Electric power steering my way

[Cdub]

Total cost $120 installed
48177

[michael everson]

Where did you get that unit for $120.00?
Mike

[wallace18]

Where did you get that unit for $120.00?
Mike Ditto. where did you get that?

[myjones]

Very creative mounting bracket on that one.
I put the unisteer in the same location but with the motor at the top. The angle bracket is needed to un-bind the steering joints no matter what motor you use.

What's going on with the trans tunnel in that picture?
DB
Hemi33

[erlihemi]

Is that with the controller or do you just squeeze the paddle shifter for right n left?? :p

[Cdub]

Unit is from a 02-07 Saturn Vue ($45 from the junkyard) I modified the housing to make it look a little nicer since I didn't need the large mounting bracket on the side. The wiring harness is $70 on eBay from a guy in Portugal and comes with really nice instructions and an adjustable knob for pressure/feel. This is not my idea, I just found a better place to mount it and use the original FFR U-joints. I mounted the knob and control box to the aluminum fuse box holder under the dash and wired it with a 30 amp in-line fuse.

[michael everson]

Can you post a link to the ebay wiring harness?
mike

[ehansen007]

I would love to do this on my roadster but it will kill the vintage look I've got going! :)

[bansheekev]

Can you post a link to the ebay wiring harness?
mike

Looks like this is it: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Saturn-Vue-Ion-Chevrolet-Equinox-Electric-power-steering-controller-box-EPAS-/171733694488

Kevin

[jayguy]

I've had this plan in mind for a while, and have that same controller bookmarked for when I'm finally ready to go ahead and start the build. Glad to see someone else has done it.

[Cdub]

Yes that link is correct, thanks Kevin. People have been using this unit in tractors, dune buggies, cobras and hot rods for a while. I will be adding this unit to my '98 Mk 1 Cobra this spring it was so easy to do on the 33 build. Only took a weekend to modify and install the whole unit and at 10% the cost of the Unisteer.48465

[Cdub]

4846648467

[erlihemi]

Nice solution Cdub! It looks slightly bigger than a unisteer. I was looking at an utv unit which is half the price of unisteer and quite compact. I wasn't sure if would have the torque, but, any assist is good and these units don't add resistance effort if they fail electrically.

[myjones]

The added length looks like it adds a bit more angle to the second U-joint but it's at the edge of the pics above so hard to be sure.
The new carrier bearing mount they are using with the 33/coyote might be a good addition to this combo. It clamps around a chassis tube so you can place it exactly where your combo
needs it to be and relieve some of the angles on the shaft. That bracket might be a good item for a vendor.
HTH
DB Hemi new skool

[Robert Andrew]

Great engineering Cdub. That looks like aircraft quality fabrication. That reminds me of the old days, when we went to the bone yard, scavenged parts, and figured out how to improvise. That's what hot rodding was all about until all the great manufacturers made it easy. I picked up two of the Saturn units today. One for my wife's 56 Chevy, and one for my 33 hot rod. What carrier bearing are you using where the steering shaft comes through the firewall? Is it the one that comes with the 33 Coyote kit, that Dale was referring to? I haven't gotten that far on my car yet

[Robert Andrew]

Also, one more question. How are you connecting the steering column to the splines on the Saturn power steering unit.
Thanks.

[Cdub]

No special carrier bearing in the firewall, just the pilot bearing that factory five supplied.
I used a cut off wheel to grind the Saturn shaft down to match the factory five coupler then drilled and tapped the set screw. Designing & fabricating the mount was actually fun and not hard to do I'm just not sure if it will be strong enough to survive years of bouncing and vibrations. If it fails I will simply have a piece welded out of heavier gauge aluminum

[Brave Salmon]

Wow, what a great job of engineering a solution to the cost of power steering. Can you tell us if you have gotten your engine installed and if you have any clearance issues with the exhaust? I am running 351w and could use some idea if this will fit that setup. Again, great job,,
Tom

[ScottandDarla]

Very cool. I plan on doing the same when I build my 33. (I plan on ordering it during the next big Fall sale)
Thank you for taking the time to take photos and post it. Again...... very cool.

[myjones]

Wow, what a great job of engineering a solution to the cost of power steering. Can you tell us if you have gotten your engine installed and if you have any clearance issues with the exhaust? I am running 351w and could use some idea if this will fit that setup. Again, great job,,
Tom
On my PS on the firewall with a 3G Hemi I turned the electra steer motor straight up right under that top outside chassis tube. That approach kept the steering motor as far away from the exhaust as possible. On the clearance issues on mine I found the wedge needs to be at least 10* to unbind the u-joints on both sides and you have to be very careful of the swing on the brake pedal arm and footpad. HTH Dale

[myjones]

Yes that link is correct, thanks Kevin. People have been using this unit in tractors, dune buggies, cobras and hot rods for a while. I will be adding this unit to my '98 Mk 1 Cobra this spring it was so easy to do on the 33 build. Only took a weekend to modify and install the whole unit and at 10% the cost of the Unisteer.48465

Cdub
That is a sweet looking job on the dual reservoirs, any pics of the hose routing under the dash?
Thanks Dale

[Cdub]

51653
No clearance issues with the exhaust because my car will not have an exhaust… All electric ��

[myjones]

Nicely done on the hose routing, the clamps and firewall grommets are very tidy.
Dale