For those who may not have seen this listing.....a very Merry Christmas Red 575 on BaT. (FHP, Modular Wheels, 14k miles, Red/Tan and CF Buckets). I can hear Santa laughing all the way down the chimney...Ho, Ho, Go V12! https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2002-ferrari-575m-maranello-13/
Eric- Looks like a nice one. The FHP hydraulic steering ECU does not, of course, alter the steering ratio. It only varies the hydraulic boost compared to the standard ECU for more feel.
Taz, is the standard ECU fixed gain or is the FHP a modified gain curve? Also, if the standard ECU shared with the 456Ms? Curiousity....
I have the FHP steering ECU on my 2002 456M GT, courtesy of the prior owner, and all I can say is the feel is unlike anything I have ever experienced in a vehicle. Like on rails.
Here is a graph of the 550 steering ECU curves. It includes the stock curve, the FHP curve and the MSW curve. The curve is boost vs speed, the slower you are going, the more the boost. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Eric- The 456M has its own unique hydraulic steering ECU, part number 174763, not common with the Maranellos. Unlike the 456, though, the 456M is compatible with the FHP steering ECU (or MSW's) and will increase steering feel by cutting down on hydraulic boost. As you can see from the curves, none of the ECUs are fixed gain, and all vary boost with speed. I really like the steering on my FHP 575M, and you can see boost pretty much goes away by ~30 mph. It does feel a lot like my old Daytona at speed, and you do not need to be a weight lifter to steer her at low speeds like you did the Daytona. Overall feels a lot like Dino 246 steering. The Dino only had a bit over 1000 lbs on the front tires.
Taz, Is MSW still providing their version? Tried googling but didn't find them properly. Thanks. I learn interesting stuff from you all the time!!
Eric- Dave and John (Cribbj) are still providing hydraulic steering ECUs last time I checked. They no longer provide the version that was hooked up to the Sport switch to change between standard and FHP/MSW. John can provide either a standard FHP ECU or the modified curve MSW version. I personally really like the standard FHP version, but I have been using it for 11+ years.
I have both the FHP and the MSW version. For the twisty back roads where I live, I prefer the MSW version. If I am going to be driving at higher speeds and more open roads, I will put in the FHP version. I got them from John last summer, my car came with the 'stock' steering ECU and will never be put back in the car as long as I own it.
I've communicated with cribbj (John) today concerning the availability of these for our 456M cars. He is taking a bit of a hiatus at the moment but expects to kick a thread off sometime in the spring to test the waters for interest. I know I am interested, likely in the MSW curve approach as shown above.
tt- The FHP Hydraulic Steering ECU fits 550s, 575Ms, and 456Ms, but not 456s. Swapping out what is a glorified relay takes about 30 seconds once you locate it. Steering feel is improved by lowering hydraulic boost as speed increases.
I have an MSW ECU in a box somewhere (I'm pretty sure the one that's activated by the Sport switch) from many years ago...ever since we moved I've been unable to locate it. I need to hunt for that thing and slap it in!
When I pulled the original steering ECU in my 550, it took almost 5 minutes of prying and pulling to get it out. I am not sure why, but it was really stuck in there and I didn't want to break anything. Now that I have replaced the ECU several times... it takes more time to get to the relay than it does to replace it.
I have the MSW curve ECU installed in my 550. Definitely better than the stock setting but still doesn't come close to steering feel on my BWW e38.
So the recirculating ball steering with a huge dead spot in the middle feels better than the Maranello? Granted, I still haven't driven a Maranello, but this is probably the worst part about my E39 M5.
Funny thing is the Daytona had recirculating ball steering, and it felt really good above parking speeds and very precise at high speeds. Riad- You should try the full FHP steering ECU. I really like it on mine
I don't feel a huge dead spot in the middle. Paid close attention this evening while driving back from work. Maybe a hair slow in the middle but it is dead centered, steady and responsive at cruising speeds. Off center it is a joy to handle with a very restrained amount of boost. Terry- You're probably right. I went with the MSW setting because I wanted a more gradual boost reduction in city driving (30-50 mph range). Maybe I shouldn't have overthink it and just trusted the Ferrari folks and gone with the FHP setting.
Note- Not all recirculating ball steering gear has a dead spot in the center: Daytonas and Mercedes 560 (and related) SECs are good examples of systems with excellent steering.
Oh off center I love how it feels, and think the ratio is just right. However, after driving an E9X M3 where the steering inputs feel telepathic, the E39 feels pretty numb by comparison. That said, steering that is not that sensitive could be considered a plus at high speed cruising as these Maranellos were meant to be driven. That's true, and the E39 isn't really bad, but it really could be better. I do know it'll never feel like a 458, that's for sure haha
