I would think it could be done.
I would look for someone who specializes in working on/modifying power steering racks.
Gotta be someone that does this.

First you would want to delete the variable steering effort
and keep the lighter steering that's used for slow speeds/parking.
(Might be as simple as disconnecting a sensor, or maybe in the software.)

I think electric just uses an electric pump to pump the hydraulic fluid.
So I don't think that would be any easier to modify.

Less caster reduces steering effort.

Good luck.

 

Thanks. What's caster?

 

Tire Tech Information - Alignment

Scroll down about halfway.

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Caster - Got it.

Walter wrote, "I think electric just uses an electric pump to pump the hydraulic fluid. So I don't think that would be any easier to modify."

If that's the case, why have a number of folks in the 2013 new Cayman thread expressed reservations about electric power steering, hoping that Porsche doesn't ruin the superb feel of the cars?

 

In the same way that people who track their cars put a smaller pulley on to reduce the speed of the power steering pump, thus I assume making the steering slightly heavier at lower revs. Would it not be possible to fit a larger pulley and make the steering lighter??

Just a thought

PT

 

Buy a turbo, turn off PSM, steer with right foot. :hilarious:

Seriously, like PushingTin says, if you could fit a larger pulley on the PS pump, that should lighten the effort. I don't think you would want to over-drive all of the accessories so the bigger pulley would have to go on the PS pump, not the same location as many of us have installed the under-drive pulley. I suppose you would have to consider whether this would over-load the PS pump.

 

if you could fit a larger pulley on the PS pump, that should lighten the effort..

I confess I'm ignorant of how PS works, but wouldn't a larger pulley on the PS pump lower the pump's RPMs, thus decrease the hydralic pressure?

 

Steering is only heavy at low speeds when parking. It's not that bad, I find my BMW to be heavier in general. It's light to moderate at speed and increases when cornering. That's the hallmark Porsche feedback. I assume you've test driven them?

 

I agree with just about everything you said. Steering is definitely heaviest slow speeds I had a BMW 330i but had to sell it when I started to develop problems and bought an Audi.

 

You would need a smaller pulley on the power steering pump to increase the fluid pumped (alternately a larger main pulley which would speed up all accessories). Unfortunately, that won't really help with power steering effort. At most engine speeds and wheel turn rates, the power steering pump already supplies more fluid than is needed - the excess is simply recirculated and doesn't further reduce steering effort.

To reduce effort in a hydraulic system, you would need to change the valving in the steering rack, since it is this that determines the relationship between torque applied to the steering wheel and the force applied through the steering rack to the wheels. Changes to this valving may simply be impractical with any reasonable investment though.

 

To reduce effort in a hydraulic system, you would need to change the valving in the steering rack, since it is this that determines the relationship between torque applied to the steering wheel and the force applied through the steering rack to the wheels. Changes to this valving may simply be impractical with any reasonable investment though.

Would an electric, rather than hydraulic, be easier to modify? It sounds like the motor applies a certain amount of assistance to the driver's manual input and the valving in the steering rack determines how much of the steering force is applied to the wheels. If the valving of the steering rack is key, not the hydraulics or electric motor, then a next-generation car would also be very difficult to modify.

 

Older electric power steering units were basically the same hydraulic system with an electric motor to drive the pump instead of the accessory drive belt. A 90's MR2 I had used one of these - probably to avoid running hydraulic lines from the mid-engine to the front of the car.

Newer electric systems are all electric and basically use a servo motor to amplify the driver's steering input. On these changing steering effort would likely require changing the software in the steering system.

I assume there are companies in the business of building modified power steering systems. I would also assume though that their target market would be higher selling volume cars and vans where they could recoup their investment. It certainly couldn't hurt to do a search for some though - perhaps they have a relatively generic steering rack that could be made to fit a variety of cars.