Best upgrade yet!

[deronmoped]

Well, I always wanted power steering, but did not like the idea of a pump on the engine and hydraulic lines running all the way to the steering box up front. Then I discovered electric power steering. Started researching it and came across a few youtube videos. I made the dive and ended up at a pick your part junk yard. A hour or so later came away with a 2006 Prius electric power steering unit, control box, u-joints, shaft and as many nuts and bolts and brackets as I could. I think it was like $50-$60 out the door. This sat in my garage till I got the gumption to tackle the engineering, fabrication and free time. It took me a good couple of days to get everything done, most of the time was engineering it so it would be trouble free. Well, I was real happy how the install turned out. Took it for a drive the next day and WOW! I was blown away on how this turned my Bus into my favorite vehicle to drive, better then my Wife's new Toyota Rav 4 or her Prius... The steering was easier then her Prius. I now have the coolest vehicle that drives as good as a modern car. Hell, if I knew it would make my Bus so fun to drive, I would have even paid for the kit LiteSteer sells, at about, just under two grand. Parking lots are now a joy, tight spots are no longer passed by. I actually ended up over steering till I got used to it.

It's Crazy Good, the best thing you could ever do for your Bus!

Here's a couple of youtube videos that have good info:

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=youtube+elect...;FORM=VIRE

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=youtube+elect...ORM=WRVORC

[airschooled]

Wow, that’s high praise. When I’m in San Diego can we schedule a day to compare torque readings on our respective steering wheels? I’ll bring stock early and late bays with correctly inflated tires.

Have you had a chance to try it out in high winds yet?
Robbie
_________________
Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
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[sodbuster]

Pictures would be a big help.

[jtauxe]

[SGKent]

Many people who grew up without power steering don't have as much of an issue with the bus. Those who adapted to the road feel of power steering have a completely different experience when they get behind a car without power steering. The Acura's I have owned all had variable power steering. There is no feel of the road as compared to the bus, but the power steering rate is affected by speed so that makes it less sensitive at 80 mph than 5 mph. When I drive the bus I expect a 1970's experience. When I drive the MDX I expect luxuries that were not available in the 1970's.

Good job on getting it done. Be sure to publish lots of photos and how to for those who want the power steering experience.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[Zed999]

I really didn't want to like power steering on a bus but somebody made me drive one with the lightsteer kit. I tried hard to find some fault with it but I couldn't, it doesn't even look as bulky as expected. I liked it a lot, it really does transform the driving experience. I can't see it making any difference to blowing about at speed as it's switched itself off by then. The only problem I could forsee is it overstressing the steering coupler that IIRC is retained in the conversion?

[Abscate]

People were taught how To drive before power steering learned to roll the Bus before cutting the wheel, as well as using both hands.

Keep your Bus off my lawn.

Cool mod, if the coupler is upstream of the sensor then it will have almost no force on it compared to worm/roller.

You can always just use your iPhones app back up To steer it of that’s fails, anyway.
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.ssS!

[Wildthings]

Hitting the gym and building up some Atlas muscles is another route and will impress the babes.

[Busdriver79]

Real men don't need power steering.

[HastaAlaska]

[danfromsyr]

this notion is really just a fallacy, the bus takes no more effort to move the wheels to the left or right at the coupler or tie rods.
it just allows you to put less effort into turning it, it's an assist. not a powered servo drive.

sure you could be a goon and lean into it at the full steering stops, that falls into the if you want to try to force things then you reap what you sow.

you can of course put much larger tires on that'll increase the load to the parts

[SGKent]

it's a personal thing. Ben and Jerry's is a fine tasting ice cream in many flavors. So is Baskin Robins on a hot summer night. Tastee freeze is fun too on a hot afternoon cruising about. When we made home-made ice cream half the fun was taking turns turning the mixer. I can remember one Sunday doing a batch with some friends - one was Giant's pitcher who had to pitch the next day. I think some people want the modern feel in an old car. That is why restomods exist. Other people want the experience of the old days. It is a personal preference. It is the same as someone wants a fith wheel to take their kids camping. Someone else wants a 1970's Westphalia. Personal choice. I' ve never had any issues with the stock steering. Neither did my ex-wife who was all of 110 lbs. She could get around in that bus like it was a race car.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[timvw7476]

I prefer the 'bite' from the steering wheel while going through 40-60 mph
corners in the seventies VW bus. Pure tactile feel.
Power boost would most definitely take that away.

[danfromsyr]

power steering the new swap disbelievers

next we'll hear that AC is breath of the devil

power brakes, who needs them.. didn't need them in 1959, why need them
roads are the same as they were 50 years ago.

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[ivwshane]

So are we ever going to see what this looks like installed or not?
_________________
77 westy 2.0 FI
69 ghia coup 1600dp
70 single cab

[Abscate]

Hades got AC when St Peter accidentally sent an HVAC Tech down Byblos mistake.

When God realized her mistake, she called a Lucifer up and demanded her tech back.

Lucifer laughed and said Hades is great with AC

God said, “ I’ll sue you To get my tech back!

Lucifer Said.......
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.ssS!

[airschooled]

Nobody who has retrofit their bay has ever offered to put it head to head to a dialed-in bay bus. Problem is finding a dialed in bay bus........

Robbie
_________________
Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
www.airschooled.com

[danfromsyr]

just had to J park my 71 in a street rod/hot rod show today
would have loved some power steering and AC
will get P/S in by next season, looking for the parts now/this year
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[SGKent]

Parallel parked a split in a tight spot once on California St in SF. Best parking job ever. Could measure 6" from the wheel to curb on both wheels. 1st try. Was 19 years old. Dare most drivers who want PS, AC, autotrans, cruise, etc., in their 1960's and 1970's car to try that today.

Also - when I say it is someone's personal preference to add PS, I expect the same courtesy of allowing me the personal preference of not adding it. If you think my bus should have PS, buy it from me and you can add it at your leisure.

_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[deronmoped]

My install turned out just like the litesteer.com unit, take a look at that video. The other links show the various junkyard units that you can use.

When I first bought my Bus, the Husband told me he had bought it for his wife. She refused to drive it for several reasons, the big one, no power steering.

I have not had a chance to drive it in windy conditions yet. I have driven it on the freeway and I can feel the power steering doing it's thing, just a lighter touch to steer. For some weird reason, the wandering (not form windy conditions) my Bus did, seems to be less of a factor. Some other person mentioned they had the same experience. The extreme difference is in pulling into parking lots, a whole new world of driving for me. On the streets, I feel more like I'm in a sports car then a truck like feel. I actually feel like driving the Bus like a sports car, taking corners at speed, although I know better.

This is just in a line of many things I have done to make my Bus more fun to drive. Swapped front drums for discs and a power assist unit. Sway bars front and rear. A cast iron Buick 3.8 liter V6 with all the hot rod goodies for the noisy little pea shooter. House speakers front and rear with sub-woofers several amps... instead of a AM radio.

Stock, I could never live with a stock vehicle.