Chapter seven

The steering system

by: lealem .T
 Purpose of the steering system

• Provides Precise control of the front-wheel

direction.

• Maintain the correct amount effort needed to

turn the wheels.

• Absorb most of the shock going to the steering

wheel as the tires meet bumps and holes in the
road.
Requirements of the steering system

1. Excellent manoeuvrability
2. Proper steering effort
3. Smooth recovery
4. Minimum transmission of shock from
road surface.
 Correct steering angle
(Ackerman steering system)

Perfect rolling(true rolling) is satisfied if the axes of the front wheels

when produced meet the rear wheel axis at one point (the instantaneous
centre of the vehicle). (avoids lateral slip
 Referring the above figure

The above Equation represents the basic condition

for the steering mechanism for perfect rolling of all
wheels.
the turning circle radii

a = wheel track
 Steering ratio

• It is the number of degrees that the steering wheel

must be turned to pivot the front wheels by one
degree.
 Example
• For example, if one complete turn of the
steering wheel, 360 degrees, causes the wheels
to turn 20 degrees, the ratio is 360/20.
 … Steering ratio (continued)

• The higher the steering ratio the easier it is to steer

the car. But the more the steering wheel has to be
turned to achieve steering i.e the steering wheel has to
be turned many degrees to produce a small steering
effect. This is called slow steering.

• The lower the steering ratio is relatively difficult to

steer but requires much less steering wheel
movement to produce the desired steering effect. This
is called fast or quick steering.
• Passenger cars usually have a steering reduction ratio
of between 10 and 20 to 1.
• On trucks, the figure is in excess of 20 to 1
Variable steering ratio for rack and pinion
uses different ratios

• Attained by changing the shape of the teeth on the rack,

between the centre and the outer edges of the rack. i.e.,
diminish in size towards the ends.
• The pitch of the rack teeth decreases towards the ends
of the rack and the pinion depth (meshing pitch) at
which the pinion teeth engage with the rack teeth
becomes greater.

• For these reasons the effective pitch diameter “ d” of

the pinion decreases as the pinion approaches either end
of the rack.
Steering ratio
 ....
• This means that for the same amount of steering wheel
rotation the rack moves a shorter distance near the ends of
the rack than near the center.
• Then, for the same amount of steering wheel rotation, the
rack moves a shorter distance near the ends of the rack
than near the centre. Effort needed to turn the wheels stays
approximately the same through the whole range of
movement.
• Consequently, in contrast to the constant ratio type in
which generally increases as the steering wheel is turned,
in the variable ratio type, the steering effort varies only
slightly so that steering is possible with little effort.
• This makes parking easier.
Main parts of a steering system
Basic Steering Systems
Two main types of steering: Steering knuckles

 Linkage or Conventional Track rods

type (also known as
Parallelogram). Drop arm Idler arm
 Rack-and-pinion type. Steering
gear/box
Centre link
Linkage type uses a worm gear
inside the steering gear/box, this
operates the drop arm, then couples Rack-and-pinion
to a centre link, idler arm, track rods
and the steering knuckles.

Rack-and-pinion type uses track Track rods

rods to couple the rack to the
steering knuckles.

Next >
 The steering Column
• The steering column connects the steering gear to
the steering wheel by means of a shaft and one
or more flexible couplings.
• Hence,
Supports the steering wheel and
Transmits the motion of the wheel to the
steering gear.
 Steering Shafts and Columns
Nearly all steering systems use a steering column or shaft to link the driver
(steering wheel) to the steering rack or gear/box.

Flexible coupling isolates steering wheel from Steering

road shocks. wheel

Universal joints allow steering shaft

angles to change. Flexible
Collapsible coupling
Most steering columns are designed section
with a collapsible section that helps Universal
prevent forces generated in a joints
collision being transferred to the Master spline
driver. location
Bottom of steering column normally has a Steering rack
master spline where it mounts onto the or gear/box
steering rack-and-pinion or steering
Next >
gear/box.
 Ball Joints
Track rod
•Ball joints are common Adjusting
Inner track lock nut
end
rod
on most steering systems
and provide a
controllable link to the
other steering Adjusting thread
Ball socket
components.
•connect the control Ball joints allow linkage
components to swivel freely.
arms to the steeringSuspension (vertical) and
knuckles steering (horizontal)
movements.

