Posts Tagged ‘power steering’

Power Steering Coupling Shaft

Wednesday, June 17th, 2009

Today a package from Grainger arrived with my 5/16 – 18 lefthanded tap arrived.  That matches the threads on the motor that will drive the accessories.  Next time I need something from Grainger I think I will order it through NAPA and pay the 30% markup.  They charged me $13 to ship a 3 or 4 oz piece via USPS.

Regardless, I got the part and I think it worked out well.  I’ll have to power up the motor to find out for sure, and will try that out later.  Through the captions below I’ll describe the process to get from where I was to where I am.

I need the coupler on the left to have the threads of the nut in the middle.  The tap on the right should accomplish that.

I need the coupler on the left to have the threads of the nut in the middle. The tap on the right should accomplish that.

Part number of the tap.  It was left handed (reverse threaded) so I had to special order it.

Part number of the tap. It was left handed (reverse threaded) so I had to special order it.

Good news is that it fits.  I had no way to verify the thread pitch due to the reverse threads, except to try and count how many I saw in the 1/4" that was visible.

Good news is that it fits. I had no way to verify the thread pitch due to the reverse threads, except to try and count how many I saw in the 1/4

First I clamped it on my table and tried to run the tap through.

First I clamped it on my table and tried to run the tap through.

That didn't work.  I realized I should drill out the existing threads because they go the opposite way of the tap.

That didn

Done, drilled out to 1/4" since the opening is 5/16".

Done, drilled out to 1/4

The tap kept wiggling and was pretty hard to turn.  I flipped it upside down and used a 3/8" socket to turn the coupling instead.  I went about halfway through.

The tap kept wiggling and was pretty hard to turn. I flipped it upside down and used a 3/8

It fits on the shaft...

It fits on the shaft...

...and it works like this!

...and it works like this!

Power Steering Motor

Monday, June 15th, 2009

Yesterday I put together the wiring for the power steering motor while watching the Nascar race. I’ll have to put up some pictures later, but I think it came together pretty well. I used heatshrink and all so its very professional looking. The only wire I need to figure out is the trigger to the relay. I want it to be on when the key is turned to on, same as the main contactor so I think I’ll just tap into that.

I’m wondering though if I want everything to be triggered off the same line from the fuse box. If something went out with that connection the Trans Am would become a glider with no power steering and only the vacuum remaining in the reservoir for brakes. It should be sufficient for a stop or two at least. The benefit would be if everything is triggered off the same line, a single LED in the dash would tell me whether it is all working or not. I think I’ll do that. The contactor already has auxilliary wires to indicate when it is open (light off) or closed (light on).

Power Steering Motor

Monday, May 25th, 2009

A couple of thiings have been figured out regarding the small electric motor I purchased to run the power steering and A/C. The bolts that I used to mount the adapter plate to the transmission actually are the same thread pitch and size as the interior of the P/S pulley. However, the pulley needs to run counter clock-wise so if I used the threads it would probably unbolt itself over time. Alternatively, before the threads the pulley has a hexagonal opening and a 3/8″ punch fits perfectly into it. I assume then that a 3/8″ allen key will also, or a nut that is 3/8″ outer width.

The other trick though is that the motor shaft is reverse threaded. So what I really need is a nut that is reverse threaded and the appropriate inner diameter to mate to the motor shaft while having an outer width that is 3/8″. I don’t know that they make those so I may need to but a reverse tap and a make my own.

Power Steering Motor

Monday, May 11th, 2009

I figured out the wiring for the motor that will drive the power steering pump. I wanted a way to shut the motor off when PS wasn’t needed to save some amps. This would be primarily when sitting at long traffic lights, but I could also see using it on the interstate occasionally. I really depends on the amps the motor ends up drawing and if the PS pump can be cycled on and off. If it takes 5 seconds after switching the motor on for the lines to be pressurized then it’s a no-go.

My original thought was to tie into the parking brake light indicator. This comes on when the parking brake handle is engaged even a single click. There is continuity in that wire that I was going to use to trigger my relay. Turns out though I would need a normally closed relay and then the brake was engaged it would open the relay. That’s not what I bought, so considering that and the fact that the brake light is on all the time currently (when a battery is connected to the frame for testing) I opted to instead use a switch the presious owner had installed for some fancy blue light special around the radio bezel.

Here is me figuring out how everything needs to be wired with a junk motor from a cordless grass trimmer. The switch triggers the relay which can handle the amps of the motor. The switch even has a little light on it when it is on.

12V, 1200 amp battery makes 18V tiny weed wacker motor whirrrrrr!

12V, 1200 amp battery makes 18V tiny weedwacker motor whirrrrrr!

The next step is to figure out how to mate the shaft of the motor to these threads or hex (9mm?) opening on the PS pulley. And also how to mount the motor itself to maintain a parallel connection between the two. I think I’ll sleep on it some more.

Battery Change & Steering

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

I’ve decided it’s better to upsize my battery from a PC1200 to a PC1500 equivalent (more later).  I should add about 60% more range (42 ah to 68 ah) with only a 11lb per battery penalty (30%).  We’re also planning on cutting into the floor above the fuel tank and hanging the batteries there instead of trying to install them from underneath.  Maintaining them would be very difficult if they were underneath due to the weight (400 lbs).  With the new setup I’ll have an access hatch to easily check and tighten terminal connections, not to mention install the batteries one at a time.

I also received a motor to drive the power steering pump.  It’s from a scooter like the Razr.  I figure if it can push up to a 180 lb kid at 10 mph (rated at 2500 RPM) it should be able to run a pump, and hopefully the A/C too.  It’s meant for 24V and it’ll be on the 12V system so we’ll see how it goes.  It was a pretty cheap buy and even looks like it will couple to the PS pump pulley pretty easily. I tested it with a 9V battery and it spun right up so I’m hopeful it’ll do well with more juice on tap.