When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I'd rather put a cup or MB pump in it and keep the awesome steering feel. Artificial feel of EAS is very real. In the porsche line the 991RS and GT4 are the best yet, but it is nowhere near as good as the 964 or 997 series cars.
Plus beyond controls you're dealing with rack fit.
It's interesting to see if anyone has ever looked into this.
The motivation would be that you can now take all hydraulics (and the weight) out since the motor acts directly on the rack.
The incoming steering torque comes from a sensor rack in the input pinon and is part of the piece.
There is an external connection and I imagine that this is to transmit the position of the rack and control how the rack assists the driver. However the information available is not very extensive so I'm really just guessing.
I wouldn't let you take away my steering feel if you offered to build me a new motor for free. Would completely ruin one of the cars best attributes, in my opinion. The great part about the electric pump assist is that it can actually improve steering feel, and even flip a switch to run it manual if you'd like.
Again, just for discussion purposes and to clarify I'm not talking about steer by wire which is something else.
The way the EAS rack works is that it's a mechanic rack directly connected to the steering wheel with a motor assisting electro/mechanically in parallel.
With the motor turned off it should behave as any other mechanic rack or in the same way as if you turn the hydraulic pump off.
Lots of new cars have electric power assist. There are even aftermarket units used in the hot rod world. While it is certainly possible that a unit could be as good as the stock steering, I would think it would be a long development road, not to mention expensive.
For what it's worth, I unplugged the servo in my Audi to deactivate the electric assist. I know thats mech/hyd with electric assist, but it certainly feels better without it. I'm assuming 991's are not a combo mech/hyd with electric assit like the Audi's, but electric only in the steering rack?
This is how they look. The mechanic column from the steering wheel goes on the right side as any mechanical rack and in the same place there is a torque sensor.
The connection to control the assist (increase/decrease off/on) is a can bus.
Stunning Porsche 356A Super GT Speedster Auction Fails to Meet Reserve
Slideshow: One of the rarest Porsche 356 Speedsters ever built has resurfaced, offering a glimpse into a little-known chapter of the model's competition history.
Theon Goes Full Carbon Fiber With Stunning New Build
Slideshow: Built around a carbon-bodied 964 and a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six, this bespoke commission highlights how far the restomod formula has evolved.
Tuner Is Converting Porsche 911s Into Shooting Brakes
Slideshow: A Polish Porsche specialist is moving ahead with one of the most unusual 911 conversions in recent memory: a shooting brake version of the 991-generation sports car.
This Coachbuilt Creation Is A Modern Take on the Legendary Porsche 917
Slideshow: A Porsche Carrera GT has been transformed into a one-off coachbuilt machine that blends analog supercar engineering with styling inspired by the legendary 917 race cars.