Power assisted steering anyone?

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Clifford Pope
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Power assisted steering anyone?

#1 Post by Clifford Pope » Sat Jun 02, 2018 5:49 pm

There is an article in the current edition of Six Appeal about the technicalities of converting to PAS, which makes interesting reading. I hadn't really appreciated so much has to be changed, although I see basically the procedure is quite simple.

It seems to be generally assumed that power steering is a modern necessity. Indeed one reader's article reports that he knew as soon as he reversed out of the drive with his newly-purchased car he knew converting to PAS was a must.
Am I alone in being very puzzled by this phenomenon? I don't consider myself to be exceptionally strong, and it surely can't be the case that most people today are physical weaklings. I find my manual Mk 1 light to steer, easy to manouvre, and perfectly balanced regarding self-centring and ease of keeping a straight course. I also add that I find the same with my Series II Landrover of the same age.
What is going on? Can it be the case that modern drivers have lost the art of turning the wheel when the car is inching forwards or backwards, going with the flow rather than expecting to be able to turn the wheel with one finger while stationary?

I do have another car with power steering, which I love driving, and yes, it is lovely and lazy to be able to spin the wheel from lock to lock with the heel of one hand while virtually at a standstill, but I know it doesn't do the tyres much good, and it's really only showing off rather than exhibiting good driving technique.

I don't know the characteristics of the Triumph PAS, so perhaps it only operates at less than 5 mph and cuts out progressively when it's not needed. I do know a couple of modern FWD hatchbacks with excess PAS which are horrible to drive, unrelaxing and dithery in their lightning over-reaction to tiny wheel movements.

Any comments anyone?

:)

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Re: Power assisted steering anyone?

#2 Post by Tinsmith_Skippy » Sat Jun 02, 2018 6:13 pm

I have never driven a saloon with power steering. I look at it as one less thing to go wrong with more power gained and less carried weight. I was taught to turn whilst moving. Think modern power steering is an electric motor controlled pump now.

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Re: Power assisted steering anyone?

#3 Post by johnnydog » Sun Jun 03, 2018 9:14 pm

Both my Mk1's are standard without PAS, as is my Valencia Mk2. My white PI didn't have PAS when built but I fitted it many years ago.
My grey Mk1 steering is relatively light, but the blue Mk1 and Valencia Mk2 is noticeably heavy; you need muscles like Geoff Cape 💪💪when manoeuvring but once on the move they are fine.
I do have a manual rack I took off a breaker years ago that was noticeably light whilst manoeuvring which I may fit at some point to one of the 'heavy' cars.
My view is that there is obviously a variation between like vehicles, but this may be due to tyres and / or pressures, lubrication of the rack / maintenance, or maybe even down to tight top suspension mounts / bottom ball joints to a degree.
What ever the reason, given the choice of having it or not, I would have it without question.
Regarding the technicalities, is there anything complicated to go wrong?
Rack seals, pump faults and occasionally the metal pipes rubbing through on the cross member due to incorrect positioning, but thats about it over and above a manual rack, all of which are easily remedied. A belt may break but I've never had one go in 38 years...
Obviously only the very last MK1's had the indent in the chassis rail to accomodate the PAS intermediate steering column, but it is a relatively simple conversion given you have the necessary parts.
PAS for me on a Triumph, given the choice....
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Re: Power assisted steering anyone?

#4 Post by johnnydog » Sun Jun 03, 2018 9:41 pm

As regards modern PAS set ups, most cars now have electric PAS motors rather than hydraulic pumps, and they have speed sensative systems which basically vary the assistance relative to the speed of the car.
Fiat Puntos for example, from the early 2000's with electic steering motors, had a 'city' button which gave increased assistance when manoeuvring/ parking.
Many cars now have the facility to alter the steering 'feel' to your personal choice comfort, sport, dynamic etc or auto whereby it alters the steering feel relative to your driving style.
My Audi (and some other makes) has dynamic steering and a 'lane departure warning' system, primarily for use on straight sections of road such as motorways, which when manually activated by the driver, detects unintentional lane 'wandering' as opposed to physical lane changing, and the car initially corrects the slight lane departure by turning the steering slightly to correct the error, and then if it senses regular departures, shakes the steering wheel to alert the driver with a dash display warning.
This doesn't really make the Triumph system seem particularly technical in comparison!!! :D :D
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1967 Mk1 2000 in Gunmetal Grey
1969 Mk1 2000 in Royal Blue
1970 Mk2 2000 in Valencia Blue
1972 Mk2 2.5 PI in Triumph White
1973 Mk2 2.5 PI in Sienna Brown
1976 Mk2 2500S in Carmine Red

Clifford Pope
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Re: Power assisted steering anyone?

#5 Post by Clifford Pope » Wed Jun 06, 2018 8:34 am

Interesting. There is obviously a big variation between individual cars, and different people.
I'm not an obvious candidate for a strength competition - slim, light-boned, skinny even - yet I find it very easy to turn my car's steering. Also my Series Landrover's, not a famously light vehicle to manoeuvre.
So it appears therefore that compared with the general population I must be abnormally strong. If PAS didn't exist it's about the last thing I'd see any need to invent, except perhaps as an aid for disabled drivers. :)

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Re: Power assisted steering anyone?

#6 Post by johnnydog » Wed Jun 06, 2018 7:06 pm

I agree. However, if all my non PAS cars had steering as light as the MK 1 that I scrapped years ago, I would see no need for PAS on our Triumphs.
Unfortunately they don't, so unless I find some more very light manual racks, I may be fitting PAS when the occasion presents itself.
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1967 Mk1 2000 in Gunmetal Grey
1969 Mk1 2000 in Royal Blue
1970 Mk2 2000 in Valencia Blue
1972 Mk2 2.5 PI in Triumph White
1973 Mk2 2.5 PI in Sienna Brown
1976 Mk2 2500S in Carmine Red

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