Electric Power Assist Steering Conversion

"Not an upgrade"?!  You ask as you wonder why it sounds like The Citizens Against Electrified Steering penned this narrative.  Well, it doesn't outright change any performance metrics you can measure.  A lot of people want a point-blank reason for laying down hard earned money towards modifications to their favorite ride. What reasonable person doesn't.   Well, let's get into it.

From here on we will refer to Electric Power Assist Steering as EPAS.  Picking up where we left off let's explain why EPAS is a system integration vs an "upgrade", at least the way most folks perceive an upgrade.  

It doesn't lighten the car.  It doesn't guarantee better time around the track.  EPAS doesn't free up noticeable ET improving horsepower.  You get the idea.

What does EPAS do?  The very first thing to mention is the accumulative effect converting to modern systems like Electric Power Assist Steering can have on vehicle dynamics, especially systems that utilize existing robust OEM tech.  All the details here add up to something that is greater than the sum of simple parts.

No More Messy Fire Hazard:  Know why racecars all have onboard fire extinguishers?  It isn't just for fuel...fluids like hydraulic oil and automatic transmission fluid, both commonly found in traditional power steering systems might not be labeled flammable however they certainly will burn, and once they start burning, they are much harder to extinguish.  Ask your favorite local drifter how long it took them to boil the power steering fluid their first time out!

The fluid itself is corrosive to most things not designed to resist it.  Anything ATF or hydraulic oil manages to coat will begin to break down fairly quickly.  Your engine mounts, control arm bushings, PAINT, under hood accessories, etc.  The potential for collateral damage will grow more and more costly the longer the leak is allowed to exist.  Often leaks go unnoticed until you have an issue like your oxygen sensors no longer reading accurately because they are coated in oil, or you notice the back of the car has an oily substance all over the tail end coming from below.

So Much Room For Activities:  The amount of space created by integrating EPAS vs hydraulic steering is huge!  Suddenly room for things like turbo intercooler piping or supercharger heat exchanger pumps, under hood coolant reservoirs, you name it.  

When you aren't sacrificing so much space for necessary systems you become free to optimize things the way they should be as opposed to what is dictated by available room.

Centralizing Necessary Weight:  One look at the layout of any OEM hydraulic steering system will make clear these systems are anything but compact.  You have the pump, lines, reservoir, cooler, the steering rack itself, extra accessory drive idlers, extended serpentine belt length, and even the fluid!  Starting to see things a bit differently, huh? 

An EPAS system consists of the steering rack and wire harness.  That. Is. It.  

All of the weight is the rack itself which is mounted as low and central as possible.  This eliminates the higher mounted weight of the reservoir and pump along with freeing up the drag on the engine created by having to drive the pump.  It isn't earth shattering parasitic draw, but it is a draw non the less.

The belt length you lose can be a huge benefit to supercharged cars as they struggle to eliminate power robbing belt slip or even breakage.  Length reductions of 30" are common.

The room freed by removing the power steering cooler can further benefit boosted cars by allowing for larger intercoolers or heat exchangers to be fitted.

Have it your way:  With the added tuning of mode selection available in certain systems the feel of steering feedback can be tailored to suit your needs using a mode select switch.  Standard and Sport modes along with a Comfort setting give the steering 3 very noticeable variations of the driving experience.