Quote:
Originally Posted by Dammmittt
While I may have oversimplified the thing...if you look at the steering columns...you'll note the giant electric motor in one where there is none in the other. The electric motor is where all the feed back is lost.
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The diagram for the hydraulic does not show the powersteering/hydraulic unit only shows the steering linkage. The hydraulic unit looks simular to the electric motor except its located at the bottom of the linkage at the steering rack. Think of electric steering as a electric motor with a worm gear attached to the steering linkage (nothing feeds through it), and the computer/ECU tells it how much to help you turn the wheel based on speed, rpm, etc. The hydraulic works on the same principal except its at the bottom, the linkage goes inside and the unit helps you turn the wheel by applying hydraulic fluid pressure. In both cases some of the road feel/vibration is absorbed into the electric and hydraulic units. But road feedback to the driver is more of a function of the suspension and lack of rubber parts which muffle what the car is doing. If you notice in write-ups about Porsches they all mention that they have the best road feel and feed back to the driver then any other car that is why. Electric steering is new technology much like drive-by-wire, the critics said there was no need for it, it didn't feel like a cable, etc., but nobody complains about it anymore.
Now if your talking recirculating ball vs rack and pinion, i would agree but thats another discussion...
