Reply to "Electric Power Steering"

My perspective on this is as follows.

This thread was started to show what EPS could be built into the Pantera.

Hockeydude took the route of building his own, sourcing components on his own, and engineering it on his own.

He selected components for his own reasons. Installation required extensive modification to the car.

I found that a very interesting idea from an engineering stand point. It interests me and as such I am looking at alternatives. I thought others would be to?



One alternative that was suggested by another poster was a pre-made kit by EZ. It is a pre-engineered kit and is made for a Pantera application.

It doesn't require as much modification to the car, but some is required.

EZ selected certain components for their own reasons.

They give no explanation or description of the components used.

Considering the price, I presume they are using new and not used components? Neither the pump nor the electronic controls are cheap.

That is all well in good.



There is no way of determining what the durability of that kit is unless it gets broken down for components and those components analyzed individually.

There is more that one manufacturer of these types of components.

The unit used by EZ APPEARS to have an original application from Fiat in the 600 series of cars. It is not manufactured by Fiat.



It makes sense to me, that in leu of actual data from field testing of the application that it is reasonable to extrapolate feedback on the actual components used in the Pantera EZ kit to get a reasonable projection of the expected dependability of those components.

The place to look therefore in my perspective is at the Fiats in which these components were installed by Fiat.



In searching for some sort of guide on that, owners of some (many actually... want to debate what many is too?) Fiats with this EPS system installed have reported durability issues with the power steering system. From blowing out 60 amp fuses often, to the electric motor failing, to loss of power assist.

Services on them are reported to be changing the fuse repeatedly, replacing the drive motor, and replacing the electronic control module.


This has nothing to do with EZ, I NEVER SAID THAT IT DID, it has to do with the dependability of the components and possible unexpected shortcomings of the over all engineering of the EPS unit.

Questioning that here, in "a think tank" impunes no ones integrity. It simply may be the nature of this type of engineering that it can only achieve a certain degree of long term success? I want to know that. Others do too?



At this point to me, it is important to also consider other possible alternatives, i.e., other units available that may work better, fit better, live longer. At least it is to me. I suspect to others as well.


Now as far as someone offering documentation that, "hey, there are 20 of us that bought this and we all love it", is hardly scientific data.

Want to prove it? Do what car manufactures do. Take about a dozen cars, run them up to about 100,000 miles, then compare all the data. The good, the bad and the ugly.

How many Panteras are going to qualify for that? I dare to say none.

What's the total mileage on all of the Pantera cars in this group? I'll bet not much at all?



That comment by you David, reminds me of the snow tire feedback that I read at the Tire Rack. A person posted that he had the best snow tires he ever owned.

Fine. Great. Look at the documentation on the tires. The owner was located in Southern Florida, Miami area, the time of the year was August, he had 50 miles on the tires.

Maybe to you that is great feedback? To me I find it difficult to believe there was much snow and ice to find in August in Miami. Maybe I'm being too harsh on that one huh? Maybe these tires were for the Zamboni machine for the local NHL team?



Now I thought it was apparent in my posting on the EPS that I was making a comparison of components available for this swap? I thought the post was pretty obvious that we were talking about "building your own system" like Hockeydude did? If it wasn't, and I didn't make my posts clear enough, then it is true, I am at fault.

However, I don't think that's what your comment is about at all? You either are ignoring all of that, don't understand that or are just looking for confrontation for your own personal purposes?

In either case it is apparent that I just OVER estimated you totally? That is my mistake and I hope I won't make it again?