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we-need-it?
CAMBER:-The most widely discussed and controversial of the three elements is camber.
Camber angle is the measure in degrees of the difference between the wheels vertical
alignment perpendicular to the surface. If a wheel is perfectly perpendicular to the surface,
its camber would be 0 degrees. Camber is described as negative when the top of the tires
begin to tilt inward towards the fender wells. Consequently, when the top of the tires begin
to tilt away from the vehicle it is considered positive.

Negative camber is becoming increasingly more popular because of its visual appeal. The
real advantages to negative camber are seen in the handling characteristics. An aggressive
driver will enjoy the benefits of increased grip during heavy cornering with negative camber.
During straight acceleration however, negative camber will reduce the contact surface
between the tires and road surface.

Regrettably, negative camber generates what is referred to as camber thrust. When both
tires are angled negatively they push against each other, which is fine as long as both tires
are in contact with the road surface. When one tire loses grip, the other tire no longer has
an opposing force being applied to it and as a result the vehicle is thrust towards the wheel
with no traction.

Zero camber will result in more even tire wear over time, but may rob performance during
cornering. Ultimately, optimal camber will depend upon your driving style and conditions
the vehicle is being driven in.
Refer the fig for -ve, 0 and+ve camber.
CASTER:-Caster is a bit harder to conceptualize, but it’s defined as the angle created by the
steering’s pivot point from the front to back of the vehicle. Caster is positive if the line is
angled forward, and negative if backward.

Typically, positive caster will make the vehicle more stable at high speeds, and will increase
tire lean when cornering. This can also increase steering effort as well.

Most road vehicles have what is called cross-caster. Cross castered vehicles have slightly
different caster and camber, which cause it to drift slightly to the right while rolling. This is a
safety feature so that un-manned vehicles or drivers who lose steering control will drift
toward the side of the road instead of into oncoming traffic.

TOE:-Perhaps the easiest concept to visualize is toe. Toe represents the angle derived from
pointing the tires inward or outward from a top-down view – much like looking down at
your toes and angling them inward or outward.

Correct toe is paramount to even tread wear and extended tire life. If the tires are pointed
inward or outward, they will scrub against the surface of the road and cause wear along the
edges. Sometimes however, tread life can be sacrificed for performance or stability.

Positive toe occurs when the front of both tires begins to face each other. Positive toe
permits both wheels to constantly generate force against one another, which reduces
turning ability.

However, positive tow creates straighter driving characteristics.Typically, rear wheel drive
vehicles have slightly positive tow in the rear due to rolling resistance – causing outward
drag in the suspension arms. The slight positive toe straightens out the wheels at speed,
effectively evening them out and preventing excessive tire wear.
Negative toe is often used in front wheel drive vehicles for the opposite reason. Their
suspension arms pull slightly inward, so a slight negative toe will compensate for the drag
and level out the wheels at speed.
Negative toe increases a cars cornering ability. When the vehicle begins to turn inward
towards a corner, the inner wheel will be angled more aggressively. Since its turning radius
is smaller than the outer wheel due to the angle, it will pull the car in that direction.
Refer the fig for Toe In and Toe Out

Why do we need them??

Then the answer is, For maintaining proper alignment…
Maintaining proper alignment is fundamental for preserving both your car’s safety and its
tread life. Wheel alignments ensure that all four wheels are consistent with each other and
are optimized for maximum contact with the surface of the road. The way a wheel is
oriented on your car depends on these 3 components only..

what is meant by power steering?

What is a power steering system?

In simple words, the power steering system reduces the strength required to turn the steering
wheel. A driver doesn’t have to put too much effort to turn the wheels while driving. Before the
inclusion of power steering, driving a car used to require too much arm strength while steering.
Working of a power steering mechanism
A power steering system contains a steering wheel, steering column, a universal joint, a rack and
a pinion. The steering wheel connects to the steering column, which stays attached to the pinion
and rack through a universal joint. The other end of the rack remains attached to the wheel
assembly through the tie rods.

