Removing friction from steering system

[Wocketman]

Hi all,

I'm hoping to get some advice...

Have been driving my 04 Silver for some time with the power steering fuse out. Seems ridiculous to me to have power steering on these tiny cars! Aside from the EPS light, I can hardly tell the difference from when the fuse was in.

However, compared to the steering on my 91 CRX-HF, the Insight steering is sluggish and sticky. Seems to have a lot of "stiction", which I cautiously assume is from the power steering motor and associated system.

Has anyone removed the power steering motor, or come up with some other method to get the friction/stiction out of the system?

All ideas appreciated.

[biododge1]

aside from removing the EPS parts. The only real way to reduce steering effort would be to change the caster on the alignment to a more negative degree-but i doubt there is enough adjustment to make much diffrence

[GuySmily]

The power steering does seem rather unnecessary. The car is very easy to steer even with the PS off. I bet it's only included because people wouldn't buy a car if the power steering checkbox was empty. Then again, we don't have a tilt wheel either...

All the PS deletes I've seen for other cars has involved looping the fluid lines that would normally go to the pump, that way the rack stays lubricated but the fluid doesn't have to force its way past a nonoperational pump first. Looping is supposed to be better than capping since it allows the fluid to flow from side to side instead of being pressurized.

After the PS is deleted, my hope is that the steering wheel would return to center more forcefully when accelerating out of a corner. This is my first FWD car ever, and I really dislike the way the steering is affected by acceleration.

[Willie Williford]

Well the PS is electrical, so what are you going to do, redirect the electrical load?
I did notice a little understeer after I installed the Matiz (B/W) springs.
Accelerating out of the corner I can still feel the "torque" steer. Good enough for me.

Willie

[GuySmily]

I'm impressed. I thought the Insight power steering was electro-hydraulic, but after reading the encyclopedia it sounds like the rack is assisted directly by an electric motor. Pretty cool. I guess that means there aren't any lines to loop.

[Wocketman]

When the PS fuse is out, when the wheel is turned is it also turning the (now non-functioning) PS motor? If yes, is it possible to remove the motor?

[Willie Williford]

Why remove the motor. Fuse out, no load.

Willie
I do have the Insight power steering unit installed in my "sand buggy" and it is great. One handed steering in the dunes.

[Wocketman]

Hmm....maybe the friction is caused by something other than the motor? What would do that?

I would estimate the drag in the system as about 5 times that of my HF. Of course, steering the HF is like driving a bicycle...

[jime]

The spec. caster is only 2 deg. This is a relatively low value for modern cars. At speed caster induced resistance should be quite low, but low speed turns are usually high input turns, causing a lot of tire scrub. I doubt that it would be productive stability wise to lower the caster.

There may be a small amount of resistance in the inverse gearing to the electric motor, and the motor, when the fuse is removed. An interesting experiment would be to remove the electric motor entirely and put some cover over the opening on the steering rack to keep it clean. Only two bolts hold the motor in place. I'm full up on experiments, but I'd like to know how well YOU make out with it

[Wocketman]

I just may have to do that!