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Best $200 mod ever (EPS).

663K views 1K replies 172 participants last post by  juit 
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#919 ·
Agreed, some in this thread somewhere I think claimed to have made some sort of controller but couldn't get liability insurance at a rate that made it worth proceeding. I've seen several of the guys who have done this swap or want to do this wishing for a speed sensitive controller. Maybe someone will share the voltage range and make this wish possible. Come on guys, what is the range please?????
 
#922 ·
I've plans on using a VUE EPS on a hot rod I'm building. I don't have an EPS yet, and I haven't built a controller, but I've got an idea about what it takes from a lot of research. The VUE box needs an input on the purple serial data wire to set the assist level. That will be a variable square wave pulse like what Bruno supplies. I found an article from ACDelco about the low speed GMLAN (purple wire) which states it is a ground referenced single wire bus which toggles between 0 and >4 volts. I don't have a column yet, so I've not tested anything. If it's anything like the European Corsa EPS which is well documented, the faster the pulse goes, the less assist is offered. That unit seems to like about 4Hz per mph. At 2mph maximum assist and about 360Hz (45mph) or above for minimum. In my mind that's easy to convert over to vehicle speed sensing by using an ABS or VSS signal and frequency adjusting it with a speedo corrector circuit like Jaycar.com sells.

Maybe someone on this forum could actually measure the min/max frequency of the Ebay controller?

Just my thoughts, YMMV.
 
#927 ·
Mel,

66Darkhorse said:
HI! I was reading the "best $200 Mod ever" thread and found your post on page 12 # 168 and wanted to ask you for some info.
Could I pick your brain on this? It looks like you cut the long steering shaft in the engine compartment . . . How long is the "stub" you left on the box?
I left about 8" of the shaft. I did not measure exactly, I just cut it and filed it down to a double D, Its been a while and I mocked it up with the intermediate shaft and marked where i needed to cut.

66Darkhorse said:
Second question; it appears you attached the coupler (welded)to the small "tit" that sticks out of the intermediate shaft. Is that correct? So the total length of the intermediate shaft with the coupler is? Thanks for all of your help. Mel
Yes, I welded the coupler to the end of the intermediate shaft. I cannot give you an over all length. I mocked it up and marked the actual lengths rather than measure and cut. I did not have to be exact because the double D coupler could slide up and down the steering box shaft as needed, so after I mocked it all up, I then drilled the hole for the set screw.

Sorry I cannot give you exact lengths. I am the type to measure twice and cut once and it will still be off. I find it better for me to mock it up where it needs to be then clamp it in place.
 
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#930 ·
Mel,


I left about 8" of the shaft. I did not measure exactly, I just cut it and filed it down to a double D, Its been a while and I mocked it up with the intermediate shaft and marked where i needed to cut.
So . . . I guess something is very different! I measure up 8" from the steering box and it is inside the firewall! Are you sure that the stub is 8"? Could you or someone else measure from the steering box to the top of the coupler? I wanted to cut the shaft in the car to save the hassle of pulling the long shaft around the engine headers master cylinder proportioning valve and the other stuff. Only thing I can figure is it's a "short" 8"! Thanks! Mel
 
#928 · (Edited)
I finally got my Bruno controller the other day. It only took like 4 or 5 days to get to New York, but once it was at the USPS blackhole, it took another 7 days to get to Alabama. So, today I hooked it all up and it didn't work! I was so upset I wanted to puke! After chasing down one ground mistake, was able to make it work. Yay! Works pretty much like I expected, made a couple of funny noises but nothing near the Ford powersteering growl! Here's a video.
https://youtu.be/rCWe_jPJfCo
 
#933 ·
Has anyone tried using the Vue steering column? Not the plastic aesthetic parts, but the actual metal column that surrounds the steering shaft? I understand there are some brackets welded on there for the tilt mechanism on the Vue, but that can be easily cut away. The collapsible nature of the column along with the snap ring retainer seems to be a much better safety and retention system then cutting everything up to modify. Understand the steering wheel mounting portion is much different than the Mustang, but I plan on going with an aftermarket wheel anyway.

Thought about trying this...any thoughts?
 
