Heavy steering, Real or Imaginary? Options

[bbrock]

@Superhawk996 's doctoral thesis on brake performance in the 'brakes don't bite' thread rekindled an old question I've pondered. Several times I've seen comments, mostly on Youtube from millennials or gen Z kids, but a few here, describing the 914 steering as "heavy" due to lack of power assist. Really? Heavy? I've always thought the rack and pinion provided an almost power steering feel but with better road feedback. Even shod with 195s the car can easily be steered with one finger at slow speeds. Sure, trying to spin the wheel at a dead stop to maneuver for parking is heavier than power steering, but not that much. And certainly nothing compared to an old manual steering chevy pickup or similar. Then there were my dad's old Oldsmobiles and Fords that had so much power assist as to divorce the driver completely from the road. I hated those cars for that reason and I would agree the 914 steering is heavy in comparison. Really though, my 914's steering feels more comparable to about any post 1990 Japanese car I've owned.

It makes me wonder if these comments about heaviness are more power of suggestion than reality. Kids with little experience with vintage cars assuming anything without power assist is going to be heavy. What do you all think? Would you describe the steering as "heavy?" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)