Has anyone retro fitted modern electric power steering

[bigearmuffs]

As the title, has anyone taken a modern electric power steering column and fitted it to a classic or project car. I have a VW UP GTi that like a lot of modern cars has an electric power steering column, however it is complex and has it's own ecu, to set it up requires VW software and for it to recognise that it is in the car it belongs to (VW component protection). 

Has anyone used a more simple electric power steering system or do they all require computer programming, I wondered if anything existed that you could just a power source to and it was effectively plug and play without all the complexity, cheers.

[TessierAshpool]

This may help you:



Prius ones seem to be commonly used, they don't require fancy programming, just throw a beefy 12V feed at it and you're done.

[bigearmuffs]

Thank you for that, I might give that a go it looks like just the thing I asked for.

[rallyboy]

Corsa columns are pretty popular in the rallying world. A friend has one on his Sunbeam. Lots of Escorts use them too.

[bigearmuffs]

Found this -





www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284408335748?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338792760&toolid=20006&customid=ddd2e459e46c219f89b90eecdb054740

cheers

[norm75]

Yeh corsa electric steering is a very common upgrade. I say upgrade, if it makes the steering feel anything like that of the combo van I used as a courier I’d rather use no power steering and two broken arms!

[Jonny69]

Jan 14, 2023 13:31:24 GMT rallyboy said:

Corsa columns are pretty popular in the rallying world. A friend has one on his Sunbeam. Lots of Escorts use them too.

This. Popular in the 105E Anglia world too.

[bigearmuffs]

Jan 14, 2023 14:30:36 GMT norm75 said:

Yeh corsa electric steering is a very common upgrade. I say upgrade, if it makes the steering feel anything like that of the combo van I used as a courier I’d rather use no power steering and two broken arms!

What car did you have it on, the wiring conversion looks to give it adjustment from soft to hard did the one you have this and was it as bad on all settings.

I am undecided between the Toyota (looks to be a fixed power output) and Vauxhall (can be varied with a controller) so any feedback appreciated before I commit.

[chandlergti]

The Prius electric power steering appears to also be a popular conversion and there are plenty of them around in scrap yards

Edit: maybe I should read the entire thread before answering

[mrbounce]

I believe crockpot has fitted a Corsa column to his V8 Humber. 

He has detailed it in his thread here

[crockpot]

I can't comment on how it drives because its still not on the road grrrr (but it is close).
But one I did for a mate is on the road and drives well.
There's no programming, there is an ecu and it does require a pulsed input. This is done using a pulse generator and a pot to set pulse rate. These are available from a number of sources.
Fitting wise it can take a bit of a fabrication and machining so be prepared for that.

[norm75]

Jan 14, 2023 16:31:45 GMT bigearmuffs said:

Jan 14, 2023 14:30:36 GMT norm75 said:

Yeh corsa electric steering is a very common upgrade. I say upgrade, if it makes the steering feel anything like that of the combo van I used as a courier I’d rather use no power steering and two broken arms!

What car did you have it on, the wiring conversion looks to give it adjustment from soft to hard did the one you have this and was it as bad on all settings.

I am undecided between the Toyota (looks to be a fixed power output) and Vauxhall (can be varied with a controller) so any feedback appreciated before I commit.

I have not driven a car with that set up retro fitted. I’ve merely driven a few corsa c combo vans and personally (although this is subjective) considered them to be the worst steering feel of any vehicle I have ever driven, and I have driven a lot of vehicles.

Of course, there are many variables such as castor, camber, tracking, suspension geometry, wheel/tyre sizes and so on that might mean retro fitted to a completely different vehicle it could feel completely different to the combos that I have driven.

[Dez]

I was doing these conversions commercially for a while, mostly on Chevy trucks, using corsa columns.

They’re a bit ugly and require quite a lot of fab and machining, but they work. They basically do nothing til you turn the dial all the way up, then they offer some assist for slow speed parking.

Bear in mind it’s an MOT fail to modify any steering component with welding though, everything has to be machined and pinned to be proper. Doesn’t stop people doing it, but just bear it in mind.

[crockpot]

Dez that's not how my mates works (or mine) you can feel the difference with varying setting. There is very clearly three diffent levels of assistance.

For more info for anyone interested
www.super7thheaven.co.uk/corsa-epas-power-steering-kit-car/

[Dez]

Jan 14, 2023 17:45:38 GMT crockpot said:

Dez that's not how my mates works (or mine) you can feel the difference with varying setting. There is very clearly three diffent levels of assistance.

For more info for anyone interested
www.super7thheaven.co.uk/corsa-epas-power-steering-kit-car/

Could be down to the aftermarket controller I guess, there’s quite a lot of people doing them. Or which generation of corsa column you’re using. I’ve spoke to a few people who also have them and they agreed they’re fairly on/off.

Tbh I’ve never had one on my own car because I’ve never had a car that needed one, so I’ve never driven one long term.

[bigearmuffs]

Just purchased off ebay for £60.00 delivered -

Toyota Prius Mk2 04-09 Electric Steering Column & Pump 80960-47040 0000370128

I like the idea of the simplicity of this solution, I will update progress on my build thread, thanks at all for the input, once you get a few leads and ideas it makes researching so much easier.

[jonsey]

Late to the show on this one, but I’ve got Corsa B on my Escort. We’ll I did before I stripped it apart. I find it makes a huge difference. I use 7” wheels with sticky tyres and a 2.2 turn steering rack. I could never go back.

[ems1]

I've got a Corsa EPAS fitted to the Manta, it's on a low setting but does make a big difference.
The Manta also has 7" wide wheels on the front and a quick rack.

[mk2cossie]

Just to throw a spanner in the works, I've had EPAS fitted on my 1984 Granada for the best part of 15 years now.
Nice and easy to wire up, and works just like normal, hydraulic power assisted steering

The deciding factor for me was already having a hydraulic PAS steering rack to start with, and getting a non-PAS rack isnt easy.


That and the lack of reliable electric steering columns or controllers back then

[dog]

Fitted an MGF to mine, does need the original ecu and a controller which can be bought from ebay