Disabled help please

[wedget]

I people, sorry not been on here for a while but i really need some help. I am dissabled and I have a car that needs its electic steering lightened to make it easier to turn while parking and driving. i have been to my local dealer who say they have three settings and mine is set to the lowest. but it is still too firm. i have already purchased the car and cannot return it and i am left with the prospect of a car i cannot drive. Please Help urgently

Oh car is an Auid A3 redline 2007

[350matt]

First off are the tyres pumped up to what they should be?

Next option is to fit a higher pressure pump which will supply more assist, is it fitted with an electric pump or is it engine driven?

If electric there are many cars now which use these systems and a higher rated pump should be available

Alternatively the rack itself can be changed to one with a lower ratio and with a softer torsion bar in it which controls the level of assistance.

Speak to a steering rack specialist about this one


Matt

[wedget]

thanks for the quick reply... its electric steering so will it still need a new rack. the car is brand new so will this still be an option. need to get the seering down to 8lbs of forse rather than its current 25lbs

[stevieturbo]

wedget said:

thanks for the quick reply... its electric steering so will it still need a new rack. the car is brand new so will this still be an option. need to get the seering down to 8lbs of forse rather than its current 25lbs

I dont know how you wold find them....but what about finding out who converts cars for some stunt movies ?
ie, they make cars fully remote control. I doubt the servos they use to steer the car are super strong ?
So perhaps they increase the assistance from the PAS system ?

[350matt]

If the assistance is provided by an electric motor built into the column then the easiest option is to fit a more powerful motor or have the existing one re-wound to provide more torque.

The control electronics for the steering would also require changes due to the additional current involved.

However if the assistance is provided by an electrically operated hydraulic pump (such as on Citreons) then you need a bigger / higher pressure pump.

Matt

[Avocet]

I'm not familiar with this Audi system but I've a feeling that making it lighter by such a large amount will not be possible (and might even be dangerous!) by modifications to the electric actuator or hydraulic pump. On power steering systems that I've worked on, a higher pressure pump will make no difference s the assistance is the "difference" between the pressures on each side of the rack - i.e. same pressure each side = no assistance. Upping the pump pressure just increases the pressure on each side so no overall change in the amount of assistance - that's controlled by the torsion bar in the valve block but I doubt the Audi uses a torsion bar system at all.

Have you spoken to Steering Developments? www.steeringdevelopments.co.uk/

They are well known in the vehicle adaptation field. I don't know if they do something for your car but they have certainly done quite advanced stuff like joystick steering in the past.

Good luck!

[wedget]

Many many thanks people.. will ring steering developments and i have dealt with them before i had forgotten they do such things as this. love you guys...