Home » Autornobile engg » STEERING SYSTEM: IT’S WORKING, TYPES, PARTS, STEERING GEARS WITH DIAGRAM Last Updated on: Novembe: 021 by Saif M In this post, you'll learn about the steering system and its working, wheel alignment, types of the steering system with parts, function, diagram, and types of steering gears. Steering SystemThe car steering system or just steering systerr is the most important part in automobile vehicle steering contral, respond so well to the driver while driving. Steering control makes you feel safe while driving. The car steering system in the automobile is the process of running the vehicle in the desired direction by turning, usually the front wheels. For effective control of the vehicle throughout its speed range with safety, proper steering is necessary. The system allows a driver to use only light forces to steer a heavy car. If you'd like to know all about the car steering system. Like how it works, What are the types of the steering system, How it supports hancling, anc roac holding and driveability, then please continue reading,‘STEERING WHEEL ‘STEERING KMUCKLE STEERING ARM © GEAR BOX ‘STEERING COLURIH AME CRITRe: STEERING WHEEL LM — ‘STEERING COLUNIN Tyne KNUCKLE ‘STEERING SHAFT LAYOUT OF STEERING SYSTEM Automobiles are always equipped with front-wheel steering. A simple sketch of a car steering system is shown in the figure. The Basic of Steering SystemSteering a vehicle is pretty easy stuff rignt, but do you know how it works it seems so simple but it’s really not. Let's take a look at what your venicle's moving parts are actually doing, As you turn the steering wheel the steering shaft rotates the pinion gear. The teeth of the pinion gear anc the steering rack interlock as the pinion rotate. This rotation will push the rack when the rack moves the attached rods and steering knuckles ect as pivot points anc turn the front tyres, For example, rotating the steering wheel to the left will pusn the rack to the right pivoting the front tyres to the left. The more you turn the steering wheel the more rack is pushed and the snarper the turn will be a little confusing well don’t worry you don't have to be a mechanic to steer é vehicle but we wanted you to have a visual of exectly that is occurring wnen you How a Car Steering System Works? The steering system will convert the rotary mation of the steering wheel into the angular turn of the front wheels. * Steering wheel rotates the steering column.The steering gearbox is fitted to the end of this column. Therefore, when the wheel is rotated, the cross shaft in the gearbox oscillates. The cross shaft is connected to the drop arm. This arr is linked by means of e drag link to the steering arms. Steering arms on both wheels are connected by the tie rods to the drag link, When the steering wheel is operated the knuckle moves to and fro, moving the steering knuckle are connected to each other. One end of the crag link is connected to the tie rod. The otner end is connected to the end of the drop arm. The Purpose of a Steering System For effective control of the vehicle throughout its speed range with safety and witnout much effort to the driver on different types of road surfaces, proper steering is necessary.For proper perforrrence and useful service of the automobile, it is necessary that the moving vehicle snould be under the perfect control of the driver. Thus the control of the automobile is done by means of a steering system that provides directional changes to the moving automobile, Function of Stee! ig System The important function of the steering system is as follows: 1. With the help of the steering system, the driver can control the vehicle however he wants 2. The steering provides stability to the vehicle on the road. 3, It minimizes tyre weer and tear. 4, It prevents raac shocks from reaching to the driver. 5. The steering nravires self-rishtening effect after taking a tiirn. movement of the wheels. The wheels alignment, therefore, refers to the correct positioning of the front wheels and steering mechanism for the promotion ease of steering, reducing tyre wear to a minimum as well as providing directional stability to the vehicle.Proper aligned front wheels result in. Steering comfort. Uniform wear of tyres, Minimum energy consumption. Minimum vibrations. No wheel wobbling. Reduce the criver effort to turn the vehicle. To achieve self-centring of the wheel after turning, To achieve directional stability of the vehicle while running. Types of The Steering System in an Automobile Following are the three types of steering systems:1, Bicycle steering, 2, Turntable steering or centre pivot steering. 