FR Electric Power Steering

[PB Pod]

Bill,

You use a lot of Flaming River stuff. What do you think of their column mounted electric power steering?

It is pretty dear at $4K with one of their columns. But, the kit includes the electronic drive unit, SGU (signal generator unit), potentiometer (allowing the driver to adjust the steering resistance), couplers for shaft connections, and the wiring harness. It is available in 4 different ratios, with 4 or 3 bolt adaptability for different applications. Driver adjustable steering resistance! That makes my heart go pitter pat.

I have read it is for cars weighing 3,200 or less. That may limit the application for this technology.

I was just wondering if this was something that got your attention at SEMA.

[Bill_Reilly]

I've been talking to them about it for a while now, and got to play with one at SEMA. It's pretty darn cool that's for sure.  It IS awfully pricey, but I might have to try one over the winter anyway - it's too neat to pass up.  It wouldn't be easy to mount - it's small, but it's big enough to be a problem.

[Bill_Reilly]

The electric flaming river unit actually IS the saturn ion unit, just mounted to a column with a new control box. That same unit is on all of those cars, mostly the hybrids, but it's all the same little box.