I have been doing some reading on building an electric car and the 2009 chevy silverado hybrid. Its not to difficult to convert a small car to an electric car and get 50 miles on a charge and 70mph. One thing I did see that might be possible with the dakota is converting the power steering pump, the a/c compressor and the water pump to electric. I have read that the belt driven power steering pump does suck up some power and by making it electric you can free up hp and get better gas mileage. I have seen good gains in hp and mpg by switching to an electric fan so I wonder how much more performance and mpg's I could see by switching the power steering pump and a/c compressor to electric.
Just thought I would post this to see what the experts on this site thought about it. I read the 2009 silverado hybrid will have an electric power steering pump and thats what got me thinking about it.
I thought maybe a second battery with a solar charger orcould a bigger alternator handle 2 batteries?
What do you all think

 

This seems like an interesting idea, keep us updated

 

MPG! MPG! MPG! OH YEAH! GIGGIDY!

 

Here is a site I found with information about an electric power steering pump www.driveev.com/jeepev/convpgs/psteer.php
This guy converted a jeep cherokee to an all electric vehicle. Thats right no gas guzzling engine. It is a good site and explains how to do it. I emailed the guy for more info about the electric power steering pump so it looks like its doable but I may need to get a bigger alternator.

 

I'd rather use something like this:



This one is an electric rack&pinion from a mazda 3. My wife's mazda 6 uses one too.Something similar to thissounds easier than what he did. Just eliminate hyrdraulics altogether.

It doesn't sound like he has it all worked out yet either. Most power steering boxes these days are variable anyways. Which means it gives more pressure when needed. You'd need sensors for that pump I'd think to evaluate speed or pressure on column. I believe those are the extra wires he hasn't found time to address yet.

 

Hmmm I wonder if I could get it to work on the dakota? That does look like a better idea. My other problem would be figuring out what length belt to use since there will be one less pulley.

 

Seems interesting, I dont know much about that stuff but it would be awesome if you could make it work, I would follow if it did, lol

 

Just take a string and wrap it around the pulleys you'll use. Mark/cut when ends meet and measure. That'd get you pointed in the right direction. Then just head up to Advanced Auto.

The hardest parts would be making brakets to fit it and geting the correct rod endlengths. I've never looked under the boots to see how to disassemble. But if you couldn't then just buy new rod arms with heim joints and sleeve them together. That'd involve just sliding the right size tube over both the old and new rods and welding the each end of the tube sleeve.

 

I did read on some other site that chrysler is working on electric power steering. It didn't say when it would be on new vehicles but if they do get it out That might be easier to retrofit into my truck.