Power steering conversion

    As somebody above mentioned I am also working on an direct electric steering assistance system. I have had prototypes installed in my daily driver Syncro (complete with 255 tyres to give it a thorough test) for 16 months. The system currently installed is the third (and hopefully final) prototype of the mechanical side of the installation. The testing has gone very well so far.

     My system is fully speed sensitive, as I consider a dash adjustable fixed rate of assistance (like the control modules available on the internet) dangerous, having tried them. If you turn dash adjustable, fixed rate assistance up when parking, then turn out of the car park on to a dual carriageway without turning it down, you could literally spin the wheel with your little finger at 60mph if you tried, with no feedback through the steering at all. I spent a lot of time trying to find a single fixed amount of assistance which is acceptable at both high and low speeds, and there simply isn't one. Im my system, shape of the speed / assistance curve is adjustable, within limits, to allow it to be set to suit your tyres and preferences. It won't allow you to adjust it to give massisve amounts of excessive assistance reletive to the speed. I may also do a preset version, set to suit a typical T3 installation in which the owner does not want to treat the setting as an experiment. I need to do a bit more experimenting with preset versions before making the decision.

     I have tested all the electrical failure modes I can think of such as loss of input signals, etc, and the system responded in a very controlled way in each case, with the effects on driveability less severe than if the belt snapped on a hydraulic power steering system.

 

     As with all my produsts, the design philisophy is to achieve the closest possible quality to an OEM installation (especially for something as critical as steering), but in a way which is suitable for low volume manufacture. My installation features two seperate fully collapsible sections, one in the upper and one in the lower column sections (there is only one in the original VW installation). All torque transmitting joins in the system are splined (no welds, etc), and are designed and manufactured by OEM steering specialists. I also have product liability insurance for my products, including the power steering project. I suspect that my insurers will rule out exports of the steering system to the US though. I suggest that anyone manufacturing any kind of safety critical product without product liability cover probably ought to do a product liability course to find out why having cover should be within their interests.

    Once I have finished developing and productionising the system, I will be offering a complete kit, which will comprise of the EPAS unit, the control electronics, the speed sensor system, a cowl to hide the system away under the dash, a wiring harness, and full instructions. LHD and RHD kits will be available. The RHD kit will be a true 'bolt-on' installation, and the LHD kit will require some minor, but unavoidable trim mods. Installation of the complete kit would take just a few hours, and will easily suited to a moderately competent DIYer. I may also sell the speed sensitive, calibratable control system seperately, for use in non VW applications.

 

    This is very much a project which I am fitting in the development work for as and when, around my Subaru conversion products work, which usually keeps my busy for more hours per week than I would ideally choose to work. Therefore I don't have any 'available by' dates. It is not 'just around the corner'. I would estimate that 85% of the work is done, with the remaining 15% being productionising the electronics and harness, and finishing the development of the cowl moulding. I have sourced suppliers for all but two (hopefully relatively simple) components.

    There will be no info on www.rjes.com about this power steering products until they are available, and I'm afraid I am not going to be answering technical questions about how parts of it work. Someone has already taken advantage of my previous willingness to discuss why speed sensitive assistance is necessary and the details of how my system works. Having already had one of my Subaru conversion products copied, I now discuss the engineering behind my products with very very few people I'm afraid, especially before they are in production. I'm really sorry if this makes me seem paranoid, but I object to others benefiting from my work.

      I have a growing mailing list of potential customers for the power steering system, and I will be sending information to those on the list up front, nearer the time.