3, Ackarman steering or side pivot steering. 1. Bicycle Steering BICYCLE FREE WHEEL. THREADED COLLAR, FLAG (WELDED TO FREE WHEEL) vereprone= 5) a = RELEASING DEVICE OPERATION oN wa CABLES TO DISK OR CALIPER BRAKES. — LOOSING CABLES IN EMERGENCY BICYCLE STEERINGIn these types of steering systems, the rare wheel is fixed while the front wheel is steered, For a safe turning, it is essential that the two wheels must roll about a point. In this case, the perpendicular of the front wheel when produces cut the addition of the perpendicular to the rear wheel and that point is saying as the instantaneous center, 2. Turntable or Centre Pivot Steering CCENTRELINE OF VEHICLE KNUCKLE PIVOT | 1 3 ; I i ARMS i vty yy Ate 7 oe Ms \ Rearaxte \\! comes a 14% STRAIGHT AHEAD POSITION ACKERMAN STEERING LEFT TURN TURNTABLE OR CENTRE PIVOT STEERING In @ four-wheel vehicle, the front two wheels are mounted on the axle anc the axle, in turn, is fixed to a turntable having ¢ single pivot. This type of steering system is commonly usec in norse-crawn coaches and trails. This is unsuitable for automobile vehicles because it is unstable at high speecs. Moreover, a center pivat steering arrangement requires a lot of space and because for the whole axle to turn.3. Ackerman Steering or Side Pivot Steering FES UL GAG 2 BIVULEU UF GILG OILS UF Ue GAtGo) ANU 62 UIE 2WUY GAICa) WIE WHIEEIE ere mounted. The stub axles are turned by steering arms connected to the tie roc. The steering arms are not parallel but are inclined. The line produced fram tne inclinec erms will meet at the center of the rear axle line forming an angle called the “Ackerman Angle".To obtain a good alignment it is necessary to understand the following factors, 1, Camber (Wheel rake or Camber angle), Camber The angle between the centerline of the tyre and the vertical line, when viewed from the front of the venicle, is known as camber, When the wheels are tilted outwards at the top is called positive camber, and if titled inward at the is callec negative camber. An equal camber angle is provided on bath the front wheels.With the positive cember, wheels become verticle uncer load on the tyre will have full contact with the road, hence the tyre wear will be uniform, If the positive camber is excessive then tyres outer edge will rear will wear out faster. If the negative camber is excessive the tyres inner edge will wear out faster. Unequal camber on both the front wheels will result in wheels vibration at low speed. Olcer models have considerable camber, Present-day cars use improved design and materials they nave very little camber. The camber should not exceed 2°. The camber ‘on modern vehicles is adjustec by means of an eccentric cam in the control arm line. This tilt is known as ; Caster. Caster Angle: the caster angle is the angle formed by the forward or backward tilt of the steering axis from the vertical when viewec from the side of the wheel.VERTICLELINE ——} KING PIN CENTRE LINE FORWARD ——— KING PIN, WHEEL CONTACT POINT LEAD POINT. Ww CASTER ANGLE CASTER A backward tilt is known as a positive caster and a forward tilt is known as a negative caster, If the caster is not equal on both sides it will cause the vehicle to pull to the side of the wheel having a lesser caster angle. The caster angle in modern vehicles varies fram 2° to 8°. Purposes of Caster * To maintain directional stability and control. * To increase steering stability, * Reduce drives effort to turn the vehicle. King Pin Inclination CENTRE LINE OF KING PIN oN = GROUND LEVEL THIRST REARING KING PIN INCLINATION ANGLE YERTICLEENE: MEASURE IN DEGREES ~~ KING PIN INCLINATIONThe angle between the vehicle line and center of the kingpin or steering axis, when viewec from the front of the vehicle, is known as Kingpin inclination. The main functions of Kingpin inclination are as follows, * It helps in self-centring of wheels after taking a turn. * To provide directional stability. * It reduces steering effort. Toe-inFront wheels are slightly tilted inward at the front of the distance between the front wheels at the front (A) is less than the distance at its rear (B) measurec at the height of the hub level and at the center of the wheel treac. The difference in its distance is Toe-in’ (B-A), it is usually 2 to 3 mm. The purpose of the toe-in is to overcome the bac effect of camber. The toe-in is adjusted by tie-rod ends. Toe-out Whenever the vehicle is taking a turn with Ackerman steering geometry the inner wheel turn more degrees than the outer wheel so that the perpendiculars of all four wheels at @ point when produces, This point is celled the instantaneous center so that all the wheels roll very easily without scuffing. Types of steering system depending upon the leverage There are two types of steerings cepending upon the leverage proviced between the road wheel anc the steering wheel and also the number of shacks and vibrations transmitted from the road wheels to the steering wheels, namely, 1, Reversible steering. 2, Irreversible steering. Reversible Steering Reversible steering is one in which the gear ratio is 1:1, For example bicycle or scooter steering, In gear case, any angular movement of the handle causes the same angularmovement to the wheel anc the wobbling or vibrations of the wneel are faithfully transmitted to the steering handle. This arrangement is suitable for only bicycles, motorcycles, scooters, etc, Irreversible Steering Here gear reduction between anc wheels and the steering wheel is very high, Ex-In road rollers it is about 40:1. Here very high gear reduction is necessary. Because the load carried on the wheel is very high. With this type of steering, there will not be any transmission of notion due to vibration of the wheel from road wneels to steering wheels. Steering Gears If the steering wneel is connected directly to the steering linkage it would require a great effort to move the front wheels. Therefore, to assist the driver a reduction system is used. The Steering gear is a device for converting the rotary motion of the steering wheel into the straight-line motion of the linkage witn a mechanical advantage. The steering gears are enclosed in a box called the steering gearbox. Types of Steering Gears Following are the eight important steering gears: 1, Recirculating ball steering gear, 2, Rack anc pinion steering gear. 3, The Worm and sector steering gear. 4, Worm anc roller steering gear. 5, Worm and ball bearing nut steering gear. 6, Cam and roller steering gear, 7. The Cam and peg steering gear. 8, Cam and double lever steering gear. 1. Recirculating Ball Steering GearThe circulating ball gear is similar to the worm and ball bearing not steering gear, The balls are contained in half nut and a transfer tube. As the cam or worrr rotates, the balls pass from one side of the nut to the transfer tube to the opposite side. As the nut cannot turn, and rrovement of the balls along the track of the cam carries the nut allowing with it and rotates the rocker shaft.2. Rack and Pinion Steering GearIn the rack and pinion steering gear, a pinion is mounted on the end of the steering shaft. It engages with the rack which has a ball joint at each enc to allow for the rise end fall of the wheels. The roads connect the ball joints to the stub excels. The rotary movement of the steering wheel turns the pinion which moves the rack sideways. This movement of the rack is converted into wheels. 3. Worm and Sector Steering Gear In the worm and sector steering gear, the worm on the end of the steering shaft meshes with a sector mounted on a sector shaft. When the worm is rotated by rotation of the steering wheel, the sector also turns rotating a sector shaft. Its motion is transmittec to the wheel through the linkage,Note that 6the sector shaft is also known as pitman arm shaft, pitman shaft, roller shaft, steering arm shaft, cross shaft. 4. Worm and Roller Steering Gear In the worm end roller steering gear, a two-toothed roller is fastened to the sector or roller shaft so that it meshes with the threads of the worm gear or shaft at the end of the steering shaft or tube. When the worm shaft is turned is it causes the roller to move in an arc so as to rotate the raller shaft, anc at the same time turn on the pin connecting it to the shaft. The roller is mounted on @ ball bearing. The worm shaft is mounted on é bearing designec to resist both radial and end thrust, This type of steering gear is widely used in American passenger cars, 5. Worm and Ball Bearing Nut Steering Gear