The steering wheel is the contact point between the driver and a car. The driver applies the
twisting force on the steering wheel in order to rotate it.

But, how does power steering in cars work from the inside? A power steering mechanism works in
the following steps.

Step 1: The input given by the driver to the steering wheel rotates the steering column.

Step 2: The motion then transfers from the steering column to the pinion and rack through the
universal joint.

Step 3: The pinion and rack contain two gears and turn the car wheels in the desired direction.

Difference between power steering and manual steering

Below are the key differences between power steering and manual steering systems.

Power steering Manual steering

Power steering in cars offers assistance to

A manual steering system requires the driver to
decrease the manual strength necessary for
provide the entire force alone for steering.
steering.

Power steering doesn’t allow the wheel Manual steering is slower as compared to power
resistance to reach the steering wheel, steering due to the difference in wheel movemen
making steering quicker. resistance.

Manual steering is less effective than power

Power steering helps to absorb shocks on
steering in terms of absorbing shocks on uneven
uneven road surfaces.
surfaces.
 Vehicle drivers feel difficulty in controlling the
Vehicle drivers can easily control the steering
manual system of steering as compared to a
wheel.
power steering system.

Types of power steering

Most modern cars offer power steering as a feature. A power steering system can be of three
types, as explained below.

1. Hydraulic power steering

Hydraulic power steering was the first type of power steering system introduced in cars. The
hydraulic pump supplies pressurised fluid to the steering rack, reducing the strength required to
steer the vehicle.

Below are the key factors of how a hydraulic power steering system works.

 The hydraulic pump obtains power and direction from an engine-drive part called the
serpentine belt.

 When the driver applies force to turn the steering wheel, the hydraulic pump sends the
high-pressure fluid to the rack from the reservoir.

 The fluid is always delivered to the opposite direction of steering. For example, if the driver
is turning the car left, the fluid will reach the right-hand piston to reduce the driver’s effort.

2. Electric power steering

Today, most of the car models in the market come with an electric power steering system. It is
because of the better efficiency that electric steering offers. This type of power steering uses
electrical energy to ease the working of the steering assembly. A bi-directional magnet motor
remains permanently attached to the steering gear or the steering column.

Here are the key factors of how an electric power steering system works.

 When the driver turns the steering wheel, a sensor detects that movement and turns on the
electric motor.

 The electric motor gives assistance in the direction where the driver wants to turn the
steering wheel

What are the advantages of power steering?

Following are the benefits of power steering in cars.

 It doesn’t allow the wheels to transfer resistance to the steering column.

 It makes steering easier and less tiring for the driver.

  Power steering in cars helps to adjust the steering speed based on road conditions.

Among the three major power steering systems, the electric one is considered the most effective.
It is the reason why almost all cars nowadays come with an electric power steering system. Some
of the major benefits are mentioned below.

 The electric power steering offers enhanced accuracy than a manual or hydraulic steering
system.

 The electric motor works more efficiently than the pressurised fluid of the hydraulic
steering.

 An electric steering system comes with several driving modes, allowing the driver to
customise the steering input.

 It doesn’t require too much energy from the engine, which helps to maintain the engine’s
efficiency and life in the long run.

Rack and Pinion Steering System

The mostly used steering system is rack and pinion and mostly
80 percent of commercial vehicles are using this type. And this is
the simplest one, fewer parts and easy to design. A rack and
pinion is a type of linear actuator that comprises of a pair of
gears that convert rotational motion into linear motion. A circular
gear called “the pinion” engages teeth on a linear “gear” bar
called “the rack”; rotational motion applied to the pinion causes
the rack to move relative to the pinion, thereby translating the
rotational motion of the pinion into linear motion.

Parts of Rack and pinion steering

mechanism
Rack and pinion steering mechanism consists of-
1. Rack
2. Tubular casing
3. Pinion
4. Track rod
5. Ball and socket joint
6. Adjusting screw.
Rack
• Is a toothed bar contained in a metal housing
• The rack is similar to the parallelogram center link in that its sideways
movement in the housing is what pulls or pushes the tie-rods to change
wheel directions.
Pinion
• It is a toothed or worm gear mounted at the base of the steering column
assembly where it is moved by the steering wheel.
• The pinion gear meshes with the teeth in the rack so that the rack is
propelled sideways in response to the turning of the pinion.

