Electric steering mod

[vegasanthony]

I've been thinking on this modification for a while
and after driving my 73 swinger in a parking lot
I decided it's a must-have I believe I have all the pieces just need to Fab it up
wish me luck

 

[CFD244]

Sounds interesting

 

[Stephen Mulkey]

First off, good luck.
You should search here, as I remember a member on here done a very good documented post on this very subject. Might be of some help.

 

[Alaskan_TA]

How does it work if your battery dies?

 

[Dana67Dart]

How does it work if your battery dies

It's just manual steering.

In all reality... If you can not palm steer a manual steering car out of a parking space you need to go to the gym!

Or get Hans and Fran's to "Pump you up!"

 

[67Dart273]

There's a couple of threads on this here. PLEASE keep current here with your progress and photos

 

[plumkrazee70]

Looks good! If you get stuck let me know. I have done the swap, but I haven't had time to document. Looks like all Toyota stuff you got there.

 

[Kendog 170]

Good luck.

 

[ChargerST]

How about the self centering of the steering wheel? That seems to be a big problem with most retrofit EPAS systems..

 

[Kern Dog]

This might make sense if you have a manual 16 to 1 steering box. Power assist added to a 24 to 1 box would be really strange. Fast and easy effort for a super slow ratio would be like steering on ice.

 

[plumkrazee70]

This might make sense if you have a manual 16 to 1 steering box. Power assist added to a 24 to 1 box would be really strange. Fast and easy effort for a super slow ratio would be like steering on ice.

Right. Thats what I did (16:1 manual box with EPS) it's not on the road yet, though.

 

[vegasanthony]

First off, good luck.
You should search here, as I remember a member on here done a very good documented post on this very subject. Might be of some help.

yes ive read all of those threads and they are quite helpfull.
WAID302 has a great thread thats the best one $35 Electric Power Steering with Fail-Safe - No eBay module and no caster issues!!!
. It fully explains why the Saturn Vue electric steering unit being used by alot of hot rodders is not the best option. Not to mention the all buy this stupid ebay module to run the thing.

It's just manual steering.

In all reality... If you can not palm steer a manual steering car out of a parking space you need to go to the gym!

ITS FOR THE GYM PARKING LOT YA DOLT..
TO MY THREAD

im sure up there in Northern Colorado you have a lot of open car lots and big open wallyword lots
bring your rig to Las Vegas for the Sema show next year and we will see who can navigate the packed parking lots in town with one hand..
im 55 yrs old .5'6" 140lbs need i say more..

Well since i got my rig
so the reason i decided on the toyota box is the selfcentering of the wheel is reported to stay the same but the Saturn unit does definitly not self center.
a Standard powersteering box will not fit my application way to big. a borgenson PS box would fit ..as well as a new flaming river column assebly. but i just dont have that kind of cash
yes the standard box i have is a 24:1 ratio and i will probably get the 16:1 in the fall.
the option no one has done is a Defeat switch on the dash. That way i can turn on the electric asssit off as needed..

first step is to mock up where this unit will sit

 

[plumkrazee70]

You are on the right track. Also check out this "install" it was helpful to see where about abouts to cut the column.

I welded my factory steering wheel D shaft to the Prius one (as WAID did) then for the output shaft, I came off the Electric motor with a universal and bought a universal collapsible DD and then to the 16:1 box with another universal.

This way my column retains it's collapsiblity. Lol I'll try and get some pics up.

 

[vegasanthony]

ok so back to this all parts are in and paint is drying
so first we had to figure my length needed
bout that long should do it..

so now just have to have something to mount to..
im using a 2012 toyota motor which doesnt have the bolt mounted tube mines was pressed on

so with that off we make a mounting plate

i used the existing threaded holes and the plate to clamshell the halves together

 

[vegasanthony]

now what to do with the column..
orignial column was column shifter,,way gone a while ago. but the lockout tube was still inside of the column..

im leaving it in that way all the compometnts stay semi centered
so attach that to the column

 

[vegasanthony]

so this is the existing shaft on the right ..stufff on the left is from donor totyota

i measured 21.5 inches for a steering shaft from the splined output to input shaft on steering box,, so i just cut my original which was collapsible, and the inner diameter let me use half of the steering shaft from the toyot ato make a splice in original

 

[vegasanthony]

for the driver wheel input is pretty simple just used the remaining shaft of original a used the toyota shaft spliced to mines

 

[vegasanthony]

extended the wires so i can mount the box on passenger side

a little paint

 

[67Dart273]

!!THANKS!! for the details!!

 

[Dana67Dart]

Has anyone opened the electric assist box to see if the shaft can be removed?

Might be able to modify a stock center shaft to fit through the electric box?

 

[plumkrazee70]

Has anyone opened the electric assist box to see if the shaft can be removed?

Might be able to modify a stock center shaft to fit through the electric box?

I doubt it. I have an extra box that I can split. Buy my guess is not.

 

[vegasanthony]

The rear mount is simple

All painted and assembled

 

[SLOPAR72]

The backbone of Hotrodding in this thread..... IMO mother mopar made a mess of the Rear steer box and that's why guys like you figure out a different path.....

I lift plenty of heavy stuff daily. The last thing I want to do is wheel some 3000+ bulk of metal through a parking lot without assist. Might as well throw your Iphone in the river if that's how you roll.... Your life, your way. This guy gets it. Thanks for the updates. Looking good....

JW

 

[rumblefish360]

The wife wants to do this.
I said have fun with that.
I gotta start i my stuff!
Subscribed!

 

[plumkrazee70]

The rear mount is simple
View attachment 1715707235
All painted and assembled View attachment 1715707236

Great idea on the rear mount!