Subaru Power Steering in an S

[tvrgit]

There have been various discussions about fitting power steering to an S, either using an electric steering column or the power rack from a Chimaera. The Chimaera racks are impossible to get at a reasonable price, so owners have converted their Chimaeras to “the Subaru option”. The big question has been - does the Subaru system fit an S?

Well, it does - Phillpot posted here just a month ago that he had installed a Subaru rack with a Citroen Saxo electric pump. That inspired me to have a go, so I started gathering the parts for a winter project… Subaru rack, Vauxhall Astra pump, Ford Ka U/J - then I started modifying them… then trial fitting… then final fitting… so it’s done!

I’m not the first to install the Subaru system, but I think I might be the first to write a full description of how to do it (and how not to!) which is available here:

http://www.andrewc.org.uk/tvrgit/powersteering.htm...

Edited by tvrgit on Wednesday 22 June 08:54

[frontfloater]

And avoid all that healthy shoulder and arm exercise? No, not for me...

I have occasionally invited friends with modern cars to sit in my S2 and try turning the wheel as if doing a 3-point turn. The look of shock on their faces is quite entertaining, often followed by the question "Is the steering lock still on?" or similar.

[mentall]

Thanks, Andrew. A wonderful project, and beautifully presented!

Just one question: did you consider the 'Easysteer' column-mounted kit?

My friend Bill has one on his Marlin, and swears by it. His looks as though it would fit the 'S' easily (also a Sierra column). And it has effort-adjustable and speed-sensitive options as well as a possible GPS input (not sure what that does for you).

I enthusiastically take your point about having to remove the dash; however, mine is already out, and won't go back for some time. And the necessary fitting and fabrication to the column looks much more in my league than your impressive efforts.

Bill also says Easysteer are friendly and helpful, although he's better at spending money than I am!

I'd be fascinated to hear your thoughts.

Best wishes
John

[TVR-Stu]

Andrew, thank you as always for documenting this kind of work. I for one very much appreciate the time you take to detail everything so thoroughly.

I am constantly referring to your excellent website archive and will no doubt head down the power steering route at some point in the future.

I also live in fear that one day you will decide to sell your S and your website will disappear!

[tvrgit]

mentall said:

Thanks, Andrew. A wonderful project, and beautifully presented!

Just one question: did you consider the 'Easysteer' column-mounted kit?

My friend Bill has one on his Marlin, and swears by it. His looks as though it would fit the 'S' easily (also a Sierra column). And it has effort-adjustable and speed-sensitive options as well as a possible GPS input (not sure what that does for you).

I enthusiastically take your point about having to remove the dash; however, mine is already out, and won't go back for some time. And the necessary fitting and fabrication to the column looks much more in my league than your impressive efforts.

Bill also says Easysteer are friendly and helpful, although he's better at spending money than I am!

I'd be fascinated to hear your thoughts.

Best wishes
John

Hi John

I did think about the electric option - Barkychoc on here did that with his B8S some years ago. My main concerns were:

having to remove the dash to install the proper brackets;

having to cut and weld the steering column which needs a specialist (and I am somewhat sceptical of "specialists" who turn out not to know what they are doing at all); and

increased lateral stress on the bulkhead bearing - ok when in a nice metal bulkhead but maybe not so good in crackly fibreglass.

I accept that I might be wrong in those assumptions - but the hydraulic rack / electric pump option seemed easier because I could do it all myself! (Just!)

[tvrgit]

TVR-Stu said:

nice things:

Thanks for your kind words. I have no plans to sell the S, and the website will be around until I'm not around to pay for the web hosting!

[mentall]

tvrgit said:

having to cut and weld the steering column which needs a specialist (and I am somewhat sceptical of "specialists" who turn out not to know what they are doing at all)

I share your reservations!

AND a Subaru rack would look good, with the Subaru radiator that's already there!

[mk1fan]

Nice.

Good job.

[tvrgit]

mentall said:

I share your reservations!

AND a Subaru rack would look good, with the Subaru radiator that's already there!

All you need now are big yellow decals up the sides and a “555” on the doors!

[Lewdon1]

Thank you for the brilliant write up which is very much appreciated. It gives me confidence to go ahead with mine.
I have my impreza rack (3 and 1/4 turns lock to lock, which rather surprised me) and an Astra H/MK5 pump, I have the material for spacers and cunifer tubing etc, but I am concerned by the parts to make the connection between the pump and the rack,
Where you have fitted the copper washers is rather rough on my rack, and there is very little recess, so I am concerned it will not seal. (did you fit the copper washer in the same place on the Astra pump, as there is no recess round the hole on my pump?).
Has anyone else who has done the conversion used a different way to seal the connection between the rack and the pump?

Edited by Lewdon1 on Thursday 23 June 08:58

[tvrgit]

Lewdon1 said:

Thank you for the brilliant write up which is very much appreciated. It gives me confidence to go ahead with mine.
I have my impreza rack (3 and 1/4 turns lock to lock, which rather surprised me) and an Astra H/MK5 pump, I have the material for spacers and cunifer tubing etc, but I am concerned by the parts to make the connection between the pump and the rack,
Where you have fitted the copper washers is rather rough on my rack, and there is very little recess, so I am concerned it will not seal. (did you fit the copper washer in the same place on the Astra pump, as there is no recess round the hole on my pump?).
Has anyone else who has done the conversion used a different way to seal the connection between the rack and the pump?

