Steering System

by Aut trainer
 Main tasks of the steering
 The main tasks of steering system are
 To turn the steered wheels in the desire direction.
 To allow different steering angles of the steered
wheels during cornering.
 To amplify(increase)the torque generated manually
by an adequate (satisfaction) amount.
 Requirements for steering systems
a. It must keep the wheel at all times in to rolling motion
without action of rubbing on the road.
b. This system should associate to control the speed.
c. It must light and stable.
d. It should also absorb the road shocks.
e. It must easily be operated with less maintenance.
f. It should have self-centering action to some extent.
When the steering wheel is released, the wheels must return to
the centre position and remain stable in that position. (proper
wheel alignments: camber caster, and toe)
Types of steering
 There are 3 types of steering
 Fifth wheel steering
 Articulated body steering:
 Differential (Skid) steering:
 King-pin steering (double-pivot steering)
 Fifth wheel steering
 pivot at the center so the axle
 commonly used on towed
vehicles, such as semi-trailers
pulled by tractor-trucks.
 It permits large steered angles
and facilitates maneuvering.
 Types of steering
 Articulated body steering:
 Vehicle body is hinged at the mid-section about a vertical axis.
 The wheels are fixed on the body, The front half can be rotated
with respect to the rear half by hydraulic cylinders.
 Used in wheeled off-the-road vehicles (e.g. loaders with large
diameter tires).
Types of steering
 Differential (Skid) steering:
 This system introduces of a velocity differential across the
two sides of the vehicle.
 Differential steering is mostly used in track laying
vehicles and on some special purpose (combat) vehicles
Types of steering
 King-pin (Ackerman) steering
 Pivoting only the wheels and their stub axles around the
kingpins.
 The front axle itself remains fixed.
 With this arrangement, the axle is held
at a right angle to the vehicle frame and
cannot pivot.
Main Components of Steering
System
The following are the main components of
steering system:
1. Steering Wheel
2. Steering column or shaft
3. Steering Gear
4. Drop Arm or Pitman Arm
5. Drag Link
6. Steering Arm
7. Track-Arms
8. Track Rod or Tie-Rod
9. Adjusting Screws
 Steering wheel - Handles the steering operation. Used by the
driver to rotate a steering shaft that passethrough the steering
column.
 Steering shaft - Transfers turning motion from the steering
wheel to the steering gearbox.
 Steering column - Joins the steering wheel and the steering
gears. Supports the steering shaft.
 Steering gears - Convert the steering torque and rotational
deflection from the steering wheel, transmit them to the wheel
through the steering linkage, and make the vehicle turn.
Changes turning motion into a straight- line motion to the left or
right.
 Steering Wheel
 The steering wheel is the part that changes the direction of the
front wheel according to the driver's intention.
 Steering Column
 The steering column consists of the steering
main shaft which transmits the steering wheel
rotation to the steering gear, and the column
tube which fixes the steering main shaft to the
body. The top end of the steering main shaft is
tapered and serrated, and the steering wheel is
fitted to it by a nut. The steering main shaft on
some vehicles may also contain a number of
steering control systems: For example, steering
lock mechanism, Tilt steering mechanism,
Telescopic steering mechanism.
Steering Linkage Arrangement
Axle-Beam suspension steering system

