Has, or is anyone using on of those electric power steering pumps form a Volks Wagon, Subaru, or MR2. I have been thinking of using one with a Toy Box, instead of the regular style. If so, how is it working out for you.

 

I think there was quite a thread on this last spring, try a search of this fourm and see what comes up.

 

This might be the thread you were thinking of Dick.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=383902

There was a lot of discussion in that particular thread, but not a lot of info on actual electric pumps.

Do an advanced search on this forum and you'll see a number of other threads that touch on the subject. Click on Search, then Advanced Search. On the advanced search page, choose the 48-60 Forum in the list box on the lower-right. Then enter the following in the search box:

+electric +power +steering +pump

The plus signs tell the search engine that the thread MUST contain the word. Enjoy!

 

Thanks guys, but that thread theme is about the possibility of using one.
I was hoping to find someone who is actually using one to ask some of the questions posed on that thread. Like the turning speed at idle which would probably involve the computer when using it, and the amp draw

 

I'd be hesitant to try it. The Mini Cooper uses one, but they call it power assisted steering. Having raced one, I found the steering "heavier" feeling than anything I've driven with an engine driven pump, sorta 1/2 way between power and manual. I'd expect the pump and racks are designed to work together (obviously) but I don't know if it would be capable of driving a recirculating ball PS box like the Toyota. I don't know of any domestic car that is using an electric pump or anyone offering an aftermarket one (that says something right there), so it would be difficult to get any info on the pumps that are being used. On a non computerized engine cramping the steering wheel pulls the engine RPM down noticably, so I'd expect it would take an awfully stout motor to drive an electric pump. It would be an expensive experiment that's likely to not give good results IMO.

 

Odd that I read this tonite as this morning I discovered one under the dash of the wife's VUE. I was looking at something else, and wondered "what the hey" is that thing. It looks like a wiper motor with a small trans, but has splined shafts in and out with a u-joint attached to the output shaft end. Wow is what crossed my mind, since it appears that it cound be used in conjuction with the borgeson or flaming river products and a short shaft Ididit. It is totally self contained and could be mounted with a bracket under the dash or before the steering box. This unit is speed sensitive, but I suppose somebody could unloop or rig a sensor to an speedo. The car steers with a pinky while still, easy at low speed, and sporty at highway speed. Plus the VUE has wide tires and AWD so I'm thinking...............if a wrecked VUE comes up, I'm buying the pump just to play with it.

 

El C, Hmmm that's interesting, I haven't seen a system like that. From your description it doesn't sound like it's a hydraulic system though more like a electro-mechanically assisted system (that may be the type system the Mini uses I really haven't investigated how their system works, it wasn't my car), so it would not be a "pump" in the sense of the typical PS system. That makes much more sense, I was having a hard time conceiving of an electric motor driven hydraulic pump that would be capable of generating enough pressure (~2000 PSI) and volume without being as big as the engine itself and requiring a HUGE amount of current. That system would not be usable as a replacement for an engine driven pump, but rather might work as a auxiliary assist i.e. an alternative system to the hydraulic ram. That also makes sense why it would be speed sensitive since it would be too "slow" i.e. require a large amount of steering wheel turning which would be awkward and disconcerting at speed. This is intriguing, it's likely that it is a "transmission" (planetary?) of some sorts that "shifts" the steering shaft to a lower gear at lower speeds. That may not even be an electric motor but a solenoid or servo of some sort. Verrrly interestink! I'll have to get my friend that owns the Mini to send me a copy of the steering section of his shop manual (our racing rules require us to have a shop manual for our cars in our posession).

 

CPP sells an electric power steering pump for $599. It develops 1140 psi max and weighs just 11 pounds. Check out this link for the full description.
http://www.classicperform.com/Store/...rucks/PSPE.htm

 

AX, maybe it is a small transmission. I played with the steering a bit today, and: 1, RPMs make no difference in effort. 2,Had my kid drive the car at different speeds and felt the elect motor running and humming but felt no shift points. 3,The steering just get firmer at higher speeds and feels more like manual steering. 4,Real easy at low speeds and park. 5,There is an oil plug in the housing. 6, the motor is 5.5" dia x 8" long and gets warm as does the "gearbox" which is approx 7" x 6" x 6" from cast aluminum with hardened in/out shafts....... I think it could work with small blocks and narrow tires.
I will call on a pal at Saturn Monday to get more info.

 

I looked at the Classic Performance pump. It looks similar to an electric pump off of a snowplow setup. Has anyone investigated converting a snowplow pump to a power steering unit?

Try this site for all sorts of manufacturers. http://www.plowsite.com/

Fran

 

Ok, met with a cousin that works as line mech at Ch**y dealer and asked him about this pump thingy. " This is the same as on the Equinox which is a Saturn platform with tin skin and a different eng." The scoop is: the pump
( elect motor) is looped to a speed sensor and revs up at low speed and slows down at high speeds. Runs fastest at idle." Makes sense to me. The gearbox is a variable speed centrifugal system. In addition, it is a smaller version of a like system used in the larger GM products with " Power Assist" and would work in trucks like ours if it can work in Yukons etc. Anyway, line tech boy informs me that there are issues of the variable pulley getting stuck and the steering becomes over sensitive and causing some problems. I would still try it though.

 

Thanks El C. That makes it very clear. So it is not a pump at all, no hydraulics involved. We probaby ought to stop refering to this system as a pump, and call it what it is a variable ratio transmission steering assist. I figured it must be some sort of constant mesh transmission, but I'm sorta surprised that they chose a belt driven centrifugal system (I was of the understanding that the federal safety mandates requires the steering to be hard connected so you cannot lose steering thru a mechanical failure). This is basically a miniature version of the same type transmission you would find in a snowmobile or jetski. I have a fair amount of experience with those so understand the belt issue. Can you ask your cousin if this belt is considered a wear maintainance item, i.e. has a replacement schedule and/or is it replacable or do you have to replace the whole transmission. Is the speed sensor built into the unit or is it controlled by the ECU? What is the cost of one of these units that is for a truck?

 

AX, the units are considered to be hard connected. The steering shaft to the input shaft, the output shaft to the rack/pinion shaft, u-joint at the output end inside the cab,under dash. If any power is lost, it becomes as manual steering, same as high speed when the small electric motor slows to dis-engage the cluthes, no belts to his knowledge. Price unknown, most work has been done under warranty. Wired into the cpu and via speed sensor. Keep in mind that the linetechs nowadays plug in a computer and replace stuff, they don't really know that much about the cars actually or parts.
Hit the boiler with a hammer: $10.00
Knowing where to hit: $295.00

 

I'd love to see a cutaway or exploded view of one of these.