#936 ·
I'm not trying to talk anyone out of using the Vue column but the mods aren't really that complicated to use the top of the original Mustang column and with the u-joints and couplers I can't imagine a scenario where the EPAS modified Mustang column would hurt you any worse in an accident. But I never worried too much about the spear-o-matic before the mod either!
 
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#937 ·
Using Vue Column & Shafts

I used a few parts from the Saturn steering assembly. The mounting bracket to attach my 68 original column after I cut it. I also used parts of the lower and upper steering shafts from the Vue donor. I mounted all of this to a Unisteer manual rack, seems to be working quite well.
 

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#938 ·
I used a few parts from the Saturn steering assembly. The mounting bracket to attach my 68 original column after I cut it. I also used parts of the lower and upper steering shafts from the Vue donor. I mounted all of this to a Unisteer manual rack, seems to be working quite well.

Looks great. I assume you are using the Bruno controller like the rest of us?

Mine as been installed since mid April, not a single issue yet.
Very pleased with it.

68Hildago...
 
#940 · (Edited)
Yeah, I also emailed him a question and he answered it very promptly. I also had to adjust my ecu as it was easier turning one way than the other.

I mounted mine vertical beside the the ignition. Here's a pic.
 

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#941 ·
I also had a question and he emailed me the documentation rather quickly.
I mounted mine in the cigarette lighter location. I had to cut and file down the knob stem.

I am glad that this thread is still alive and that others are doing this mod.
 
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#942 ·
I am glad that this thread is still alive and that others are doing this mod.
Totally agree.

Getting close to the 200K view mark, crazy.

68Hildago...
 
#947 ·
Here is some information on a universal joint to fit the output side of the Vue EPS. I was working on my current project (2013 Coyote in a '53 Studebaker, please don't throw rocks at me) and I did a mod that might help others when putting in the Vue EPS into any car that uses the popular 3/4" DD shaft. I know that people have not been able to find a universal joint to fit the output side of the EPS and I realized that the stock coupler (universal joint) that attaches the output collapsing column to the steering rack on the Vue uses a 3/4" DD coupling and that both universals use the same size bearings and that you can eliminate the collapsing portion and just connect the two universal together. There is one hard part to this job and that is you have to press out one of the crosses in one of the couplers. These universals were not made to remove the cross like a driveline universal so it will take some work. There are small stakes or detents ( sort of like center punch makrs) that help hold the bearing caps into the yokes (they don't use snaprings ) so I used a dremel burr that had a flat end and ground them off as best I could. I then supported the yoke and pressed the bearing thru the yoke as far as it will go. You will not be able to push it far enough to have it fall out so you will have to grab it with some vise grips and muscle it out. Don't worry about the bearing because you will have extras when you do the other end. After fighting to get this bearing out you will then have to push the cross back out the other direction to completely release the cross from the yoke. At this point you will have one of the yokes completely void of the bearings and cross. Now all you have to do is simply cut the arms off on the yokes on the two ends of the center collapsing shaft. After you cut these arms off you can then easily press out the bearings. Keep these bearing (and their seals) clean as you will be putting two of them back in the final single universal that attaches onto the EPS's 17 spline shaft and the stock 3/4" DD shaft. When installing the bearings be careful to not allow the needle bearings to fall out before you get the caps pressed back and try to press the caps down so they are recessed like they were before you pressed them out and be sure you restake or center punch around the perimeter like the factory did. If you have replaced universals in a driveline you will have a good understanding of what is going on. I have included pictures of the original collapsing column, the column with the arms cut off and the final universal with a short piece of 3/4 DD shaft in the end. How to enclose the DD shaft as it passes thru the firewall is up to you. I think I will turn down a piece of Nylatron (hard plastic) to fit the Vue's rubber boot and drill a 3/4" hole in it and use that to seal. You could use the stock mustang's seal with some type of bushing in it or use a 3/4 spherical bearing to support it like previously posted. I hope this makes sense and that these pictures come out, this is the first time useing Photobucket ( I used to use imageshack). I am too old for this cyber stuff.








 
#948 ·
I would have sworn someone in these pages found the right joint for the vue shaft.... I'll have to try and scan through to see.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
 
#949 · (Edited)
For the lower shaft, I cut down the Vue coupler and bored it out to accept the Mustang shaft. I was able to have about 3-1/2" of the collapsing ability of the Mustang D shaft as well.

