It's a well-known fact that at times, a camper van can be a little tricky to drive and park in terms of its steering ability. So we've partnered up with a company who have developed a power steering system designed specifically for VW camper vans.

Using this system totally transforms the driving experience, so that even the less experienced drivers can feel more confident behind the wheel.

The Technical Bit

Electronic Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) is a modern version of the older, hydraulic power steering systems. The main advantages of EPAS are:

Efficiency

This is key as most modern vehicles have small capacity engines and the old hydraulic systems sap engine power constantly, whether the steering is being used or not. The EPAS system only uses power when assistance is required (i.e. at low road speeds whilst parking/manoeuvring) therefore, it puts very little demand on the engine, thus increasing MPG.

Adaptability

With the use of a control unit, the system can be adaptable to not only the van, but also your individual driving style or requirements. There are various modifications that can be made to the original set up, for example, we can adjust the initial weight (resistance) of the steering by manipulating the torque sensor (this senses the input from the driver). We can also employ different speed sensor signals to change the power-down characteristics. This alters the speed that the system changes from high, medium and low assistance.
 
Weight

As the system only compromises a steering column/motor unit rather than a hydraulic ram/rack, high pressure pump, hoses and reservoir there are significant weight savings.

Due to all these characteristics the EPAS system lends itself perfectly to be “Retro Fitted” into an array of different vehicles that didn’t originally have power steering from standard. This is achieved by the use of adapter shafts that match the original vehicle steering wheel and steering box/rack. Together with a bespoke wiring loom that is designed to take power only from the battery, you're not putting any extra load on the vehicles original wiring.

Speed sensitivity is achieved by either using the original speed pulse from the speedo (if an electronic speedo is fitted) or by fitting a transducer to the speedo cable, this can be fitted on the speedo head or within the length of the cable. This will generate a speed pulse and there is a choice of signals per revolution.

If this is something that interests you, give us a call and we can chat about your requirements.