591
Fitting power steering on an MGBGTV8
Jim Livingstone acquired his MGBGTV8 (Glacier
White 1810) from Dr Chris Ward who had had the car restored
by a specialist in Northumberland. Jim has since carried out
several modifications and here he sets out a detailed note on
his choice and then the installation of a power steering upgrade
on the car.
Jim
was clear with his aims for the EPAS upgrade - the installation
would give the prospect of prolonged years of driving enjoyment.
See
the full six page V8NOTE591
Posted: 200523 |
Puller to remove the steering wheel safely
At the time of the MGB's conception
there was no satisfactory economical resolution to the conflict
between positive steering response at high speed and low effort
at manoeuvring speeds. The conventional answer for a sports
car was to prioritise the former and specify steering gear with
a low (numerical) ratio while higher (numerical) ratios were
specified for heavyweight saloons. In spite of this, and before
the almost universal adoption of power assisted steering (PAS),
there remained little difference between the effort to change
direction in an MGB and its contemporaries. But all that changed
with the introduction of affordable PAS systems.
An affordable EPAS upgrade kit has been available for several
years from the Dutch supplier EZ which is suitable for a number
of classic cars including the MGBGTV8. Jim felt that if justification
for the upgrade on his MGBGTV8 were needed then it was that
in later life, and anticipating increasing physical frailty,
a PAS fitment presents the prospect of prolonged years of driving
enjoyment.
Jim chose an EZ EPAS system and in his article, he provides
a detailed |
EPAS power adjuster
step-by-step guide to the installation
with many useful photos to illustrate how he carried out the
work and solved some of the issues that arose during the work.
While the EZ installation can hardly be described as a plug-and-play
DIY installation, it is within the scope of a competent home
mechanic willing to do some fitting. In defence of EZ, tailoring
a precision component to as diverse a product as an MGB can
be no easy matter.
As far as driving impressions are concerned the EZ EPAS system
operated as expected with a much welcomed reduction in steering
effort when manoeuvring at slow speeds. The strong dynamic self-centring
of the MGB's steering was reduced which will possibly disappoint
some enthusiasts. This could have been retained (without driver
intervention) if a speed sensitive control had been provided.
In summary, the EZ EPAS performance benefits will probably appeal
most to the mature classic car enthusiast who wishes to continue
to enjoy his/her hobby for a few more years. |
