RX-8 Power Streering Rack teardown

angryonionangryonion Just some guy
edited June 2012 in Man Cave
So today I saw one of my coworkers throw an electric power steering rack in the trash.
I was like no way I'm going to let that go I want to see its guts and maybe snag some magnets.
So here are some pics.
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This is what it looks like in one piece.
DSC03303.jpg
This is the steering angle sensor.
DSC03303.jpg
here is the rest of the photo's.
DSC03304.jpg
DSC03308.jpg
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This system or something like it will be on most cars in the future,the RX-8 does not even really need a mechanical connection with the PS rack.
The steering wheel has an optical sensor in it and the rack has a torque sensor the only reason there is for a mechanical connection is just backup:D

Comments

  • DfgDfg Admin
    edited May 2012
    So basically there are no magnets in it? I mean you opened it for one (lol). Quite interesting to see this, so this whole joint is powered by the car. I wonder if you can take out the sensors and reuse them.
  • angryonionangryonion Just some guy
    edited May 2012
    The magnets are in the tube in the last pic,can't really get at them without breaking them.
    The sensor is calibrated at the factory when the rack is made its not reusable.
    I'm still going to keep the magnets in the tube,for what I have no idea.
  • SpinsterSpinster Regular
    edited May 2012
    Is this for a all wheel steer set up?
  • angryonionangryonion Just some guy
    edited May 2012
    No all wheel steering just the front.
    Instead of having a power steering pump and Hydraulic lines its just an electric motor.
  • bornkillerbornkiller Administrator In your girlfriends snatch
    edited May 2012
    angryonion wrote: »
    No all wheel steering just the front.
    Instead of having a power steering pump and Hydraulic lines its just an electric motor.
    Mang! Just what the automotive industry needs More damn electrics in cars.
    Gone shall be the days of mechanics and the auto electrician shall rise and rule the world.
  • DaktologistDaktologist Global Moderator
    edited May 2012
    bornkiller wrote: »
    Gone shall be the days of mechanics and the auto electrician shall rise and rule the world.

    Same in most things these days. You almost need a degree in electronics to work out how to fix most modern appliances and things in general. What was once a simple repair, now takes a few thousand dollars worth of diagnostic gear to find the problem and even then the problem isn't worth fixing. Cheaper to replace than repair.
  • SpinsterSpinster Regular
    edited May 2012
    Soon, if not already. Cars will have hundreds of computers in them to control everything even the electric windows. This is so one wire can tell everything what to to do, this removes heaps of wiring in the car and also reduces the weight of the car. Not a bad idea I think. Actually simplifies things. Like if the window wont work, replace the motor in the window regulator or the computer controlling it. not only that but you will know via vehicle diagnostics that the computer is faulty.

    Electrics are great, removes moving parts, like power steering pumps for example. It opens up doors for vehicle modification, performance wise and fuel economy. however dont agree with fly by wire electronic brakes and steering. The driver still needs some control when something shits itself.
  • bornkillerbornkiller Administrator In your girlfriends snatch
    edited May 2012
    Spinster wrote: »
    Soon, if not already. Cars will have hundreds of computers in them to control everything even the electric windows. This is so one wire can tell everything what to to do, this removes heaps of wiring in the car and also reduces the weight of the car. Not a bad idea I think. Actually simplifies things. Like if the window wont work, replace the motor in the window regulator or the computer controlling it. not only that but you will know via vehicle diagnostics that the computer is faulty.

    Electrics are great, removes moving parts, like power steering pumps for example. It opens up doors for vehicle modification, performance wise and fuel economy. however dont agree with fly by wire electronic brakes and steering. The driver still needs some control when something shits itself.

    And all this wonderful automotive puterized tech will all be based on Windows 8. I'd rather take my chances with the cables, hoses and monster cable sized wire looms. :D
  • angryonionangryonion Just some guy
    edited May 2012
    Actually its based on a unix system from what I'm told.
    What Spinster said is right computers control EVERYTHING in a car.
    Most Mazda's and Fords have at least 2 networks if not three.
    In 1998 I took my first network course from Ford the Lincoln Continental had 10 onboard computers.Tons of fun trying to figure out where a break in the network was after some fool tried to install an alarm or some other shit.
  • SpinsterSpinster Regular
    edited May 2012
    Its scary sometimes, I was hooking up some subs in a EFI car. didn't realise the key was on when I disconnected the battery. Didn't say anything, thank god the car still goes!
  • dr rockerdr rocker Regular
    edited June 2012
    angryonion wrote: »
    I was like no way I'm going to let that go I want to see its guts

    Love doing that. Got a cylinder head once from an MG/Rover that had Variable Valve Control. The head was nothing speacial apart from having larger valves and 2 inlet cams instead of one (once controlled cyls 1&2, other 3&4, pretty much like a normal cam cut in two - 4 cyl engine) and an extra cam with worm gears on it that would advance or retard the VVC control units that were cog driven elliptical mechanisms on each cam. The timing belt was as normal, on the other side of the engine their was another, much smaller timing belt connecting the exhaust cam to the other inlet cam. A unit was bolted to the head that had a piston that worked off oil pressure with a flat gear that would drive the cam that worked on the VVC control units.

    What it did was slowed or advanced the speed of the cam, was an amazing bit of engineering and whoever designed it - well, that was propper thinking. Shame Rover went bust, I have heard they were quite far on with building a solenoid controlled engine rather than mechanical valves.

    angryonion wrote: »
    The steering wheel has an optical sensor in it and the rack has a torque sensor the only reason there is for a mechanical connection is just backup:D

    Its the law that the driver must have a mechanical connection in the steering in the UK; probably the same in other countries too.
  • Darth BeaverDarth Beaver Meine Ehre heißt Treue
    edited June 2012
    Give me a carburetor, points, linkage, and hydraulics and you can keep the computers. Someday soon they will be able to remotely disable and even control your vehicle kids.
  • TheGreenDoctorTheGreenDoctor Regular
    edited June 2012
    ^^Amen to that, although its already happening. Any GM car equipped with Onstar 2009 and newer can be remotely shut down by the police. http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Autos/story?id=3706113&page=1#.T-v0kZHNkYI
  • bornkillerbornkiller Administrator In your girlfriends snatch
    edited June 2012
    ^^Amen to that, although its already happening. Any GM car equipped with Onstar 2009 and newer can be remotely shut down by the police. http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Autos/story?id=3706113&page=1#.T-v0kZHNkYI
    They try to control of our interwebz. Now our cars ..... We're all fucked! :mad:
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