Power steering

[macafee2]

Anyone recall what it was like turning the steering wheel on a car before power steering?

It amazes me how many people when doing a "3 point turn" drive forward, stop, turn steering wheel, reverse, stop, turn steering wheel, drive forward.
If they were shunting back and forth in a small space where there really was not the room to drive and turn the steering wheel, I could understand it but when there is plenty of room, I just shake my head.
Strain on steering joints and damage to the ground under the front wheels and they are ignorant of this. I have seen in very hot weather the surface of tarmac ripped by stationary cars turning the steering wheel.

power steering, has it just led to bad habits?

macafee2

[clf]

Originally Posted by macafee2

Anyone recall what it was like turning the steering wheel on a car before power steering?

It amazes me how many people when doing a "3 point turn" drive forward, stop, turn steering wheel, reverse, stop, turn steering wheel, drive forward.
If they were shunting back and forth in a small space where there really was not the room to drive and turn the steering wheel, I could understand it but when there is plenty of room, I just shake my head.
Strain on steering joints and damage to the ground under the front wheels and they are ignorant of this. I have seen in very hot weather the surface of tarmac ripped by stationary cars turning the steering wheel.

power steering, has it just led to bad habits?

macafee2

My first car, a renault 5, you would think was a light car, nope, heavier steering than a mazda 626 without the pas option box ticked.

Our cars are horrendous without assistance, even on the move.



Sent from my SM-A600FN using Tapatalk

[KWIL]

I once had the PAS pump fail half way around a slowish right angle bend, immediately completely on the wrong side of the road, no ifs no buts

[kelvo]

Originally Posted by macafee2

Anyone recall what it was like turning the steering wheel on a car before power steering?

It amazes me how many people when doing a "3 point turn" drive forward, stop, turn steering wheel, reverse, stop, turn steering wheel, drive forward.
If they were shunting back and forth in a small space where there really was not the room to drive and turn the steering wheel, I could understand it but when there is plenty of room, I just shake my head.
Strain on steering joints and damage to the ground under the front wheels and they are ignorant of this. I have seen in very hot weather the surface of tarmac ripped by stationary cars turning the steering wheel.

power steering, has it just led to bad habits?

macafee2

My thought has always been that power steering puts less strain on the steering and components if you are turning the wheels when the car is stationary?

I have a couple of classics without power steering and it feels that you are putting far more strain if you attempt to turn the steering whilst stationary, that's even though I run with cross-ply tyres. You do have to be moving to get any turning motion.

Worst thing I think you can do with power steering is hold it on lock though for any length of time where you can hear the pump being loaded.

Power steering varies considerably across cars, I like ZT because it's nicely weighted and with a quick rack as well so you can feel what the front end is doing and don't have to twiddle the wheel around. I have driven cars with 'one-finger' power steering that had no feedback at all. Worst I think I have driven was a VW Passat which made me wonder if the steering wheel was connected to the front wheels through telepathy - you turned the wheel and the car changed direction but response was just dead.

[clf]

Originally Posted by kelvo

My thought has always been that power steering puts less strain on the steering and components if you are turning the wheels when the car is stationary?



I have a couple of classics without power steering and it feels that you are putting far more strain if you attempt to turn the steering whilst stationary, that's even though I run with cross-ply tyres. You do have to be moving to get any turning motion.



Worst thing I think you can do with power steering is hold it on lock though for any length of time where you can hear the pump being loaded.



Power steering varies considerably across cars, I like ZT because it's nicely weighted and with a quick rack as well so you can feel what the front end is doing and don't have to twiddle the wheel around. I have driven cars with 'one-finger' power steering that had no feedback at all. Worst I think I have driven was a VW Passat which made me wonder if the steering wheel was connected to the front wheels through telepathy - you turned the wheel and the car changed direction but response was just dead.

Agreed about the Passat. B4 was heavy and vague. B5.5 was nicely weighted, but you could feel nothing.

You should try the panda with city mode. It feels like it is in the air. Scary when on the main roads too,but great for tight space parking.

Sent from my SM-A600FN using Tapatalk

[macafee2]

Originally Posted by kelvo

My thought has always been that power steering puts less strain on the steering and components if you are turning the wheels when the car is stationary?

I have a couple of classics without power steering and it feels that you are putting far more strain if you attempt to turn the steering whilst stationary, that's even though I run with cross-ply tyres. You do have to be moving to get any turning motion.

Worst thing I think you can do with power steering is hold it on lock though for any length of time where you can hear the pump being loaded.

Power steering varies considerably across cars, I like ZT because it's nicely weighted and with a quick rack as well so you can feel what the front end is doing and don't have to twiddle the wheel around. I have driven cars with 'one-finger' power steering that had no feedback at all. Worst I think I have driven was a VW Passat which made me wonder if the steering wheel was connected to the front wheels through telepathy - you turned the wheel and the car changed direction but response was just dead.

How can it be less strain? The force between wheel and ground and from wheel back to steering rack must be the same when stationary? The difference perhaps being back up the steering column to the driver and steering column to steering rack.
It is the power steering that shows itself as less effort by the driver when stationary but other parts are working hard.

macafee2

[steveharvey2001]

Back in 2000 I used to drive a big heavy Ford Sierra estate with unpowered manual steering just as I started working for my current employer, who is a manufacturer of electric power steering systems (EPS).

They asigned me to the project to develop the EPS for the 2003 model Nissan Micra.

I remember thinking why would a little car like a Micra need power steering???

The thing I soon noticed was that whereas the Micra steering would turn the front wheel rack from lock to lock in just over 3 rotations of the steering wheel, my Sierra needed nearly 5 rotations, due to different pinion gearing.

So In the old days, we managed without PAS by having to turn the steering wheel further to get the same response at the roadwheels.

[chris75]

And in the even older days we built in 30 degrees of play at the steering wheel to keep you concentrating ....... ( Austin A40 Devon )

[euro44]

we dont know we are born these days, long wheelbase land rover circa 1945 fitted out with recovery hoist for breakdown jobs. that will develop biceps instantly or you wont turn the brute inside a 100 yd circle.

[COLVERT]

Originally Posted by kelvo

My thought has always been that power steering puts less strain on the steering and components if you are turning the wheels when the car is stationary?

I have a couple of classics without power steering and it feels that you are putting far more strain if you attempt to turn the steering whilst stationary, that's even though I run with cross-ply tyres. You do have to be moving to get any turning motion.

Worst thing I think you can do with power steering is hold it on lock though for any length of time where you can hear the pump being loaded.

Power steering varies considerably across cars, I like ZT because it's nicely weighted and with a quick rack as well so you can feel what the front end is doing and don't have to twiddle the wheel around. I have driven cars with 'one-finger' power steering that had no feedback at all. Worst I think I have driven was a VW Passat which made me wonder if the steering wheel was connected to the front wheels through telepathy - you turned the wheel and the car changed direction but response was just dead.

Your first paragraph; it's the exact opposite. Plus you are ripping shreds of rubber off your tyres.----and overall quite a few miles.--

The noise you hear on full lock is simply the pressure release valve on the power steering pump. A design feature that stops folk putting the sort of wear on the pump that you are putting on your tyres when you turn the steering wheel whilst stationary.---