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how soft is your power steering?


stockgp

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i've never had very "soft" power steering in my grand pris. i was just wondering if that's normal. my friend's 91 screaming chicken has the 3.1, and i can turn his steering wheel with my pinky. is it just the extra weight in the front end? if that was the case, it should be easier to turn the wheel while the car was moving, but it always seemed the same to me. idk. anyone?

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My 88' had a stiffer steering than my 95 does. I don't know if thats cause there might be different parts of just cause of the age of the car :shrug:

 

my friend's 91 screaming chicken has the 3.1, and i can turn his steering wheel with my pinky.

Do you mean Thunderbird? I've driven a couple including the '85 we had and it had VERY lose steering..

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My 88' had a stiffer steering than my 95 does. I don't know if thats cause there might be different parts of just cause of the age of the car :shrug:

 

my friend's 91 screaming chicken has the 3.1, and i can turn his steering wheel with my pinky.

Do you mean Thunderbird? I've driven a couple including the '85 we had and it had VERY lose steering..

 

no, firebird. i always called the firebird logo the screaming cnicken. not sure where it came from though

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My '89 has a much stiffer steering feel (less power assist) compared to my '96. The '89 has the optional "sportier" suspension (I forget the RPO right now) and the '96 has the softer (FE1 maybe?) suspension. I prefer the stiffer one myself. I believe the amount of power assist is what effects the feel.

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My Prix's steering is heavily weighted. I guess you could say it is tuned to be a Pontiac. The Regal has way too much assist compared to the Prix (you can steer it with you pinkie.) I actually like the "sportier" feel the GP has over the overboosted Regal steering.

 

We were just discussing this a couple of weeks ago. IIRC, the "stiffness" depends on what rack-and-pinion unit your car is equipped with...

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I believe it has something to do with the variable speed sensitive steering also. Most all GTP's (except for mine :cry: ) have it. I've test driven a few, and the steering is sooooo soft! If you look at the power steering pump, and it has a little electrical connector on it that runs to your harness you probably have the variable steering. That may be why some of yours are a little softer.

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The steering in my 89 Cutlass and 90 TGP are very stiff. The 89 is very difficult to make full turns 1-handed. Very little power assist. The 88 had looser steering, and the 94 has the most power assist of all. I'm not sure if it can be pinky-steered, but it's real easy to make a full turn with just 1 hand.

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My Regal helps me with every turn :lol: I can take a turn with one finger. My dads steering in his Acura TL Type S is so stiff that you can change lanes just by moving the wheel like an inch to the left or right.

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When I first got this car, the steering was VERY light. I liked it. Then the PS pump went out and it was replaced. After that, its got the weighted feel to it.

Same with my old Lumina. It had the weighted feel to it. I replaced the pressure hose, then it had the really light feeling for about a day, then it went back to the weighted. :shrug:

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The steering in my 89 Cutlass and 90 TGP are very stiff. The 89 is very difficult to make full turns 1-handed. Very little power assist.

That's exactly how mine is.

 

Mine also has the ultra slow ratio rack (over 3 turns lock to lock). The combination of being very stiff and having a very slow ratio makes for a very annoying steering package. :x It can make manuvering in parking lots a total pain in the ass. I really wish I had the International Series rack (little over 2 turns lock to lock I think).

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my Z34s steering has never had too much power assist to it, i liked it like that, however navigating a parking garage with one hand was abit of a chanllenge, then my brothers z34 a 93 as well is very light, go figgure.

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.. what power steering? :lol: :lol:

 

that's exactly what i've been getting at. i like steering. it feels very natural. but aside from when i'm sitting still, it's hard to tell i have power steering. it's like driving my friend's old crx (did'nt have power steering, in case you missed that)

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the '92 is pretty tough. If youve ever stalled in it you'll know how hard the non power steering is. The '04 Bravada I can turn just by turning the AC on and pointing it in the right direction :)

 

I'd prefer stiff anyways, easier to get myself out of a stickeier situation when the adrenaline is pumpin.

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