Edited by Lewdon1 on Thursday 23 June 08:58

Good point.
When I ordered the bits for making the hoses, I ordered “bum tube adapters” but didn’t realise that they were flat washer types.

The CORRECT bump tube adapters are supposedly available from JLS motorsports (Page 29 of their catalogue). Their part numbers are:
791415 for the M14 adaptor for the high pressure feed into the rack
791615 for the M16 adaptors which is the low pressure return from the rack, AND the high pressure feed out of the pump.

They look like this:



JLS say that Pirtek are their local distributor. My local Pirtek said on the phone that they could get those, then when I went in (20 miles away is local apparently) they said they couldn’t, but that the adapters I had would be ok as long as the washer seats properly.

I was so pee’d off with JLS and Pirtek that I decided to try it, just to see if it worked, and they seem to be ok so far, no signs of even the slightest weep.

Now that I know that the system all works, I might buy those connectors, so that I can change them if I need to.

[Lewdon1]

I too have tried to find the bump tube adapters recommended by our chimaera chums but without success. (What is a bump tube anyway?) When i phoned JLS they said they had none in stock and didn’t know when they would get any, same answer from Pirtek, Torque uk, SJR hydraulic and others. Mr Phillpot – what did you use?

[tvrgit]

Lewdon1 said:

I too have tried to find the bump tube adapters recommended by our chimaera chums but without success. (What is a bump tube anyway?) When i phoned JLS they said they had none in stock and didn’t know when they would get any, same answer from Pirtek, Torque uk, SJR hydraulic and others. Mr Phillpot – what did you use?

That's exactly what I found - so after I noted that the rack already had machined washer seats, I decided to try the flat adapters I had, with adjustment so that they would compress the washer enough. I also used Loctite and a large-ish spanner! I thought that would have a better chance of sealing, than using a different flared / o-ring adapter (of which were are many options, apparently). So far, I've been right! Tomorrow, I might be wrong...

Edited by tvrgit on Thursday 23 June 12:29

[Lewdon1]

The best engineering is what works and they work which is all that matters. As the copper washer has made a seal there is no reason to think it might start to leak, actually I cant think of any way it would loosen ..
I will certainly give it a go using your method. my only concern is that my rack doesn't seem quite as well machined as yours. Still the proof of the pudding will be when i put it together. Thanks for coming up with a solution.

[phillpot]

Lewdon1 said:

Phillpot – what did you use?

Here we go . . . . . I showed the guy at my local Pirtek the parts numbers quoted on that PH thread, he put them in his computer and said they were Subaru not Pirtek part numbers!
Cut to the point, they don't do that sort of fitting and suggested I try a local place called "Rally Nuts"

Chap there was very helpful, spend ages going through his Aeroquip catalogue and came up with everything I need but the fitting into the rack would be a standard flat face needing a washer of some sort.
I opted for Dowty seals rather than copper or fibre washers.
Back to the rack, there was a small recess around the threaded hole but not big enough for the seal to sit in. Small piece of rag and grease in the thread to (hopefully) catch all the swarf and I filed the face flat.
Couple of thousand miles later I haven't lost a drop of fluid.

Making up the Aeroquip high pressure hose was a horrible job, wouldn't want to do too many of them!!!

[Lewdon1]

Thank you. It would never have occurred to me that my ability level could ever enable me to file it sufficiently flat and square to the thread. I doubt I could achieve a good enough job, but will give it a go if all else fails. Congratulations on your metal working skills

[phillpot]

Must admit I impressed myself

[tvrgit]

phillpot said:

Must admit I impressed myself

I don't think that I would have been confident about getting a flat enough seal with a hand file. But on the other hand, I think that many "home mechanics" (and I don't mean that in any derogatory way since I only know a little about your experience, but enough to know that it's probably more than mine!) can afford to put a lot more time and care into a project like this, than a mechanic who is "on the clock" so can't take too long without costs getting out of hand.

I think that a project like this does require a little ingenuity as you go along, but my purpose in writing the article was to give a little guidance, a little idea of the possible pitfalls, and to make it a little easier for those who wish to try it.

[phillpot]

To be honest it wasn't that "technical" with the recess as a guide (that's where the seal will actually seal) file down until file just touches the recess if that makes sense?

It's good that there are people like you Andrew to do these blow by blow guides, I'm afraid I have good intensions but then get stuck in and forget about taking photo's along the way.

And with my one finger typing and constant corrections just this post has taken ages

Edited by phillpot on Thursday 23 June 19:19

[Blue 30]

Guys, fyi....

I did the Scooby rack conversion on my S3 a few years back, and detailed some of 'how I did it' on my PH thread.
It may help, it may not, but it will give you options.

See... Terry's tale (page 19).

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

T.