes steering effort.. if at a complete stop …
The electric steering in the F150s is on of the biggest fail points on the trucks. Known to lock up.
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[/QUOTE]
Since Iv worked the ford service department for almost 25 years .. please tell me more about this …as I drive a f150 myself as do most of my coworkers… Iv never seen this before…anything can fail … steering shafts seizing up from rust .. yes. It reverts to manual steering if it does fail.. as all of them do …. Takes steering effort.. if at a complete stop …
Since Iv worked the ford service department for almost 25 years .. please tell me more about this …as I drive a f150 myself as do most of my coworkers… Iv never seen this before…anything can fail … steering shafts seizing up from rust .. yes. It reverts to manual steering if it does fail.. as all of them do …. Takes steering effort.. if at a complete stop …[/QUOTE]I frequent the F150forums and F150ecoboost.net forum. There were a couple recalls and multiple people that have had theirs seize solid in a turn internal to the rack not the int shaft.
My 2011 has been solid other than the garbage VVT timing system they put in the 3.5L. But I know theirs plenty of service depts that deny the Phasers and timing chain problems...
Funny how all the worry about electric steering and some saying it is the F150s biggest fault. I am sure if electrical steering lock up was as bad as this group makes it out to be, the NHTA would be all over it. Fact is it is not the widely speculated problem that this group is making it seem.
To all the nay sayers, prove me wrong and I don't mean like 5 cases out of 10 million cars powered with electrical steering.
To all the nay sayers, prove me wrong and I don't mean like 5 cases out of 10 million cars powered with electrical steering.
I'm not trying to say it's worse then hydraulic power steering, but it's not really any better. Saves what 2 hp on the driveline? Even on the Jeep JLs one of the best initial mods for 4wheelers is to swap from the electric to a hydraulic steering set up.
All I have to say is if it is not reliable, safe, or only a 2hp benefit, then why is nearly every automobile manufacturer producing vehicles with it?
And some folks look for thos couple.hp here and there. For example, oil pump to block port matching. How many folks do that in search of those elusive couple hp? What about removing balance shafts, or under drive pulleys? Just a couple hp each to be gained.
Because the EPA has demanded such high Mpgs that the OEM's have to try to take as much load off the engine as possible to eek out a .5 more mpg.
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137 Posts
My 2011 has been solid other than the garbage VVT timing system they put in the 3.5L. But I know theirs plenty of service depts that deny the Phasers and timing chain problems...
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2012. 229000 plus miles on my 3.5 never had one problem… phasers and chains fail due to lack of proper oil changes…. I never go more than 5 k …. All these manufacturers are recommending 7500-10k mile oil changes and the oil breaks down … then you add in wrong viscosity or filter and or non synthetic oil at these fast oil change shops it’s a disaster waiting to happen…. I personally run full synthetic and only motorcraft filters on all my vehicles… fords, turbo dodges and dodge ram and have only had one engine failure on a t3
[/QUOTE]
2012. 229000 plus miles on my 3.5 never had one problem… phasers and chains fail due to lack of proper oil changes…. I never go more than 5 k …. All these manufacturers are recommending 7500-10k mile oil changes and the oil breaks down … then you add in wrong viscosity or filter and or non synthetic oil at these fast oil change shops it’s a disaster waiting to happen…. I personally run full synthetic and only motorcraft filters on all my vehicles… fords, turbo dodges and dodge ram and have only had one engine failure on a t3
My truck had nothing other than Penz Platinum/ Ultra 5w30 and needed phasers by 72k KM.... 5k mile (8k km) changes... Regardless, There's plenty the service dept ignores.
2016s needed em by 10k miles.
Back to the topic.
Seen a few of the saturn units used on Scout 800s and those guys have nothing but good things to say about them.
Everyone here does know that hydraulic power steering systems fail too right? Happened on my 99 Tahoe, Happened on my mom's Corolla, happens to a bunch of cars I worked on as a tech from all OEM's. High pressure lines can leak/fail. So can fittings, so can Hydraulic pumps.
I think it's a great option for L-bodies. I'm running a SRT4 engine in my 83 charger, and there is zero option/room for hydraulic power steering, with the belt drive system and the frame rail spacing. An electric pump would be awesome. Also when it fails, it won't spew oil all over the road/track/under the tires.
And if it does happen to fail - Oh well, manual steering until I throw another motor in it... guess what - just like when a hydraulic pump fails.
Not to mention it's less rotating mass on the engine, and I would bet slightly less weight. And yeah... even if it's a pound or two it still counts - so before I get flamed for that statement, just remember that you may have a swiss cheesed alternator bracket in your car for weight savings because that used to be all the rage on these forums a while back. Who cares if it's electric? Y'all blowing head gaskets every year, and replacing HEP sensors every 3 months and worried about reliability of an electric PS pump. Give me a break.
I think it's a great option for L-bodies. I'm running a SRT4 engine in my 83 charger, and there is zero option/room for hydraulic power steering, with the belt drive system and the frame rail spacing. An electric pump would be awesome. Also when it fails, it won't spew oil all over the road/track/under the tires.
And if it does happen to fail - Oh well, manual steering until I throw another motor in it... guess what - just like when a hydraulic pump fails.
Not to mention it's less rotating mass on the engine, and I would bet slightly less weight. And yeah... even if it's a pound or two it still counts - so before I get flamed for that statement, just remember that you may have a swiss cheesed alternator bracket in your car for weight savings because that used to be all the rage on these forums a while back. Who cares if it's electric? Y'all blowing head gaskets every year, and replacing HEP sensors every 3 months and worried about reliability of an electric PS pump. Give me a break.
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288 Posts
You might try an electric steering rack out of a Mini Cooper. I've seen a few in the junkyard, really small and probably the right size for our cars.
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