Is there any way to make steering wheel lighter(softer)?

[Decep]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

We are looking at final forces so wheel diameter isn't a factor. With power assist the wheel diameter doesn't mean much anyway since you are not truly using the wheel for leverage but to simply activate the power assist. It really only comes into play with a fully mechanical system.

Anecdotal sure, but I had an old Mercedes turbo diesel (recirculating ball power steering) and it came stock with an enormous school bus steering wheel. Great for comfort and all but i eventually replaced it with a much smaller wooden Nardi wheel..maybe even a bit smaller than the FRS steering wheel. I remember the steering felt much tighter with the smaller diameter wheel and the effort required to turn the wheel was higher. This was also a relatively high caster suspension as is typical of German cars.

It does make a bit of difference even with power steering.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by humfrz

I have a younger brother that is about the size of @Ultramaroon and has more money than sense about some things.

He has a beautifully restored, 1967 Corvette Stingray that he drives on some Sundays. The last time I was down in California, we were out in his garage and I ask him how his Corvette was running.

He replied, great, I just had power steering put on it. Since he is in good health, I asked him ..... why? He replied that he said it was hard to steer when he parked it. I go .....

Haha... Maybe being a knucklehead just comes with the size.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Decep

Anecdotal sure, but I had an old Mercedes turbo diesel (recirculating ball power steering) and it came stock with an enormous school bus steering wheel. Great for comfort and all but i eventually replaced it with a much smaller wooden Nardi wheel..maybe even a bit smaller than the FRS steering wheel. I remember the steering felt much tighter with the smaller diameter wheel and the effort required to turn the wheel was higher. This was also a relatively high caster suspension as is typical of German cars.

It does make a bit of difference even with power steering.

very little difference. The goal of this exercise it compare several stock vehicles though so the the wheel diameter will be what it is and not impact the comparison. Now if we wanted to see what changes we could make in one particular car then the wheel size would be a factor.