Steering used to be a feat of strength, but today your power steering supports you . For this reason, you will usually notice it quickly if your power steering has failed. Heralds of a broken power steering are, for example, noises from the power steering. However, to understand why your power steering squeaks at full lock, you must first understand how your power steering works. In the following article we will give you all the necessary information and we will also explain what you can do if your power steering sometimes does not work or what happens to the power steering in the event of an engine failure. Incidentally, this marvel of technology was invented back in the 1920s, but it only really caught on with tank construction during the Second World War.
Contents
The function of a power steering
In order to understand the causes of power steering that is difficult to operate, we must first talk about the structure and operation of this system. Basically, it is a rather simple system. So no electronics are necessary and no control unit or electric motor is needed to use it. This is also a reason why the power steering rarely fails. Still, you should only take it if your power steering is making noise. These are clearly among the early signs of a defect in the power steering.
The most important element of your power steering is a small hydraulic pump, which is usually driven by your engine V-belt. With the help of this, the required pressure is generated and routed to the appropriate rotary valve. This ensures that the oil pressure is distributed to the desired side. So if you turn your steering wheel in a certain direction, the oil transport leads to power support when moving the handlebars. The power is transmitted by a specially designed hydraulic cylinder. A disadvantage of this design is that the pressure can increase when driving straight ahead. In order to ensure safety in this case, there are pressure relief valves for returning the hydraulic oil.
Defects in the power steering
As described, the power steering oil is the medium for power transmission. However, it also follows from this that a leaking power steering leads to major problems or failure of the steering assistance. So when this simply constructed system fails, it is often due to burst lines, leaks in the area of the power steering pump or the hydraulic cylinders. However, you always enjoy the advantage that you can still steer your car without power steering, even if this then requires a lot of effort. This is because, in addition to the hydraulic connection, there is also a mechanical connection between the steering wheel, steering rod and the vehicle wheels. In addition, the power steering can also be dual. Then it still works even if one of the circuits fails. Such a redundant design occurs, for example, in vehicles that are very difficult to steer, such as trucks, in which two axles are steered. By the way: After all work on the power steering, you should not forget to bleed your power steering. Incidentally, the squeaking of the power steering is an indication of a defect.
The modern power steering is electric
The structure of the classic power steering described above has been fundamentally revised in the recent past. Of course, that doesn't mean that there aren't many types of power steering that work hydraulically. Nevertheless, there are now a wide range of requirements and additional safety or comfort systems that can be implemented more easily if it is not a hydraulic system. As a result, some vehicle manufacturers have switched to replacing hydraulic power steering with electrically assisted systems. The advantages include, for example, the easier integration of lane departure warning systems or parking aids. In addition, fuel can be saved (up to 250 ml per 100 kilometers) if the power steering pump does not have to be continuously driven by the engine, but only the power steering is activated when required. In general, the steering assistance is provided by the electric drive of so-called servos. Because of this structure, electric power steering is maintenance-free. One disadvantage, however, can be that electrically controlled systems are slightly more complex and therefore more error-prone.
Can power steering be retrofitted?
Steering can be a real feat, especially in older vehicles. For this reason, many owners of old vehicle models wish to retrofit power steering. In principle this is possible, but a suitable structure of the wheel suspension is necessary. In general, however, you have to reckon with the fact that such a retrofitting of a power steering can cause extreme costs. One of the reasons for this is that such work is very time-consuming. Therefore, only real tuning enthusiasts often resort to such a retrofit. While classic old vehicles hardly benefit from this economically, such a conversion can actually be worthwhile to upgrade real classic cars. In this case, it is best to use electric power steering. In this way it is possible for you to adapt them in such a way that your steering still retains its characteristics. Basically, the handlebar is usually replaced as a whole. This has the advantage that you don't have to drill or weld anything. The level of steering assistance can often also be adjusted and depends on the current speed. With the installation described, your steering system can also be easily restored to its original state by remounting the original steering rod.
Conclusion
The power steering of modern vehicles is more than just a convenience system. This is now an important security system. You should therefore take care of this system regularly and comply with the specified maintenance intervals. This way you ensure that you can always rely on your vehicle. You should also make sure that you always take warning signs of defects in your power steering seriously, so that you can (have) corrected them in good time.
A tip from CarTipsandmore: There is one for your car There are some working fluids that not only need to be checked from time to time, but also need to be replaced. Of course, this includes the vehicle fuel, i.e. petrol or diesel, but also the cooling water and your engine oil. While the cooling water ensures optimal heat dissipation, the engine oil is responsible for lubricating the engine components. In addition, the oil in your power steering also requires a certain amount of attention. Although this has a significantly longer shelf life, this special hydraulic oil still has to be replaced at specified intervals. Since this also involves bleeding the power steering, such work should only be carried out by competent persons.