driving w/o powersteering - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Camry98racer · 03-01-2010, 12:56 PM

I know I post a lot lol I have a lot of questions. I was thinking about removing my power steering belt just to see what it would be like with out power steering. Would this be ok to do?

hill8570 · 03-01-2010, 01:28 PM

It's usually not an issue when moving, but if takes a hell of a lot of effort to turn the wheel at low speed. Parking (especially back-and-fill parallel parking) can be a b*tch.

Camry98racer · 03-01-2010, 01:53 PM

Yeah thats what I figured. I do lots of high way driving. So I should make sure I don't try to turn when I'm stopped. So this wont cause any problems?

rusty9 · 03-01-2010, 02:42 PM

sure, as long as you dont have the hydraulic fan that runs off the power steering. but um why?

Chris Crash · 03-01-2010, 02:43 PM

I'm currently (was....I need to get used to the fact that I am minus a car now) running without P/S. It was installed, but didn't work. It's not an issue, but like others said, low speed steering sucks ass. It's still possible, just takes a lot of strength. It will be like driving a really old car.

bigbird · 03-01-2010, 04:43 PM

seeing how the question has been answered...why?

ToyotaTrav · 03-01-2010, 04:49 PM

When parking or doing less than 15mph you really get an arm workout, which was fun for the first 10 minutes (driving a 70s Datsun 260z) quickly got tedious and annoying.
Why?

uuuuu · 03-01-2010, 05:55 PM

I'm not sure if it is safe to do (perhaps only in a deserted parking lot), but when you are driving under 20 mph put the car in neutral and shut off the engine. Voila, no power steering.

Camry98racer · 03-01-2010, 06:20 PM

I have heard that controling the car at high way speeds becomes very natural and not so touchy. I just want to see what its like.

quangtran89 · 03-01-2010, 06:31 PM

It's really fun to make U-turn without power steering...

SirThomas88 · 03-01-2010, 07:06 PM

you should get the widest tire tread you can get, like 225 or 255, and then cut the P/S... that will be fun!

Camry98racer · 03-01-2010, 07:31 PM

^ thats right....true sports cars dont have power steering and also have wide tires. Im not worried about the steering being to hard. Pretty sure I can handle it lol

hill8570 · 03-01-2010, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camry98racer

I have heard that controling the car at high way speeds becomes very natural and not so touchy. I just want to see what its like.

Yeah, I've always preferred no PS at highway speeds. The Cam isn't as loosey-goosey as some cars and trucks I've driven, but no PS at all gives much better steering feedback.

Kenny_McCormic · 03-01-2010, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Crash

It will be like driving a really old car.

Really old cars have big steering wheels with lower gear ratios in the steering, this is part of the origin of the term "boat car".

Broken P/S =/= manual steering

Gibson99 · 03-01-2010, 11:21 PM

on my 95 when i did the s/c, i inadvertently didn't reconnect the p/s vaccuum reference lines, so as a result, my variable power assist went away. i had power steering ALL the time. it was VERY twitchy on the highway and very annoying that way.

if it's working, you already have little/no power assist on the highway, so leave it as it is, and you'll already have what you want.