Working principle of rack and pinion

steering gear:
 The rack-and-pinion steering box has a pinion, connected to the steering
column.
 This pinion runs in mesh with a rack that is connected to the steering tie
rods. Both the pinion and the rack teeth are helical gears. Helical gearing
gives smoother and quieter operation for the driver.
 Turning the steering wheel rotates the pinion, and moves the rack from
side to side. Ball joints at the end of the rack locate the tie-rods and allow
movement in the steering and suspension.
 Mechanical advantage is gained by the reduction ratio. The value of this
ratio depends on the size of the pinion.
 A small pinion gives light steering, but it requires many turns of the
steering wheel to travel from the lock, to lock.
 A large pinion means the number of turns of the steering column is
reduced, but the steering is heavier to turn.

Steering Ratio :
 Steering ratio is the main criteria while designing the steering system. It
is nothing but the ratio of the number of teeth in the rack rod to the
number of teeth in pinion gear.
 Steering ratio = no of teeth in the rack rod/no of teeth in the pinion gear
 In the normal steering system for example ambassador old model, the
driver has to turn the steering wheels 4 or 5 full turns to turn the vehicle
from full left to full right, so here the driver has to give more effect to turn
the steering wheel but the steering wheel is easy to turn only number of
turns are more. it is due to a low number of teeth in rack rod and smaller
 radius pinion gear. when we use the pinion gear with a higher or greater
radius and more no of rack teeth, the driver has no need to turn more
rotation of steering wheel, but it is hard to turn at this case.

HOW DOES POWER STEERING WORK?

The power steering system relies on several mechanical parts. Power steering systems function to
provide easier manoeuvrability and a better degree of control over the vehicle, making driving all the more
effort-free. It is sometimes referred to as the steering assist system or SAS. Without it, steering would be
physically strenuous and challenging to perform. Power steering systems can either be hydraulic, electric
or a combination of the two. Steering a vehicle involves getting its front wheels to turn synchronously,
either to the left or right. This is achieved with the help of different gear systems. The two main steering

gear systems are the rack and pinion and the recirculating ball steering gear.

The power steering system uses intermediate electric or hydraulic devices to reduce the effort necessary
to steer the front wheels of the vehicle side to side. It multiplies the force applied by the driver through the
steering wheel to achieve a smooth and quick directional change of the vehicle. Your car will respond
immediately to even the smallest of adjustments you make, and it is easier to stay in your lane when
you're driving in traffic and carrying out complicated parking maneuvers.

HOW DOES HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING WORK?

Hydraulic power steering uses fluid to intensify the force applied to turn your front wheels. The hydraulic
fluid is pressurized by a pump driven off the engine, which provides hydraulic pressure to the steering
system. When you turn the steering wheel, hydraulic pressure is applied to your steering gear, which
turns your wheels. The whole system relies on the flow of fluid. The harder you turn your wheel, the more
fluid flows to the hydraulic cylinder, so the more force is applied to your wheels.

HOW DOES ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WORK?

The electric power steering uses an electric motor that draws energy from the vehicle's electrical
system to provide steering assistance. Sensors detect the torque or effort that the driver is applying at the
steering wheel, and a computer decides how much assist needs to be added. The major benefit of
electric power steering over hydraulic power steering is that they can adapt to suit specific driving
conditions.

Avoid issues such as a power steering leak with a vehicle inspection from an auto repair shop. It's one of
the best ways to ensure your power steering system and the rest of your vehicle's vital components can
perform at their best. If you're finding it harder to turn than usual, then there's probably an issue with your
power steering. Your steering should be effortlessly responsive. Schedule an appointment or bring your
vehicle to an auto repair shop near you for power steering service.