Pondering the Zen of Audi Hydraulic Steering

[Marc Boucher]

You're right, I wouldn't do any changes if they were major.  I need to 
change the seals in the existing pump and the thought just occurred if a 
more powerful one was available.  It still seems surprising how little 
assist the stock pump gives, considering its size.

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Joshua van Tol" <jvantol at gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, November 07, 2011 9:22 PM
To: "Marc Boucher" <mboucher70 at hotmail.com>
Cc: <quattro at audifans.com>
Subject: Re: Pondering the Zen of Audi Hydraulic Steering

> I think it would be pretty tough to make the modification you're speaking 
> of.
>
> Later audi's have a variable assist function that supplies more assist at 
> parking speeds, and less as the vehicle goes faster. Many folks like to 
> disable that function, although I kind of like it myself.
>
> I think by the time you figured out how to accomplish what you seek, 
> implement and test it, you could have bought a newer car.
>
> On Nov 7, 2011, at 7:45 PM, Marc Boucher wrote:
>
>> Is it possible to replace the original hydraulic pump used for the 
>> steering
>> and braking, with a more powerful pump that would require less effort to
>> turn the steering wheel at slow speeds?
>>
>> When I was 16 and taking driver's lessons I learnt from my instructor 
>> that
>> the car I was learning on, a Volkswagen Rabbit, didn't have "power brakes
>> and power steering" like my dad's big old Oldsmobile.  Instead it had 
>> "power
>> assist".  It was well explained to me that this gave a better 'feel' for 
>> the
>> road than the typical North American design.
>>
>> My 1990 Audi 100's steering isn't as stiff as the Rabbit was, but its 
>> always
>> taken effort in turning the wheel at low speeds, and I've simply accepted 
>> it
>> as the German design.  So I was a bit surprised 2 years ago when I rented 
>> a
>> sweet 2009 A6 while on vacation in Germany.  At low, parking type speeds,
>> you could turn the steering wheel almost with one finger if memory serves
>> correctly.
>>
>> Since my Audi's still in great shape, I'm considering the possibility of
>> giving it to my mother, (and I'll have the fun of finding a newer Audi 
>> toy).
>> She loves driving it, except when it comes to parking, hence the question 
>> of
>> whether its possible to give it more power assist, with a larger pump or
>> otherwise.
>>
>> But even on a purely theoretical level, I look at the size of the current
>> pump and considering that its driven at a good rpm, and knowing just how
>> high the hydraulic pressure is in those lines, I'm just surprised that it
>> doesn't give more assist.
>>
>> Just pondering...
>>
>> MC
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
>