320 Electric power steering, any experiences?

[Mikelead]

Hi,
I use a Corsa electric unit, from around 2006, cost around £35 from eBay, with fixed not tilting steering wheel type.
The controller automatically adjusts itself from high assistance for the first minute of running to medium assistance from then on, with a push switch to get another minutes worth of high. So far I recon just a fixed moderate assistance level will be fine, the cheaper control units provide variable assistance via a potentiometer, which, one a desired level is set, could be left unadjusted.
The motor unit fits very nicely und the dash, with minimum fouling, the brake light switch fitted back, only the plastic lower shroud needed shortening, and even the knee cover will more or less fit back, enclosing the whole installation.
Doing this project tested my engineering skills, using my lathe to turn various adaptors to connect the shafts, and cutting an internal spline to connect the output shaft, although this could be done by welding. I had to machine out the aluminium upper shroud where the clamp is to allow the larger diameter outer column to fit, using my milling machine fitted with a boring head, though this could be done with a file.
The E30 column I bough was not used as it is too different, so I chopped the existing colum to insert the Corsa drive inline.
Electrics were easy, taking a supply from the bus bar in the fuse box, via a 50 amp fuse, through the bulkhead to the motor control unit. I spliced into the small green wire coming out of the ignition switch to provide the controller supply.

I will mail some photos in a few to anyone who is interested, let me have your mail address via the forum.

Hope this of interest

Mike

[uwbuurman]

Why not upload them on the forum Mike?

[petroscf]

Yes please do, photos are awaited with great interest!

[Mikelead]

I will put some photos on Dropbox and post the link, hope this will be ok. May take a day or two.

[Mikelead]

Here's a link to Dropbox showing some photos of the project, hope they are of interest.
Mike.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/upr63fq7egfzd ... 1.jpg?dl=0

[splitty456]

Hi Mike

Do you have any more pictures? i can only see 1 picture with that link

[Mikelead]

Created this link to folder, containing 34 photos, hope it works.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ryzlnbkjphfz ... co9wa?dl=0

Mike

[joe14]

A nice piece of work.

Was there any additional bracing required or just mounting the motor assembly to the outer tube was ok?

[mcjjordan]

Wow looks perfect
More info needed on how todo this--

[Mikelead]

Hi, thanks for comments.
No further brackets needed, just sleeves to join outer column tube to Corsa unit, lower one was using a stepped aluminium sleeve, using grub screws to clamp to machined ally casting as seen in photos, and onto cut original steel sleeve, with sufficient end clearance to allow tube to be slid in to allow access to bottom bearing retaining circling.
Top tubes were joined with a sleeve of steel tubing, which were clamped together by tightening the top mounting clamp, this is why I had to carefully machine the aluminium column shroud saddles as shown the photos to make sure the tubes were aligned accurately. I then drilled and tapped through the clamp and sleeves, m5, and inserted a screw, this will take any extra torque produced by the servo motor, you can see this in the photos of the unit installed.
The inner shafts were joined as follows:
Firstly the shaft was cut below the steering lock slots, then welded inside a close fitting sleeve, the sleeve was then joined to the Corsa input shaft, suitably cut, using Locktite and two fitted 4 mm hardened steel pins, drilled at 90 degrees, just visible in a photo, as I did not want to possibly heat damage the oils seal in the Coras unit.
The lower output shaft was joined to the cut lower column shaft using the splined Corsa output shaft, this meant cutting a 54 inside spline to fit which tested my machining skills and my indexing and slotting head on my milling machine. I could have welded this but wanted to be able to dismantle the unit by removing the cross locking screw and sliding off the spline, but it is unlikely to need to be done. The lower end of the splined sleeve was welded to the cut lower shaft.
The overall length of the modified column was identical to the standard column.
Hope this makes sense, it's a little complicated to explain.
Mike

[mcjjordan]

Just attempting to recreate your excellent write it.
Lower joint - do you think its possible to weld?
Ive got the corsa uj but its diameter is so large & making a sleeve doesnt sound like its going to be simple at all .
Did you cut the input shaft down? As it seems long enough to foul where the steering lock will be .but ive got the sleeve/shaft from corsa
How did you brace the corsa unit to stop it rotating when under load