A Modification of Variable Electrical Power Steering - Your opinions?

I think you need to learn how to read. The butchered vehicle was a Toyota Prius! Saying your CHEVY dealer is wrong is WAY off base. Could it be that Toyota uses an entirely different control system for there power steering in the Prius? YEP.

Do you notice ANYWHERE in that article where GM SAYS to do the modifications? NOPE. Could that be the reason why the dealer tells you that there are no modifications? Because THEY won't be the ones to screw it up by playing with parts that could easily kill you if they fail.

Could it be that there are ways to modify it? Sure. Are they FACTORY sanctioned, NOPE. Just like you could add nitrous injection and get an extra 100 HP or more from the engine. Would it immediately void the warranty and make YOU liable for any failures, YEP. But it could be done.

Anything can be modified. That's the way things are. If man can build it, man can change it.

The statement that you got from your Chevy dealer was, if properly translated, something like, "We won't modify it, your warranty is invalided if you do, and we won't give you technical details on how the system works."

If you are truly determined to change the equipment, you have two choices. One is to throw enormous amounts of money at GM for a custom product. This is very expensive, but it's possible to do and plenty of folks (like the president and the pope) do it all the time.

The second is to reverse-engineer the system yourself. Figure out how it works, change it to work the way you want, and hopefully post some info to the web about it.

Anything can be changed. Don't believe anyone who tells you otherwise. But, you might want to believe someone who tells you that it isn't worth the money or effort.

I think the whole idea of changing the ratio on the fly is misguided and encourages poor driving practices. Also it requires additional mechanical and electronic stuff which can break down. I think it's a bad idea to buy overly complicated systems in the first place.

--scott

ChrisCoaster wrote in news:94a2b550-3d78-4651-9d50- snipped-for-privacy@r66g2000hsg.googlegroups.com:

i wouldnt recommend anyone anyone altering the tech systems on safety issues of modern vehcles....i drive many (MANY!) late model GMs and malibu is the worst as far as having too much steering assist at all times....i imagine if the code writers for GM processors would delve into the mechanics of PS assist they could integrate a choice of values in the radio DIC..........firm, normal, loose.........i DO NOT see them doing this right now as they are trying to just stay in business because of terrible business practices and overloaded (OVERLOADED TIMES 10) legacy costs..but thats another subject...... interesting link tho on the prius PS bastardazation. i wouldnt do it but then too, i wouldnt buy a prius either.................BILL, stuck in the past

BILL, stuck in the past _______________________________

Fair enough, Bill, et al. So as I replied to one guy in private, looks like I may either have to save up for a 3-series, or, trade the Malibu in for the likes of a Jetta.

But answer this question, please!: Why/and or for WHOM/ do car manufacturers design in so much assist in the first place, whether tried&true hydraulic or radical electric?

I'd bet a five-legged-horse that most cars would handle most sublimely if the power steering were simply "turned down" significantly, especially at speeds over 20mph. I think variable-assist is a damn- good concept, if done properly and with thought.

I often do "fantasy alignments" in my head and imagine how the vehicle would handle based upon the specs. They cannot account for, of course, the profile of tires/wheels used, spring rates, types of suspension(wishbone, Mac-Strut, etc.), and compliance of things like bushings, etc. And it's a shame that most cars with good set up are often ruined with over-modulated P.S. But in general, what I've come up with are the following:

Negative camber front & rear, between -.5 & -1degree. Caster: No more than 2 to 2.5 positive(*more on that two lines down..). Toe: Dynamically(as opposed to statically) set so as to achieve true straight under a 30-40mph avg. speed. SAI(here's the clincher): 14-14.25 degrees!! That's all the self- centering & straightline you need. *Too much positive caster becomes too negative when trying to back out of a long narrow driveway.*

And no more than 1/4degree difference, left-to-right, for the caster & camber specs. SCREW road crown!! Correct for it with your own TWO HANDS!!!

Bwahahahaha!!

Alignment & steering specialists lurking or participating are free to join in the "fantasy".

-CC

ChrisCoaster wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@p25g2000hsf.googlegroups.com:

as i remember way back to the 70's ford designed their PS systems as 'full time PS', meaning you could take one finger and spin the wheels stop to stop at zero MPH. just like malibu....that went away in the 80's when the braineacks found that is not what buyers really wanted and went to 'assist on demand' (speed sensitive)......hydr. assist on demand equels perfect to me.......makers are now trying to lower costs, both parts, manuf., and build labor with innovative ideas! along with electric steering theirs the great electric throttle, when cable worked so well. and electric shift tranny's...........none of the three i am a fan of...yet............bill

snipped-for-privacy@p25g2000hsf.googlegroups.com:

________________

Bill I feel the same way about these newfangled LCD & Plasma TVs. Sure, they've got a much larger, wider picture, but cannot come close to the accuracy of an old "tube" set. Esp. Sony Trinitrons & the flat WEGAs that recently joined the Dodo bird. :( Currently, electro- mechanical p.s. leaves a bad taste in my mouth, kind of like Windows Vista did in with lots of computer users. I'm shocked that VW would put it in their Jetta and I'm surprised that that car's handling ratings are still through the roof.

Perhaps I'll just have to scrimp & save my way into a certified 2001 -

Somethings in life you've just gotta pay for.

-CC