As some of you will know I'm not using the speed sensor in the g'box, or the original speedo, so have left the rest of the electronics to sort out the steering weight.

What happens is that after starting up the steering is very light, very nice to get out of the drive etc, and after about 15 secs the steering goes heavier and stays the same for the rest of the journey.

 

The actual driving weight is fine but it would be nice, and hopefully simple, to have a switch to revert to lightweight mode on the odd occasion.

 

Looking at the circuit the steering computer seems to take in various signals to activate the lightest weight, ie. handbrake on, but putting the handbrake on has no effect on the weight.

 

Anyway, before I have to start pulling wires and figuring out exactly how it all works I was wondering if anybody already knows, ie. how could I manually switch in the lightest mode? Cheers.

The steering assitance is easily controlled by applying a voltage to the pressure by-pass valve solenoid on the end of the steering rack ( drivers side) with no supply voltage the steering is assisted but heavy (for higher speed), powered up the steering assistance will be light. However you would not be advised to use the light setting at high speed.

 

 

Daveman

It isn't a straight power feed either. The lightest steering setting is around 6 volts from memory. Decreasing the voltage makes the steering heavier.

OK cheers both. Need to get a variable voltage source then.