For the lower seal, I used the rubber seal from the Vue along with the lower portion of the Mustang column.

Here are some pics.

68Hildago...
 

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#957 ·
I have made a little progress. I did not like the way the original column mounted for purposes of adapting to EPS. It is very thin material and is not designed to resist large torsional forces. Slow Poke added a bolt head to prevent rotation. I went a little further. I made a new plate to mount to the steering wheel side of the EPS unite. It is a 3 bolt pattern on a 1.35" bolt radius. I made it out of 1/4" steel.

The collar which protrudes from my EPS unit measures 1.57" in diameter, so my mounting plate has a 1.57" diameter hole in it.

I turned a steel collar down to a 2.25" OD and a 1.57" ID. I welded this to my mounting plate. However, before welding, I opened up the ID on one side to 1.67" which is the OD of the lower portion of the Vue upper column. It gets pressed in and then welded. Finally, I milled .2" off the bottom of my steel collar. This provides a flat mounting location for a 1/4" steel bar that replaces the original top mounting bracket. Neither the top, nor the bottom (horse shoe shaped) brackets are used. Instead, it looks something like this:











I have not cut either the Vue or the Mustang shafts yet. I have test fitted just the modified Vue upper column assembly and with just the two bolts mounting it to the dash, it is VERY solid. I intend to fabricate something similar to mount the lower portion of the EPS unit to the pedal support like others have done.

Once all the test fitting is done, the Mustang column will be welded to the upper portion of the Vue upper column. As you can see the Vue assembly has a few inches of collapse built in. I finally decided just to "compromise" the inside of the Mustang column at the bottom end so it will fail in the event of a serious collision which causes the Vue column to collapse. I also tapered the inside of the Mustang column at the end where it mates with the new steel collar. I also tapered the end of the steel collar. The tapers, along with the failure points, should allow the column to collapse in the event of a very hard impact. Hopefully we will never find out if it works. You can see the failure points being cut into the inside of the column here:



Unfortunately, I do not think I will get much, if any, collapse from the lower portion. I think it will be almost fully collapsed when it is installed. We will see.
 
#958 ·
Got bored at work so I started tearing apart the two columns. Found one surprise. ... someone's been in here before. Good thing is I won't be using this part.
that's the collapsible section of the original column.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
 
#959 ·
Here is how I decided to mount the EPS to the pedal support. Although my dash mount is support strong, the moment is high and it only has the single point of attachment. I used Slow Poke's template to the back plate, but I cut the tabs off my EPS unit altogether. I enlarged Slow Poke's template to go to the edge of the EPS unit. I then welded a tab onto it which goes up and mates with the right hand side of the pedal support. My backing plate and tab are both made out of 1/4" steel to ensure rigidity. I also had to cut a clearance out of the left side of the pedal support since I am clocking at about 11 o'clock. To make sure the pedal support does not deform due to any twisting moment, I plated the entire area from the mounting point to the clearance area with 1/4" steel. It is not going anywhere and the increased leverage from the additional mounting tab should handle any torsional forces the unit might put out.









 
#960 ·
I'm thinking a simple arduino board and some resistors could make the electrical speed compensation a cheap and easy solution. Going to order a board and toy around with it.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
 
#961 ·
I'm thinking a simple arduino board and some resistors could make the electrical speed compensation a cheap and easy solution. Going to order a board and toy around with it.

I was thinking the same thing. The arduino can certainly be used to mate with a VSS signal and a variable POT to use the Bruno controller. The question is, what does the Bruno controller output? If we go to the trouble of creating the VSS controller, might as well have it output the correct signal for the EPS and ditch the Bruno controller all together (no offense to Bruno). Does anyone know what signal the Bruno controller outputs?


Slow Poke, care to share some of this technical information related to how the EPS communicates? You know we would all buy your VSS controller if it was available, but if that is not going to happen . . . .


Baxter
 
#964 ·
got most of the mock up done. Gotta weld it up make some brackets for extra support and for the control box that was formerly mounted to the unit.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


I relocated the ecu as well and also drilled the original ecu mount flange and re-routed the wiring to hide them a bit better. I ended up mounting the ecu up by where the radio should sit under the dash.

Here is a pic
 

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