Many of us have only been driving since power steering on cars have standard. But some of us may have driven a non-power steering cars.
I am curious to hear of what cars you have driven that had no power steering, and how did they handle and drive? Is it truly a workout? I'd like to try one one day, as it seems unfathomable that moving a steering wheel would be so hard.
Bonus question: is it possible to easily turn off power steering? Or is that a dangerous thing to do?
I've owned and driven quite a few.
Several Rambler models (Americans and Classics from early to mid 1960s). Slow geared steering kept effort down a bit but lots of wheel winding needed. Those cars didn't really have "handling" in the sense that is meant today. They were designed for "handling ease", meaning easy to get around a parking lot. Also had a Ford Fairlane for a while with manual steering, it was much the same.
Then there were some rear-engine models such as Corvair and VW, even a Subaru 360. Those of course had relatively light and quick steering due to their light front ends.
That's off the top of my head, I'm sure there were others.
That’s quite the experience!
Actually not that unusual. Back in the day power steering was an option and many cars didn't have it. (Almost everything beyond the bare basics was optional.)
I can't say about personally driving one but cool thing this car:
The in my opinion rather ugly Alpha Romeo 4c does not have power steering in order to save weight.
There is also the Mitsubishi Mirage which has a steering which does not go back to center and just goes on and on in the same direction until the driver adjusts it. Quality for you.
Whoa. I had no idea a modern car had NO power steering.
1980s Chevy G Van (or was it 70s). Yes it's a workout. It's not as big of a deal for small cars, but fathom 6,000 lbs sitting on sticky rubber wheels, on dry pavement.
Damn, that is heavy! Did you ever get used to it? Or was it always tough? Did you find yourself getting stronger, just by driving it?
oh you would have popeye biceps driving that thing around for sure. Maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit. I was a kid.
You can easily simulate turning off power steering. Yes it's very dangerous. Do it somewhere with lots of space and nobody around.
get your car coasting at low speed. Shift into neutral. Now shut off the ignition. Try to steer without ending up in the ditch.
mind you it'll be HARDER to manually steer on modern car designed for power steering. Those old cars with "Armstrong" steering had a bigger gear reduction for mechanical advantage. If you wanted to turn around, you didn't turn your steering wheel twice. You had to spin it around like 5 times.
Oh. Pretty clever. A little dangerous, but clever, to get the feeling of what it really feels like.
I tried that once down the hill several years ago. Suddenly there was no power braking.
yeah I would not want to be anywhere near a hill
How does NO power braking feel like?
like you're gonna die
That sounds like great advice!
You have to push brake pedal extreme hard. Well, when I realised that and reacted, I managed it and turned on the engine back. And never tried that again 😨
nah it's fine. You don't get any help from the booster, so you just have to push the pedal REALLY HARD. And it'll take more distance to stop. Mind you I'm used to vehicles that weigh 6,000lb. A small car will be easier to stop.
In fact I remember when I had my second car the brakes failed on a steep hill once. Luckily I was almost home and I managed to make it. I just used transmission braking and the parking brake.
The last inspection I had with Fiat Uno, brake hose to the front left wheel exploded during brake test. It was interesting the when I was driving home and using handbrake hard and pushing brake pedal several times to enhance some braking.
72 Dodge Dart. No power steering. 4 drum brakes. No A/C.
It was quite easy to steer. Just needed a few extra turns to get in parking spaces.
What’s 4 drum brakes like? I’ve only driven in car with two in the back.
the same except with more brake fade. And a bigger PITA to change the linings.
Yep. Lots of fade. And the rear brakes would lock up quicker since there was less power up front.
All of the Volkswagen Beetles and Porsche 911s I drove never had power steering, and were some of the best handling cars ever. But they had their engines in the rear. Porsche even used two batteries in the front of their 911s and some had ballast weights to help equal things out.
Did it make it easier or harder to steer because the engines were in back?
I had an early 70's Opel GT, no power steering...& a '65 Ford Falcon, also no power steering. Both were easy to drive & steer BUT... you could only turn the steering wheel when you were moving. It was easy for me to do because those were my first cars so I learned it that way. (Oh...& both were manuals so coordination is key there!) You couldn't turn the wheel while you were sitting still...you'd need arms the size of your legs for that! 0_o So getting in or out of a parking lot space was sometimes a challenge, but you learn REEEAAALLLLL quick how & when to crank the wheel!
Now, coming from a power steering to a non-powered...that's a different animal altogether! Manageable, but not impossible.
Damn. Parallel parking must be a super PITA.
It was...but you learned how to use gravity, inertia & motion of the car(s) to crank the wheel at just the right time.
I owned 1999 Fiat Uno. When you get habituated, you do not notice there is no power steering.
How was the Fiat back in the day?
We had it in family. It ran OK. Last two years was mine and underbody was critical because of rust. Because that I junked when it was 12 years old and had only 80k km. It was smaller but more spacious than Toyota Yaris is.
LOL I had a 97 chevy malibu that at one point had power steering but didn't last long but I still drove it without it and boy oh boy it was fun times on ice lol.
Pretty cool you could still drive it even though power steering broke.
I did LOL for about 2 years but I got rid of it and bought a 90' F150