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.
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
This is really interesting. I actually have pain in both arms at the elbow (not too dissimilar to tennis elbow) after a 40 odd mile drive on Sunday - I'm on 400mg of ibuprofen a day, it's that painful and I'm not kidding. Tyres are inflated correctly but the steering is just so damn heavy - even while driving, parking speeds it's absolutely comical.
It does spoil my enjoyment of the car a bit to be honest. Are there any bits (like the rack) which can be greased before I go down a similar PAS route?
Sorry to hijack the thread - I'm in pain
It does spoil my enjoyment of the car a bit to be honest. Are there any bits (like the rack) which can be greased before I go down a similar PAS route?
Sorry to hijack the thread - I'm in pain
Edited by THEDAVINATOR on Tuesday 26th May 10:30
Unfortunately, because of the weigh set-up and geometry there's really nothing you can do to improve the slow speed turning issues on these cars, other than some sort of conversion.
This EPA's has changed my car into a one finger driver! ( If you'll excuse the pun!).
Obviously, there are hydraulic conversions that can be engineered, but I would think the electric route is the simplest overall.
I retained the original steering column for reuse should it be necessary to swap back.
There were specialist companies that will do the conversion for you as a turn key operation, not sure of the price though!
My costs were listed as about £300 all in.
I was an engineer in a previous life, so found it straightforward enough to do (other than the steering link and bottom bearing holder issues which were just a frustrating type issue).
Sounds like the self driving Tesla's that have not quite arrived in the UK are going to be just too late to be of assistance for you and your issues, which I'm sorry to hear about.
Regs,
Phil.
This EPA's has changed my car into a one finger driver! ( If you'll excuse the pun!).
Obviously, there are hydraulic conversions that can be engineered, but I would think the electric route is the simplest overall.
I retained the original steering column for reuse should it be necessary to swap back.
There were specialist companies that will do the conversion for you as a turn key operation, not sure of the price though!
My costs were listed as about £300 all in.
I was an engineer in a previous life, so found it straightforward enough to do (other than the steering link and bottom bearing holder issues which were just a frustrating type issue).
Sounds like the self driving Tesla's that have not quite arrived in the UK are going to be just too late to be of assistance for you and your issues, which I'm sorry to hear about.
Regs,
Phil.
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