Next >
The Steering gears
 The function of the steering gear

• Converts the rotary motion of the steering wheel

into a straight line motion of the linkage.

• Minimizes the driver effort at the steering wheel

Types of the steering gear

1. Rack and pinion type

2. Recirculating ball type
3. Screw and nut and
4. Worm type
 Rack-and-pinion gear
• A rack-and-pinion gear system consists of a round
gear known as the pinion and a flat, toothed
component known as the rack. The principle is the
same; however, rather than rotations, the ratio
determines the linear distance traveled by the rack
with each rotation of the pinion.
Rack and pinion (helically toothed) steering gear. (rotational motion to

linear motion)
Rack-and-Pinion Type Steering System

Rack-and-pinion steering is more

precise and compact.

Uses less component parts.

Steering
Steering rack column

Boot
Ball joint

Steering
knuckle
Track rod

More common on modern vehicles.

Next >
 Advantages (Merits)
• Construction is compact, simple and light in weight since
the gearbox is small, and the rack itself acts as the steering
linkage, the relay rods used on the recalculating ball type
are not necessary.

• Gear meshing is direct, so steering response is very sharp.

• There is little sliding and rotational resistance, and

torque transmission is better, so steering is very light.

• The steering gear assembly is completely sealed, so it

needs no maintenance.
 Operation

• When the steering wheel and pinion shaft are

turned for steering, the pinion gear causes the
rack to move left or right in the housing.

• The movement of the rack is transmitted

through the tie roads and spindle arms to steer
the front wheels.
Recirculating ball steering gear
 Variable Steering Ratio
• This type is designed so that the pitch diameter of
the sector shaft gear teeth grow effectively smaller
toward the center i.e in the figure below C1 >C2
>C3. On the other hand, the pitch distance of the
ball nut teeth grows greater toward the center. (i,e
D1 < D2 < D3) .
• Therefore, as the steering wheel and thus the
steering worm is turned to the left or right,
the steering gear ratio becomes larger,
causing the input from the steering wheel to be
increased, so that the ratio C1/D1 becomes
greater than C3/D3.
Others may design
 Steering linkage
• Carries the motion of the steering and the steering
gear to the steering arms causing the wheel, to
pivot to one side of the other.
• Here, I have tried to discuss the common steering
linkages.
Steering linkage
 Pitman arm

• It is connected between the steering gear sector

shaft by tapered spline and the steering linkage
by a ball joint. It moves in an arc and pushes or
pulls the relay rod.
 Relay rod (center link)

• It is attached at one end to the pitman arm by

a ball and socket joint similar to a small ball
joint. The idler arm supports the opposite end.
It moves back & forth. Two holes are used to
attach for rods.
Steering Knuckle
• It is supported by upper and lower ball joints
and by the wheel. It is the part on which a front
wheel is mounted. It is turned for steering. It is
forged with spindles upon which the front hubs
are mounted.

• On cars with front wheel drive the steering

knuckles do not have spindles. The end of the
drive axle passes through a hole in the steering
knuckle.
 Idler arm
(to hold the center link at the proper height)

• It is mounted on the frame so that moves in the

same plane as the pitman arm and thus parallels
its motion. The other is end of the arm is
connected to the relay rod by ball studs.

• It merely supports the end of the relay rod and

keeps the relay rod aligned. It duplicates the
length of the pitman arm
 Tire rod ends

• They are ball and socket joints provided with

threaded stems. The threaded stems fit into the
rod adjusting gears. The tapered ball stud fits
into a matching hole in the steering arm.
 Power Steering

Purpose

• The purpose of power steering is to

reduce driver's effort at the steering wheel
 Necessity for power steering
•To improve driving comfort, most modern
automobiles have wide, low-pressure tires which
increase the tire-to-road contact area. As a result of
this more steering effort is required.
• Steering effort can be decreased by increasing the
gear ratio of the steering gear.

• However, this will cause a larger rotary motion of

the steering wheel when the vehicle is turning,
making sharp turns impossible.

