Discussion
Ii finally managed to get my electric power steering working, boy what an improvement!
I used the Vauxhall Corsa C system and eBay speed controller on my set up.
It's made the car a dream to park and drive.
I've not experienced any down sides in doing the conversion, other than knee pain, through kneeling beside the car doing the conversion! ( I stupidly didn't use a kneeler mat!)
Just perfect!
I used the Vauxhall Corsa C system and eBay speed controller on my set up.
It's made the car a dream to park and drive.
I've not experienced any down sides in doing the conversion, other than knee pain, through kneeling beside the car doing the conversion! ( I stupidly didn't use a kneeler mat!)
Just perfect!
The Epas is the best upgrade done to my Chim. Although ok once moving, the non- power steering models are quite an armfull when parking or slow speed manoeuvring.
I investigated and read up on ways to install power assisted steering and plumbed for going the electric route.
First, I purchase a spare steering column from Glen (£120)
I then ordered a Vauxhall Corsa C steering column from eBay (£110). You need to ensure you get the steering box ECU, wire connection plugs, universal joins, indicator stalks, ignition module, key, etc. - and as much of the original Corsa column as possible.
Note, I am sure the Corsa B version is probably an easier conversion, but I found them harder to source?
I proceeded to set out the necessary length of original column I needed to remove, in order to be able to adapt part of the Corsa C column and graft it in place.
The Corsa unit has to be partially stripped to enable the re- graft, but it's not entirely obvious how the parts are disassembled, I did this by train and error to some degree, but unfortunately didn't take many pictures.
I retained the upper part of the original Chimaera column so as to reuse the steering wheel tilt mechanism, key lock, steering wheel shaft spindle and indicator/dip switch arrangement.
I had to get the lower part of the Corsa column welded to the upper part of the Chins. I chose to use a experienced welder to do this, ensuring correct alignment of both parts.
The hardest job I found was removing the existing steering column mounting plate in the lower foot well, with it's 6 small nuts and bolts bolted through the fibreglass body.
Quite a job to extract the connecting rod, universal joints and cotter pins, infact there's NO PLAY OR ADJUSTMENT HERE, allowing easy removal - I found this part of the work the most demanding part of the exercise.
After struggling to remove the cotter pin from the weather exposed wheelarch area of the steering link, I ended up replacing the lower steering column bearing, holder and installed an oversized new bear mounting plate where the small circular plate was bolted through the fibreglass body. I used a square aluminium plate about 165.m square.
Once the 'new' column was installed mechanically, with it's new lower mounting plate, nuts and bolts and by re-using the original upper mounting points the column was in place.
Electrically the Corsa steering column ECU / control unit was connected up with 50amp inline fuse and one of the eBay "cars moving" cheater control units (£30) the setup was complete.
I struggled to get the Corsa steering ECU to power up, causing me to purchase about another 3 units in total (£60 each!) untill I resolved the powering- up issue ( still don't really know was caused the problem, probably an earthing wiring issue?).
The amount of assistance the epas unit delivers, which is completely progressive, can be adjusted via a small control knob which I have located on the steering column cowl.
The effort to park is now provided by one finger pressure - it's really an unbelievable difference! - in comparison to the "you have to have arms like Garth" non- assisted method.
![](https://forums-images.pistonheads.com/611040/202605253519818?resize=720[/img]</a> <a href="https://forums-images.pistonheads.com/611040/202605253552417" Target="_blank" >[img]https://forums-images.pistonheads.com/611040/202605253552417?resize=720)
I investigated and read up on ways to install power assisted steering and plumbed for going the electric route.
First, I purchase a spare steering column from Glen (£120)
I then ordered a Vauxhall Corsa C steering column from eBay (£110). You need to ensure you get the steering box ECU, wire connection plugs, universal joins, indicator stalks, ignition module, key, etc. - and as much of the original Corsa column as possible.
Note, I am sure the Corsa B version is probably an easier conversion, but I found them harder to source?
I proceeded to set out the necessary length of original column I needed to remove, in order to be able to adapt part of the Corsa C column and graft it in place.
The Corsa unit has to be partially stripped to enable the re- graft, but it's not entirely obvious how the parts are disassembled, I did this by train and error to some degree, but unfortunately didn't take many pictures.
I retained the upper part of the original Chimaera column so as to reuse the steering wheel tilt mechanism, key lock, steering wheel shaft spindle and indicator/dip switch arrangement.
I had to get the lower part of the Corsa column welded to the upper part of the Chins. I chose to use a experienced welder to do this, ensuring correct alignment of both parts.
The hardest job I found was removing the existing steering column mounting plate in the lower foot well, with it's 6 small nuts and bolts bolted through the fibreglass body.
Quite a job to extract the connecting rod, universal joints and cotter pins, infact there's NO PLAY OR ADJUSTMENT HERE, allowing easy removal - I found this part of the work the most demanding part of the exercise.
After struggling to remove the cotter pin from the weather exposed wheelarch area of the steering link, I ended up replacing the lower steering column bearing, holder and installed an oversized new bear mounting plate where the small circular plate was bolted through the fibreglass body. I used a square aluminium plate about 165.m square.
Once the 'new' column was installed mechanically, with it's new lower mounting plate, nuts and bolts and by re-using the original upper mounting points the column was in place.
Electrically the Corsa steering column ECU / control unit was connected up with 50amp inline fuse and one of the eBay "cars moving" cheater control units (£30) the setup was complete.
I struggled to get the Corsa steering ECU to power up, causing me to purchase about another 3 units in total (£60 each!) untill I resolved the powering- up issue ( still don't really know was caused the problem, probably an earthing wiring issue?).
The amount of assistance the epas unit delivers, which is completely progressive, can be adjusted via a small control knob which I have located on the steering column cowl.
The effort to park is now provided by one finger pressure - it's really an unbelievable difference! - in comparison to the "you have to have arms like Garth" non- assisted method.
Edited by l10tus on Monday 25th May 09:53
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