Stocker

Some of you know of my little SNAFU with me vs. the State of Texas and the legal requirement for a car with power steering to have power steering at inspection time. I finally got to the last month on my inspection sticker and got a new pressure and a new suction hose and the power steering in my car works again. I also put in a Hayden oil cooler and new lines for that, as well as some fresh Dex III ATF (whee!).



So I drove to work and back today. This car makes me think "no wonder everybody sucks at driving, if everybody has power steering." It's so ridiculously easy to turn the wheel, I was overcorrecting by accident and wandering all over the road with just the pressure from my hands resting on the wheel! Combine that with talking on a cell phone, eating breakfast with a fork and knife, putting on lipstick/pantyhose/toupee/whatever AND traffic, no wonder people can't frikken drive!



Without power steering, you can feel the tires push back when they turn. Duh, right? In practice, this means when the car is just the slightest bit away from going straight, you instantly know it. A long, sweeping turn? Hold against the tension, no guesswork about where the wheel should be. What tension you say? The tension your power steering would be overcoming, if it were working as intended. A hard turn? Darn skippy, it's hard, so crank on the wheel! Loose road surface? Without power steering, you can not only feel it, you can correct for it before you push off into a ditch. Power steering in a car this small/light is totally not necessary.



Don't say sh*t about parallel parking or city traffic. I've been there for pushing three years now. Grow some deltoids & traps, and stop crying. Don't try to turn the tires when the car is not rolling forward or backward. Is it more complicated? Only if you stink at driving anyway. It requires more thought, big whoopty. You know what else you can do with power steering? Wear out your wheel bearings and tie rod ends a heckuva lot faster, and rub the tread right off your tires.



So now I have got to do something about the steering system again. I think what I'll end up with is either a custom hose or a custom fitting setup. If there is a valve around (in parallel with) the PS pump, I think I should be able to bypass the pump without disconnecting anything. An adjustable valve, and I might even be able to tune the power steering so it gives just a little tiny bit of assist for when it is actually a tiny bit useful (hard turns, parallel parking) and it leaves my steering feel alone the rest of the time. You KNOW I'll post up what I did, if I do it, which is heavily dependent on funds and the quality of a local hose shop. I'm thinking a kit would be awesome, if I could figure out a way to give you one part and get adjustable steering. Hold your breath, I'm on it!



No power steering:



Power steering:

wheel_of_steel

damned right dude, im a big fan of the manual tiller. makes even the most vague, dull, sloshy '98 accent (such as mine) fun to drive. plus free mild workout, feels good man when you start to find it easier and easier to use.

HyundaiKitCoupe

I didn't know that states imposed power steering. I have driven without it and remember it sucking really bad, especially when you're not on the highway. Personally I love power steering because the car is agile and nimble. They use it in the WRC and that's enough for me to evaluate it.



I do understand your perspective, but think of people, handicap people, people with pains... it's easier for them. It does suck that your state imposes it.

Stocker

If your car came with it, it has to have it, is all. The highway is when power steering is LEAST useful. They use individual throttle bodies in rally cars too, but I probably wouldn't rock those on the street either.



People with pains, handicap, whatever, they can have it. I'm not against power steering, but power steering in THIS car platform was made way too powerful / not balanced correctly.

steelcoffinx3

Yeah no power steering kicks ass-feels driving a go-kart and I still back out of my parking space with one hand. Just take it out after you pass inspection.

187sks

I've considered removing mine. I drove for several months with the belt removed. The feeling was good on the highway but miserable around town and felt very artificially heavy. I wanted to remove the pump and see how it felt, but in the end I just put the belt back on.



Anybody run with a belt off, and also with the pump removed to compare? I've had a few cars with no power steering and I prefer the feel of manual steering but I prefer power steering to the feel of a power steering system with just the belt removed.

Stocker

187sks that was me for nearly 3 years! I'll come up with something to tune it so the steering assist is less-powerful with the option to up it to full strength for the inspectors, I'm pretty sure.



Just running with the belt off, you're fighting oil through the rack AND through the pump. Eventually the seals will leak and you'll kill your alternator by washing it with ATF (ask me how I know).

187sks

Did it feel significantly lighter with the pump removed than the belt only?



It was obviously rough on the PS pump for whatever reason. It's made nasty noises ever since I put the belt back on lol.

steelcoffinx3

I did, driving with just the belt off sucked even with the accent, I probably would've gotten used to it idk. I have the steering rack hooked to the reservoir with some fluid left in it and a breather filter-much better.

Stocker

Lighter by a gallon of gas worth of steel, you don't notice. What I did notice is it is definitely sapping some power. I got used to a little tiny bit of neck snap-back on a hard shift when I would stomp the gas (this happens multiple times per commute). Now, it rocks back instead of jerks back. Less power AND lower quality steering? I have GOT to get a bypass going.



Noise from the pump could be cavitation. Bleed the system to prevent damage to the pump any time you crack the lines and/or run low on oil.