making steering stiffer - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

94_Rolla_Guy · 09-05-2006, 01:23 AM

got a chance to drive a BMW and i really liked the steering being a little stiffer was wondering if it was possible to stiffen the steering on the corolla i was thinking somewhere along the lines of pulley sizes or messing with the pump?

Anyone have any ideas on this???

punter · 09-05-2006, 02:55 AM

Get a smaller steering wheel. Worked for me

xrated3345 · 09-05-2006, 06:24 AM

take out some fluid. lol

Flashmn · 09-05-2006, 08:30 AM

and burn out the pump. Smaller steering wheel is pretty much the only way. Or convert to a manual steering rack.

Piloter · 09-05-2006, 12:47 PM

It's an intriguing idea. Did any of even the low-end AE101s come without power steering, though?

(Personally, I kind of like the degree or so of dead zone. It's not enough to be annoying like an old Town Car, but it's enough to allow a little bit of play without a "ZOMG TURN!" reaction. Jeep Liberties, I'm looking at you.)

94_Rolla_Guy · 09-06-2006, 01:12 AM

i didn't think they came with manual steering, but i was going through my service manual and it shows rebuild proceedures for a manual steering rack!

The other night i turned it around with no power steering to tight totally manual, id love about 50% of what it has normally

i was thinking about messing with the flow control springs to lower the line pressure, as i dont wanna loose my airbag for insurance reasons,

I really don't know jack about hydraulics so im prolly gonna grab a used pump from the scrapyard and screw around!

Piloter · 09-06-2006, 02:46 PM

Here's a wacky thought. If line pressure controls steering tightness, there should be a way to add speed-sensitive steering. I'm thinking something like a rising-rate FPR in circuit with the lines linked to a speed sensor, but I'd have absolutely no clue if that's even possible (probably something like only a couple PSI worth of increase or decrease, right?) or how to do it.

punter · 09-06-2006, 07:04 PM

You could put more castor on your front wheels, more castor requires higher steering effort. And has loads of positve handling effects

***REN69*** · 09-07-2006, 01:48 AM

how bout take the air out of both front tires.. that would also make it hard to steer.

Flashmn · 09-07-2006, 06:59 AM

How about just leaving it as it is, its a corolla, not a sports car, I dont mind light steering, it has its advantages.

Quote:

The other night i turned it around with no power steering to tight totally manual, id love about 50% of what it has normally

Powersteering rack without power to it sucks ass imho.

Electric Pi · 09-07-2006, 06:49 PM

Quote:

The other night i turned it around with no power steering to tight totally manual

like Flashmn said power steering racks without power to them are bad. this is not the same thing as driving a car without power steering.
I talk to someone who converted a VW power steering rack to manual by looping the hydraulic lines. I dont know the details, but it sounded pretty simple. You said you don't know much about hydraulics, but if you know someone who is handy with them wou might be able to leave the pump in place while you try this, and convert back if you dont like it.

but I'm not sure I agree with all of Flashmn's post

Quote:

its a corolla, not a sports car