3. The Steering System is a mechanism
that allows a driver to control the
direction of a vehicle. The steering
system converts the rotation of the steering
wheel into a swivelling movement of the
road wheels, and enables the driver to
steer the vehicle with light forces.
5. One purpose of the steering mechanism is
to provide mechanical advantage. In a
machine or mechanical device, it is the ratio
of the output force to the input force applied
to it.
6. A steering wheel ratio is the number
of degrees that your steering wheel will
turn when the car turns one degree. It
is a number of degrees that the
steering wheel must be turned to pivot
the front wheels 1 degree.
7.
8. Steering ratios vary, depending on the type of
vehicle and its intended use. High steering ratio
are often called slow steering because the
steering wheel has to be turned many degrees to
produce a small steering effect. Low steering
ratios, called fast o quick steering, require much
less steering wheel movement to produce the
desired steering effect.
9. Steering Ratio is determined by 2 factors:
the Steering-Linkage Ratio and the Gear
Ratio in the steering mechanism.
The relative length of the pitman arm and
the steering arm determines the steering-
linkage ratio. The steering arm is bolted to the
steering spindle at one end and connected to
the steering linkage at the other.
10. When the effective lengths of the
pitman arm and the steering arm are
equal, the linkage has a ratio of 1:1. If
the pitman arm is shorter or longer than
the steering arm, the ratio is less than or
more than 1:1.
11. Most of the steering ratio is developed in
the steering mechanism. The ratio is due to
the angle or pitch of the teeth on the worm
gear to the angle or pitch on the sector
gear.
Steering ratio is also determined
somewhat by the effective length and
shape of the teeth on the sector gear.
12. In the rack-and-pinion steering system,
the steering ratio determined largely by the
diameter of the pinion gear. The smaller the
pinion, the higher the steering ratio.
However, there is a limit to how small the
pinion can be.
