Faster steering rack

  • Ok, so been researching different ratio steering, specific to my project, yet it could be apply to a Slingshot as well...


    So, stock Slingshot steering is roughly 3 complete turns lock to lock from what is posted in other posts...


    @Ghost measured the rack travel at roughly 3" lock to lock...


    Unisteer:


    There are 3 ratio's listed in Red below, the 3 turns that the Slingshot has, combined with the 3" of travel tells us the Slingshot has basically the same as the slowest ratio listed below.


    So, if anyone wants a custom rack built, the 1.3" of rack travel per steering wheel rotation or the 1.5" of rack travel per rotation of the steering will give them a faster ratio...


    I need to do some additional research for my project, but thought this info may be of interest to Slingshot owners.


    Mike.

  • and that would be a conventional steering setup or the electric version?

    One would need to discuss with Unisteer, I'm thinking they could build an exact replica of the Slingshot rack, so that it would bolt in place and still retain all the Slingshot hardware etc??


    I may be wrong... again, for my project, I do not need to use Slingshot specific electric power steering... although I will use electric power steering of some sort.


    When I look at the parts breakdown for the Slingshot, I see a coupler between the rack and the power steering unit, even if Unisteer can not make the same spline on the rack, a custom coupler from another company who designs and builds steering components may work...


    Borgeson Steering
    Woodward steering
    etc.


    Now, what would conventional steering be like on a Slingshot???? I have not driven one, so I have not driven one with the electric system disabled to test... ;);)

  • .


    Curious if you would need to figure out a way to re-program the stability control since it uses a steering position sensor that is most likely calibrated to to the OEM ratio .....


    I seem to remember this being the sticking point years ago with this same conversation ......


    .... nerd-squared

    :REDSS: The ghost of SLingshot past ......

  • Hey @Tripod, how about chiming in here... your memory might be spot on... been trying to find the information in the service manual...


    Correct me if I am wrong... does not the steering lock to lock distance increase with the engine on as opposed to engine off due to EPAS...


    only thing I am finding is steering centering must be performed with engine running...
    And that might be to rule out the EPAS shutting down after five minutes of key on only operation.


    If I am recalling correctly from my problems with the EPAS, I could cut a tighter radius with EPAS on versus off.

    Slingshot Flyer! Well, of course it's red... :REDSS:

  • Ahhhh all the electronic bs to make us safe hey ;)


    Another reason why I am doing my project, all of the stuff listed below...


    ABS


    Stability control


    Traction control


    Will not done by artificial intelligence.


    It will all be done by the onboard computer, the one inside the helmet of the person driving :thumbsup:

  • ^^^ Unfortunately, some of those are malfunctioning & experiencing the “blue screen of death” - need a hard reboot - or a new motherboard... (think Big Dog)...

    Slingshots: making children out of adults since 2014

  • .


    "artificial intelligence" disabled ....



    ......... angel-squared


    .

    :REDSS: The ghost of SLingshot past ......

  • Lol, looks like intelligence disabled ;) ...


    Another reason my project has 2 wheels on the rear... but ultimately it still comes back to the driver.


    If I'm not sideways, I'm not happy ^^


    I've been upside down twice over the last 40 years. Once was caused by inattention on my part, once was not pre-running the course to check for unexpected dangers... read sink hole the size of cabin, just over a rise in the road.


    I absolutely hate ABS, Traction control and Stability control... maybe because I was taught/learned the physics of vehicle control, then practiced it religiously, on an ongoing basis. (Did some practice on black ice today in fact, taking the wife to work 8o )


    I recently worked with an engineering group from a large company who had designed a host of systems to help the driver...


    This included ride pitch control, traction control, stability control, both in lean and yaw, abs etc.


    These systems only help those who are either not taught the physics, or those who are not able to apply what they learn and put it into practice...


    Useless if you are skilled, as they only hinder your own abilities.


    There are many factors that cause crashes, but our system, at least here in Canada, does virtually nothing to teach a driver the physics of vehicle control, let alone having them prove they can put it into practice.


    A drivers license should have the same requirements for skill proven before it is given as a pilots license does before it is given... The person learns, practices then proves they have the skills, only then are they issued a license.


    Mike.

  • .


    You forgot .........



    ....... wink-squared


    .

    :REDSS: The ghost of SLingshot past ......

  • I absolutely hate ABS, Traction control and Stability control... maybe because I was taught/learned the physics of vehicle control
    ...
    These systems only help those who are either not taught the physics, or those who are not able to apply what they learn and put it into practice...


    Question: I see you are pretty confident in your driving skills. But can you apply braking to just one front wheel at a time? or proportional braking to the front/rear? do you react instantaneously? Because I believe the artificial systems can do that for stability control, and I can't see you being able to replicate that on your own no matter how good your driving skills are.
    :whistling:


    Second question: How much of the original Slingshot is going to remain when your project is done? Or are you not starting with a Slingshot at all?

  • I'd just slightly change the position of the steering arm ball-joint on the front knuckle (item#14 in the following pic)...



    You could alter where item#17 bolts to item#14 in the above pic. Make it a bit closer and you'll have "faster" steering.

  • Hey @Mike in Victoria BC


    Mike here from up in PG...


    The electronic control technology will undoubtedly make progress, but it can not see and think like a person...


    Here is a great example:


    Cops often say vehicle crashes can be traced back to:


    Diving too fast for conditions...
    Speeding... Speed kills, remember ;)
    Reckless driving...


    Yet those are all caused by the person not having:


    The skill, for the conditions
    The skill for the speed.
    The skill for the maneuver.


    People drive too fast for their ability!


    Being that I drive in snow and ice half the year, then play on back roads the rest, I can tell you that any kind of stability control, ABS, traction control is actually downright dangerous for a skilled driver.


    Traction control limits your control of the power to the drive wheels when it is told by sensors that you don't need it, yet there have been times when I really needed the power, yet the system said no. I disable traction control every time I get into my car...


    I many times want 1 wheel to brake because it is the only one with traction, yet these so called intelligent systems can not see what I see and so they try and control the whole package, in the meantime the vehicle has hit whatever because these systems do not see and think like a person.


    Same goes for accident avoidance, there are times when I have made a split second decision to avoid an animal in the dark that required a rapid series of way out of range inputs to the steering, throttle and brakes that an onboard control system would not have allowed me to make, because they are in themselves unsafe... Yet I made them...


    The video of the Slingshot rollover illustrates the difference between having skill and driving versus not having skill and over driving your ability...


    I watched in slow motion, zoomed in and this driver was way too slow in correcting after the first flick... combine this with the slow ration steering rack and yikes. Yet they should have known all that before they ever tried this move...


    I was not born with the experience and skills that I have, I learned them, I earned them, sometimes the hard way... ;(


    Oh, my dream, ummm I mean project... along these lines in form, but Hemi, 8 speed auto, bigger and wider rear tires...