so i had experienced this before but it was VERY evident at today's autocross in vegas, which was pretty awesome, by the way. anyone else go?

im taking hard turns, and while doing so and giving it gas, ill notice the steering pretty much changes as if it had no power steering, while in the hard turn.

i ask a guy there why my power steering would go out on a hard turn .i said it could be weight transfer making it appear that way. BUT he said it was belt slippage because of the torque demands of a hard turn on the power steering pump combined with the surges of power from the engine.

what do you guys think? i know nothing is wrong, its just an observation im curious about. thanks!

 

i blame it on weight transfer.....if the belt was slipping you'd hear it im sure

 

think of it this way...

the car only has 100% total traction between the wheels and the surface youre riding on.
it is impossible to have more than 100% traction obviously.

the reason that it is harder to turn when giving it gas, is that the traction is being split up.

some traction is being used to go straight, and some of it is being used to turn. the harder you are on the gas pedal means the harder it is to turn the car since the tires always want to move at the same speed, in the same direction.

 

it could be part weight transfer but i think the dude had a point.

if i demand power from the engine 100% and power steering 100%, it's going to not be so thrilled with me.

i'll have to simulate this more.

 

Are you talking about the front not having grip or that the steering wheel feels heavy? if the wheel is heavy its just torque steer. It is very common with front wheel drive cars when they are pushed hard. To check go at a slow speed like at idle and just turn your wheel and let go , you will notice that it goes to straight very slowly if at all. Now turn again but this time hit the throttle hard and let go of the wheel, the wheel should go to center much faster. From what i under stand it has to do with the caster in the front end and the fact the front wheels are pulling the car along.

 

i'd attribute it to the variable power steering assist.

 

it is very heavy. it felt exactly like a car without power steering. there would have had to have been significant effort on my part to turn the wheel at all. quite strange, and it only happens on the sharpest of the sharp turns + torque increase from the engine from downshifting