Front View
 Steering Linkage Arrangement
 Axle-Beam suspension steering system
 Drag-link arm
 Provide the leverage to convert the linear drag-link movement to an angular
movement about the stub-axle king-pin
 Stub-axle
 Each steered road-wheel is mounted on a short axle-shaft commonly known as a
stub-axle
 Track-rod arm
 Bolted approximately right angles to the wheel axis in the horizontal plane
 Provides the leverage to rotate the stub-axle about the king-pin the rotary
movement being transferred to the other stub-axle by means of the track-rod
 Track-rod
 To enable the two stub-axles to pivot together, transfer the motion from one stub-
axle to the other
Manual Steering Gear boxes
 Functions of Steering Gear Box:
a. It converts the Rotary movement of the steering
wheel in to the angular turning of the front wheels.
b. It also multiplies drivers efforts and give mechanical
advantage.
 Requirements if it is to function efficiently:
 No play when traveling straight ahead,
 High efficiency,
 High rigidity,
 Scope for adjustment.
Steering Gear box
 Type of steering gear box
 Rack-and-pinion steering assembly
 Recirculation ball gear box
 sector and worm steering gear box and
 Nut and bolt
1. Rack-and-pinion type steering
gearbox (Manual)
 This is common manual type of steering gear box is used in
most of the vehicles. In this type of steering a pinion is
provided the bottom end of the steering column. The teeth
of the pinion wheel in mesh with corresponding teeth
provided on the rack, the ends of which are connected to
the stub axle through the rod. The rotating motion of the
pinion operates the rack. As the steering wheel is turned,
the steering pinion rotates to move the steering rack to the
right or left. The movement of the steering rack is
transmitted to the knuckle arms via the steering rack ends
and tie rod ends.
Steering Gear
Rack-and-pinion steering assembly
Principle of operation
 The transfer of motion from the pinion to the rack is
achieved by the pinion teeth along the circular pitch of the
pinion should equal the linear pitch of the rack
2. Recirculating ball type steering gear
box
 In this type of gear box the endless chain of balls are provided
between the worm and nut members. The nut forms a ring of rack
having an axial movement. So that the sector on the rocker shaft
racks, the balls roll continuously between the worm and nut. Being
provided with return chambers at the ends of the worm. This
method reduces friction between worm and nut members. This
type of steering gear is used for heavy vehicles.
Spiral grooves are cut into the worm shaft and ball nut and many
steel balls recirculate rolling in the worm shaft and ball nut spiral
grooves. The side of the ball nut has rack teeth that mesh with the
gears on the sector shaft.
 Steering Gear
 Recirculation ball rack and sector steering gear box
 This steering gear box is basically a manual screw-nut-type steering device,
which reduce the screwing friction which would be generated b/n the
engaging threads
STEERING LINKAGES
 Steering Linkage is a connection of various links
between the steering gear box and the front
wheels. The motion of the pitman arm and
steering gear box is transferred so the steering
knuckles of the front wheels through the steering
linkages. The swinging movement of the pitman
arm from one side to the other side gives angular
movement to the front wheel through the steering
linkages. A steering linkage is a combination of
the rods and arms that transmit the movement of
the steering gear to the left and right front wheels.
V
 Pitman Arm - Transfers gearbox motion to the
steering linkage.
 Center Link (Relay Rod) - Steel bar connects
the right and left side of the steering linkage.
 Idler Arm - Supports the end of the center link on
the passenger side of the vehicle.
 Tie-Rod Assemblies - Two tie-rod assemblies
are used to fasten the center link to steering
knuckles.
 Power-Steering
 The purpose of power steering is
 to reduce driver's effort at the steering wheel.
 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 efforts is
required.
Types Power-assisted Steering
 There are hydraulic type and electric type power steering.
Currently, hydraulic power steering is used on almost all
models. The three main components of hydraulic power
steering are the vane pump, control valve, and power
cylinder.
 Hydraulic Power Steering

The power steering system uses the power of the engine to

drive the vane pump that generates the hydraulic pressure.
When the steering wheel is turned, an oil circuit is switched
at the control valve. As oil pressure is applied to the power
piston in the power cylinder, the power needed to operate
the steering wheel is reduced. It is necessary to inspect for
leakage of power steering fluid periodically.
 Power-assisted Steering
 Types of power steering systems:-
 Three types of steering systems are in common use.

 Integral system:
 This is the most commonly used system. In this system the control
valve and the power piston are internal parts of the steering gear.
 Integral power rack and pinion system:
 In this system control valve and power piston are contained in the
same housing but they are connected externally by tubing.
 Non Integral System:-
 In this system externally mounted components that are attached to
the steering linkage are used. The control valve and the power
piston are connected by hoses or tubing.
Power-assisted Steering
 In all power steering systems hydraulic pressure is
provided by a pump mounted near the front of the engine.
 It is driven by a v-belt from the camshaft pulley.
 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
 Power-assisted Steering
 Components of power steering system
 The power steering system includes
 a control valve assembly and
 a power cylinder.
 In addition, the system has
 fluid reservoir,
 hydraulic pump, and
 control hoses.
 A filter
 fluid cooler.