• Therefore, to keep the steering agile (able to

move quickly and easily) and, at the same time
the steering effort small, power steering is
applied.
 Basic principle of operation

a. Straight ahead position

When turning
 Parts of power steering system

• Reservoir
• Hydraulic pump
• Control valve
• A pair of hoses
• Hydraulic actuator (piston and cylinder). The
actuator can be mounted separately on the
steering linkage, or it can be integral- built
internally into either style of steering gear.
 Fluid reservoir
• It is installed either directly to the pump body
or separately. If not installed to the pump body,
two hoses connect it to the pump.
 The Pump
• develops the required hydraulic pressure
• The pump found near the front of the engine, which may
be of the gear teeth, rotor, or vane type, usually is driven
by the engine by a V-belt and is functional whenever the
engine is operating.
• The pump is connected to the control valve by
means of two hoses. One hose delivers the
hydraulic fluid to the control valve. The second
hose returns the fluid to the reservoir.

• The discharge volume of the pump is

proportional to the engine rpm.

• A flow control valve regulates the amount of

fluid sent to the gear housing, with excess fluid
being returned to the suction side.
 Operation
• A rotor rotates within a cam ring secured to the
pump housing. There are grooves in the rotor and
a valve plate built into the grooves. The outer
circumference of the rotor is circular but the
inner surface of the cam ring is oval so there
exists a clearance between the rotor and cam
ring. The vane plate part ions off this clearance
to form a fluid chamber.
 Flow control valve with Pressure Relief Valve

• The flow control valve regulates the flow volume of the fluid from
the pump to the gear housing, maintaining a constant flow regardless
of the pump speed (rpm).
 … flow control valve
• The passage from the pump outlet contains a
restricting orifice. The difference in pressure drop
across the orifice increases with the increase of oil
flow. High oil pressure from the upstream side of
the orifice is directed at one end of the flow
control valve and low oil pressure from the
downstream side of the orifice is directed at the
other end of the valve
 ….flow control valve
• But when the vehicle is moving at high speed less
steering effort required. Therefore, with some power
steering system, there is less assist provided during high
speeds so that an appropriate steering effort can be
obtained.

• Hence, recent power steering pumps use a control spool

along with the flow control valve so that fluid volume is
decreased when a certain pump speed is reached. This is
known as a rpm sensing type power steering, in which a
suitable steering force is attained even during high- speed
driving.
 Relief valve

• The relief valve is located in the flow control

valve.

• When pressure exceeds the limit when turning

the steering wheel fully, the relief valve opens
as necessary to drain off the excess pressure
back to the reservoir tank.
 Idle up device

Fig. Idle-up device for carburettor engine

Fig. Idle-up device for EFI engines
Gear housing
 Rotary valve type
• The control valve (rotary valve) in the gear housing
determines to which chamber the fluid from the vane
pump goes.

• The control valve shaft (to which steering wheel torque is

applied) and the pinion gear are connected by means of a
torsion bar.

• The rotary valve and pinion gear are secured by a pin and
rotate integrally.
 Basic Operation

• When the steering wheel is turned, the control

valve shaft rotates, turning the pinion gear via the
torsion bar. In control to the pinion gear as the
torsion bar twists in proportion to road surface
force at this time the control valve shaft rotates
only to the extent of the amount of twist, and
moves to the right or left in relation to the rotary
valve.
Gear Housing
1. Neutral
 1.Neutral position

• Fluid supply by the pump returns the reservoir

tank through port “D” and chamber “D”. The
right and left chambers of the cylinder are
slightly pressurised but as there is no pressure
difference between the two, no power steering
assists occurs.
2. Turning to right
To right..
 2.Turning right
• Fluid from the pump is constricted by orifices X
and Y of the control edge in order to stop flow
ports “C” and “D”.
• As a result, fluid flows from port “B” to sleeve
“B” and then to the right cylinder chamber,
casting the rack to move to the left and resulting
in power steering assist. At the same time, the
fluid in the left cylinder chamber flows back to
the reservoir tank via sleeve “C” __ port “C” ___
port “D” ___ chamber “D”.
3. Turning to left
 3.Turning left

• When the vehicle makes a left turn, the torsion bar is

twisted and the control shaft rotates the left
accordingly. The fluid sent from the pump is
constructed by orifices X and Y of the control edge
in order to stop flow to port “B” and “D”. As a
result, fluid flows from port “C” to sleeve “C” and
then to the left cylinder chamber causing the rack to
move to the right and resulting in power steering
assist. At the same time, the fluid in the right
cylinder chamber flows back to the reservoir tank
via sleeve “B” __ port “B” ___port “D” Chamber
“D”.
Kinematic of Steering
FIGURE 7.2. A front-wheel-steering vehicle and steer angles of the inner and outer wheels