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What’s up club Lexus!!
Has any one converted their sc to manual rack and electric steering yet?
im working on it right now, got the Prius eps for it.
im tired of looking at this power steering mess of high pressure hoses, pump leaking, cooler lines reservoir, rack seals leaking, so I gutted the rack by removing all the seals inside and assembling it back together with grease.
then next step is to find a s2000, pulley first to install along with a shorter belt ( ac is gone) to bypass the ps pulley.
once that done, I’ll test the system making sure it works, before I proceed to removing the tilt steering column and making some brackets to install the Prius electric pump and connecting it to the existing sc300/400 steering shaft
In pics I had to chop the ps rack to remove the inner seals, then welded it all back!
to be continued
This is interesting! Definitely subscribed to see how this project works out!
I think many would argue that they prefer hydraulic steering over electric steering systems for the better feel and driver feedback. Personally I don't see the hydraulic system on our cars as very much to deal with if it's all in good order.
However looking forward into the future for the SC chassis as a platform it has interested me to know how we would eventually deal with getting the hydraulic SC power steering rack to be cycled with Dexron ATF with an electric pump.
I've seen the 90's Toyota MR2 electric power steering pump used a lot for DIY electric rack conversions.
So what have you managed to do here, Lexxium? Have you managed to find a pump from some series of Prius that actually fits our racks?
Please, can you fill in with more details and specifics? This is an important experiment you're doing here that I think will prove useful if it applies to someone's application.
Between this and some use of the ubiquitous MR2 electric power steering pump I think those may be the best two options for getting SC's to have electric power steering.
Now also with this approach you have I think you'll need to look into some sort of in-line controller to fine tune and program in the right calibration for that Prius PS motor's feedback and feel for the driver. That's a big criticism of early electric (and some current) electric power steering systems and a reason why old school hydraulic remains as preferred and popular as it is.
If the Prius has any sub-ECU that directly controls its electric motor on the power steering rack it may be possible to reverse-engineer said ECU's internal logic board and replace it with an open source design logic board that has a plug-in port allowing outside programming and flashing so as to fine-tune how that motor performs in an SC300/400.
Nonetheless I think this is an important experiment and new territory. If you can get a reliable DIY conversion path figured out for this I don't think it will be for everyone but I do think it will be important to keeping the SC platform alive and viable for all kinds of future modification.
Question: does this all but eliminate the need to use Toyota/Dexron II/III ATF in any part of the SC's power steering rack or is even a little bit needed internally?
What’s up Kahn!
This experiment with completely delete power steering pump, the bracket, the lines, and the hoses.
It’s going to be just a Prius rack connected to the sc steering shaft and to the manual rack.
First thing I’m trying to do is to find a right 6 groove pulley to bypass the pump! By bypassing a steering pump it also forces me to either bypass the hydro pump and all those lines too( because the way the belt loops around the tensioner pulley it doesn’t slow me to rout it the way I want it to, because it will slip) My ac is already gone, so I’ll have to go with electric fan conversion at the same time. So the serpentine belt only will run the alternator and the crank and maybe a belt tensioner.
It’s interesting to me too how I’m going to mount this column in the sc loosing all my tilt telescope turn signals and all that has to be wired as well to make it all work again.
internally there is no ps fluid only that red moly grease.
most people just connect the lines at the rack, under assumption they’re doing a manual rack that’s a fail, that makes fluid pressurized with air inside of the rack housing making it harder for driver to fight and turn wheel.
But when all the seal inside of the rack are gone, the shaft inside of the rack moves freely now left and right( I couldn’t do that with my hands when the rack was full of aft and all 3 tight seals)
thats the big difference between doing it all right vs leaving it all in and capping the rack.
ill keep this going !
Thanks Kahn!!
Kahn, is there a looming thread to disallow ATF in Cali? It sounds like you're referencing a concern I haven't heard about.
Lexxium, if this project creates a roadmap for eliminating the troublesome tilt/tele column, with commonly available parts, that'll be a win regardless of the rack!
Kahn, is there a looming thread to disallow ATF in Cali? It sounds like you're referencing a concern I haven't heard about.
Lexxium, if this project creates a roadmap for eliminating the troublesome tilt/tele column, with commonly available parts, that'll be a win regardless of the rack!
Whoa, no way. There’s no concern over the older Dexron ATF at all.
Actually I just think it’a an interesting take if it can work well that may benefit future driveline swaps where a driven PS pump is less than ideal.
There are no looming concerns at all that I am aware of over the availability of Dexron ATF in any locale let alone in California.
...
Lexxium, I didn’t realize that replacing the whole column would also be necessary! That sounds like a lot of custom work and even welding of some bits of the two column designs to make it all bolt in to the SC.
Subscribed, interested to see where this go. If your able to modify the steering column to accept a electric motor, you can run a Manual rack from Grannas racing, which opens up an option for us to run a faster rack ratio.
Haven’t had much time to work on it, but I did manage to find a small 6 grove pulley to replace the smooth tensioner one.
i don’t recommend this for the guys who daily their sc because, it’ll take you some time to put all this together (not hard just time consuming)
im also forced to delete a hydro pump for the radiator fan, I’m either going to run electric is300 fans or early 1uzfe clutch fan with no shroud for time being.
Unless I fabricate some kind of a blank pulley to substitute the ps pump assembly that way I can keep the belt routing the same as it is now and keep the hydro pump.
As for steering column, I’ll try to make a steel bracket that will bolt up to the sc round bracing, yes that will illuminate the tilt telescoping feature in this ride in sacrifice for eps!
Whoa, no way. There’s no concern over the older Dexron ATF at all.
Actually I just think it’a an interesting take if it can work well that may benefit future driveline swaps where a driven PS pump is less than ideal.
There are no looming concerns at all that I am aware of over the availability of Dexron ATF in any locale let alone in California.
...
Lexxium, I didn’t realize that replacing the whole column would also be necessary! That sounds like a lot of custom work and even welding of some bits of the two column designs to make it all bolt in to the SC.
I’m interested to see how this project goes!
The eps will get rid of tilt, but if you want to keep the tilt tele feature it’s possible, the steering wheel turning effort will be harder, but compared to something with bad steering pump or seals, it’s way better.
the first part would be trying to just do a manual rack in place with a short belt leaving the og ps pump in place just bypassing it with a short belt!
The eps will get rid of tilt, but if you want to keep the tilt tele feature it’s possible, the steering wheel turning effort will be harder, but compared to something with bad steering pump or seals, it’s way better.
the first part would be trying to just do a manual rack in place with a short belt leaving the og ps pump in place just bypassing it with a short belt!
bumping this thread i plan on taking this project on this off season in my sc300 i have all the parts ready to go. One thing I'm wondering is can a resistor **** be wired in to control the stiffness of the wheel? Would that work on the can bus circuit mabey
bumping this thread i plan on taking this project on this off season in my sc300 i have all the parts ready to go. One thing I'm wondering is can a resistor **** be wired in to control the stiffness of the wheel? Would that work on the can bus circuit mabey
11-10-19, 07:01 AM
Electric steering diy?
