Manual Or Power Steering?

[Ty]

When was the last time anyone here, drove a car with manual steering?
We're spoiled. We want a Big Gulp in one hand, and the ability to drive too.
Personally, I'll agree, the Elio won't need it. But like AC, it would make a good selling point.
Paul should make it an option.
Now, power brakes, would just be over kill.
BTW, my last vehicle with manual steering was a 1974 Chevy C20 Pickup.
Yea, a 3/4 ton, 2wd, pickup.
292 6cyl, 4spd with a creeper first gear, 16.5in\8lug rims, 8ply tires.... bias ply no less...
Manual steering.
Now that was a bear to park.

My '65 Must and that I had from 1986-1989 was the last manual steering car I drove. The Elio will not be nearly as nose heavy as that thing with it's 351 Windsor engine... You just have to remember that you should be moving a little when trying to turn. Actually, you should never sit and spin the steering wheel... hell on the tires.

 

[goofyone]

My 1979 Triumph Spitfire does not have power steering yet steers with two fingers even when moving slowly through a parking lot. I agree that making sure to pay attention and keep the vehicle moving a little whenever there is a need to steer is just about the only thing that Elio owners not used to manual steering will have to get used to.

 

[NSTG8R]

My 1979 Triumph Spitfire does not have power steering yet steers with two fingers even when moving slowly through a parking lot. I agree that making sure to pay attention and keep the vehicle moving a little whenever there is a need to steer is just about the only thing that Elio owners not used to manual steering will have to get used to.

I haven't seen the Elio in person, but I imagine they're using a rack and pinion steering set up. Got one on my '73 Porsche, no power steering, works great if geared correctly for the weight of the vehicle [not much in the case of an Elio].

 

[goofyone]

I haven't seen the Elio in person, but I imagine they're using a rack and pinion steering set up. Got one on my '73 Porsche, no power steering, works great if geared correctly for the weight of the vehicle [not much in the case of an Elio].

The P4 is using the manual rack and pinion steering from an old Geo Metro so from what we have heard it is not so great at the moment both because of gearing and because of being scavenged used parts. The production vehicle however will have a properly geared modern rack and pinion setup which should work well.

 

[DanS]

When was the last time anyone here, drove a car with manual steering?
We're spoiled. We want a Big Gulp in one hand, and the ability to drive too.
Personally, I'll agree, the Elio won't need it. But like AC, it would make a good selling point.
Paul should make it an option.
Now, power brakes, would just be over kill.
BTW, my last vehicle with manual steering was a 1974 Chevy C20 Pickup.
Yea, a 3/4 ton, 2wd, pickup.
292 6cyl, 4spd with a creeper first gear, 16.5in\8lug rims, 8ply tires.... bias ply no less...
Manual steering.
Now that was a bear to park.

I drive a 1991 Miata with Manual Steering with stock tires it drives like a dream. No need for power steering on it, unless of course you put oversized tires on it, and I probably still wouldn't go with PS.

 

[Ty]

I drive a 1991 Miata with Manual Steering with stock tires it drives like a dream. No need for power steering on it, unless of course you put oversized tires on it, and I probably still wouldn't go with PS.

First, I just remembered something and wanted to ask you guys if this tracks.

My Mustang had power steering but the parts to get it to stop leaking were expensive and Dad decided to just use it as manual and forego the power steering pump. That may have been why it was so hard to turn. If the Geo setup that the Elio is using was designed with power steering in mine, there wouldn't be as much mechanical advantage for the driver as there would be with a dedicated manual steering rack.

So, it is my thinking that the current car is much harder to turn than the final version will be because of that. That would kind of explain why those reporters complained about how hard it was to turn. (I'm thinking of the girl who was driving it who turned the steering wheel with her hand palm up... seriously, who does that?)

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

When was the last time anyone here, drove a car with manual steering?
We're spoiled. We want a Big Gulp in one hand, and the ability to drive too.
Personally, I'll agree, the Elio won't need it. But like AC, it would make a good selling point.

Not too long ago. Had an old Corolla who's P/S died. Took it out, No big deal. Turning the wheel when stopped took effort.
But the steering box was at a ratio designed for power steering.

Smaller tires (tyres for our friends across the pond) with a steering box with the proper ratio will be super easy.
Even when stopped.

Drove 26k lb fuel trucks with manual steering and manual transmission AND manual PTO.
You definitely had to plan ahead....

 

[Hotscoots]

In one of the videos I watched , the woman reporter commented on the difficulty she experienced initially steering the Elio . It was her only criticism.She then stated that after awhile, she got used to it . I am totally not concerned with manual steering .

 

[JEBar]

as nice as it is, the P4 is a mule .... a step on the way to the production model .... very little of it will be copied exactly into the production models .... it would seem reasonable to believe that the ride, performance, sound deadening, and most everything else will be better than that of the P4

 

[BlioKart]

Crying about a early prototype not being production quality is retarded. Whats next complain that race cars don't meet emissions?