EVO Steering DELETE, REPAIR or UPGRADE?

[Night Bomber]

I have a 1998 RCSB C1500 that I dearly love. I bought it with a blown engine. Once the new engine was installed (with blah, blah, blah, blah) it sounded like a WWII bomber and was black so it seemed appropriate to refer to it as the Night Bomber; dark and a bit noisy. Loved it so much I lowered it with a DJM (blah, blah, blah, blah). The love increased…

It is my third RCSB GMT400. Seems I am hooked also.

My Simple EVO Steering-Feel Modification

Some have chosen to disconnect their EVO plug on the back of their power steering pump for various valid reasons. I did not want to do that because it results in maximum hydraulic boost and a light steering feel at all times. I was hoping to make the steering-feel adjustable while driving instead. A potentiometer was mounted under the dash that can be turned to dial in a heavy, medium or light feel appropriate for the driving I am doing. Heavy for extended duration cruising speeds near 100 mph (160 km/h) or a light feel for in a parking lot if I choose.

Just kidding about the cruising speeds. My wife rolls her eyes at my jokes too…

I can't remember who had the idea to put that mounting strip under the steering column but I love it. Thank-you and much respect.

What you will need for this project:

- A 0-250 ohm potentiometer

- An EVO Valve Connector from a donor vehicle (optional)

- Some single conductor wire of different colors

- Black plastic “armour” to protect your new conductors and to make your installation look factory

Here is your circuit schematic:

I did not want to cut into my existing circuit for a plug to connect to the power steering output valve so I got one off of a donor truck. I left my existing EVO circuit unmodified. The original power steering pump EVO plug is supported and tied out of the way leaving me more options later. So far I have detected no digital trouble codes but if I do I will likely plug my original power steering EVO connector into a donor valve so the EVO module can see current flow through the solenoid and stays happy.

Does it work…? Yes!

The maximum LIGHT feel is a bit lighter than I would like while at speed but it is nice and light in a parking lot. The maximum HEAVY feel is a bit too much effort in a parking lot but is solid at speed. Normally, the dial is set somewhere in the heavy range and then I concentrate on the road.

It was an interesting and satisfying project with obvious and adjustable results.

 

[df2x4]

Thank you for posting this in it's own thread so people can find it easier, nice work!

 

[AK49BWL]

Nicely done!

I only have one potential improvement to mention - the two wires that run to the EVO valve are pinned in the firewall connector behind the convenience center. The diagram for C100 is here:

You must be registered for see images attach

The EVO valve uses pins B2 (White) and B3 (Brown). I probably would have tapped them there on the cab side rather than running new wires.

Great solution tho!

 

[Night Bomber]

Tapping into the conductors behind the Convenience Center that head from INSIDE the cab OUT to the EVO valve is not a bad idea.
But it does require cutting into and modifying OEM wiring instead of leaving it unmolested.
And it is a bit of extra work to remove the Convenience Center.

I had my Convenience Center out recently so I could add some donor pins in some of the empty Convenience Center pin stations for future wiring projects.
My empty Fog Lights Relay Station now is ready to hold a relay for future.
Probably could have connected the EVO Valve conductors into the existing circuit at that time but it just didn't seem right cutting into a fully-functional wiring harness.
The goal is to make drawings for any/all of my modifications and to make them easy to trace and separate from existing circuits, while at the same time not creating a rats nest.

Still... not a bad idea though. And thank-you for including that drawing! I saved it in my EVO Steering file for future reference.

 

[Eskimomann209]

Pretty damned good idea. I did the resistor pack on mine but with 35x13.5r20s it’s brutal in a parking lot.
I wanted to go 37s but figured I’d have to do the complete delete on the EVO first. I will however switch to this idea instead.

 

[Night Bomber]

https://www.gmt400.com/threads/night-bomber.52680/

 

[Night Bomber]

Finally remembered to take a picture of the Suburban roof console and the Avalanche mirror with compass & temperature while working on it.

 

[Night Bomber]

Few more photos.

 

[hector2000]

I have a 1998 RCSB C1500 that I dearly love. I bought it with a blown engine. Once the new engine was installed (with blah, blah, blah, blah) it sounded like a WWII bomber and was black so it seemed appropriate to refer to it as the Night Bomber; dark and a bit noisy. Loved it so much I lowered it with a DJM (blah, blah, blah, blah). The love increased…

It is my third RCSB GMT400. Seems I am hooked also.

My Simple EVO Steering-Feel Modification

Some have chosen to disconnect their EVO plug on the back of their power steering pump for various valid reasons. I did not want to do that because it results in maximum hydraulic boost and a light steering feel at all times. I was hoping to make the steering-feel adjustable while driving instead. A potentiometer was mounted under the dash that can be turned to dial in a heavy, medium or light feel appropriate for the driving I am doing. Heavy for extended duration cruising speeds near 100 mph (160 km/h) or a light feel for in a parking lot if I choose.

Just kidding about the cruising speeds. My wife rolls her eyes at my jokes too…

I can't remember who had the idea to put that mounting strip under the steering column but I love it. Thank-you and much respect.

What you will need for this project:

- A 0-250 ohm potentiometer

- An EVO Valve Connector from a donor vehicle (optional)

- Some single conductor wire of different colors

- Black plastic “armour” to protect your new conductors and to make your installation look factory

Here is your circuit schematic:

I did not want to cut into my existing circuit for a plug to connect to the power steering output valve so I got one off of a donor truck. I left my existing EVO circuit unmodified. The original power steering pump EVO plug is supported and tied out of the way leaving me more options later. So far I have detected no digital trouble codes but if I do I will likely plug my original power steering EVO connector into a donor valve so the EVO module can see current flow through the solenoid and stays happy.

Does it work…? Yes!

The maximum LIGHT feel is a bit lighter than I would like while at speed but it is nice and light in a parking lot. The maximum HEAVY feel is a bit too much effort in a parking lot but is solid at speed. Normally, the dial is set somewhere in the heavy range and then I concentrate on the road.

It was an interesting and satisfying project with obvious and adjustable results.

Hi man, just wondering if you still got those pictures, I cant seem to get them to load