Quote: Details on the electric steering conversion I posted on FABO. _________________________ You shove the unit from a Vue/Cruze/Equinox under the dash and run a controller available on eBay.
I'm using a Hower 2:1 steering quickener between the column and the manual box. That will give me 12:1. If I want faster I can switch to a 20:1, or 16:1, box to speed it up more and even go to fast ratio idler/pitman to adjust even further.
Since $$$ seems to be a hot topic in the thread, let's look at how much is going into this solution.
Used Vue column $100 eBay controller $65 Howe Quickener $92 U Joints/Couplers/Steering Shaft $325 Borgeson Manual Box $380
Wow... $962 for a complete electric steering solution with steering box. Price out a new FFI box (or Borgeson), rebuilt column, pump, pulleys and it's pretty much a wash.
What really drove this decision? The headers... 2" TTI Gen3 will not clear any power steering box. It's a heck of a lot cheaper to put in this solution than have a set of custom headers built. Plus, better packaging, adjustable, etc...
Kevin, I saw this as a great alternative to running a manual 16:1 box in my Challenger since the factory power unit is an increase of almost 40 pounds. That was before yesterday's news when GM recalled close to a million and a half cars for this faulty electric power steering unit.
So, first, do we know what the flaws in this unit are (they seem to have been corrected after 2010, judging by the recall parameters. Unless this box was discontinued after 2010) and can we, the users, implement any fixes?
Second, would you show us the structure you fabricate to mount the unit under the dash? This would save some wheel reinvention when I go to put mine in an E body.
I wouldn't think it would be too complicated. With the factory setup all the torque is provided by the driver and reacted by the steering box. The column mounts only have to take the lateral reaction loads. With this electric box a lot of the torque, and a smaller reaction load, is now taken by the dash structure. Since people aren't too strong, I would think that the structure to react the loads would not need to be too hefty.
Have you got this structural reinforcement planned out yet?
Robert
I have a 2012 Mustang with electronic power assisted steering and to be honest it has done a few strange things in the last few years. In the summer if you take a bunch of hard corners it sometimes will shake the steering wheel in your hand after you would pull it straight. And this winter I had the car out maybe 5 times and twice while driving it the steering stuck to the point I had to give it a hard snap to get it to turn, Ford did just put out recall for some of their other cars but not the mustang. It does have good feel and you can change the steering effort with the push of a button.
