JASC: Journal of Applied Science and Computations ISSN NO: 1076-5131

Design & Analysis of Steering System of ATV

Raj D. Pal#1, Shantanu V. Bhople#2, Abhijit V. Patil#3, Nihar V. Shedge#4,Soham M. Kemse#5,Prof. B.R.Patil#6
#
School of Mechanical and Civil Engineering , MIT Academy Of Engineering, Alandi, Pune.
1palraj275@gmail.com

2svbhople@mitaoe.ac.in

3avpatil@mitaoe.ac.in

4nvshedge@mitaoe.ac.in

5sohamkemse27@gmail.com

6brpatil@mech.mitaoe.ac.in

Abstract— The main purpose of this report is to design, and fabricate steering system with mechanical linkages as per the requirement
of the vehicle for better manoeuvrability. Different Parameters like turning radius, steering ratio, steering effort, oversteer and
understeering characteristics are inter-dependent on each + and therefore design considerations varies for different types of vehicles.
Thus, paper shows how all these parameters are selected for the off Road Vehicle. The main motive is to turn the vehicle with the
smallest turning radius with proper rolling, minimum steering effort and the excellent straight line stability. The steering system is thus
designed in a unique way by compiling all parameter with formulating mathematic model. By calculating all the parameters using
mathematical model and different iterations the values are selected that satisfy all needs . All that values are simulated in the software
lotus which creates an virtual mechanical linkages assembly which shows all predicted dynamic conditions and their results on the
vehicle. After achieving the desired results the design is modelled and simulated using Catia V5R20. All the components are analysed
for the proper material selection and safety.

Keywords— linkages, understeer, oversteer, straight line stability ,turning radius

I. INTRODUCTION

This design report elaborates the engineering and design process behind steering system for All-Terrain Vehicle. The steering
system allows the driver to guide the moving vehicle on the road and have full control over it. The driving of vehicle must not be
tedious to the driver thus it is required to have the less steering effort with quick response capability. This can be possible by
varying and iterating different parameters like castor, KPI, trackwidth, wheelbase etc. In addition the steering system also provides
the feedback from the road surface which utilizes the concept of scrub radius, pneumatic trails and mechanical trails which also
inculcate the self-centering in the tire behaviour at dynamic condition. These feedback system from the road surface guides the
driver to perfectly and accurately steer the vehicle in the required manner. After undergoing number of iteration considering all
the causes , effects and the past experience the final geometry is finalized. The designing , dimensioning and manufacturing of
the parts are done considering the serviceability, machinability, sustainability and most important interchangeability of the
component. In addition report contains effects of other system on steering characteristics and how they will help in the
development of whole system.

II. STEERING SYSTEM

Steering system is a system that helps us to guide the vehicle in a specific direction. It provides the driver freedom to turn the
vehicle accordingly as well as coordinate it. This system owes a great importance in overall automobile performance as turning a
vehicle is a important characteristics when it comes to driving. Steering system are manual , power assisted and most advanced
automatic. Steering system works on linkage system. Linkages accept the input from driver and helps in providing the output at
tires resulting in turning.

III. DESIGN PROCEDURE

1 • Selection Of Compatible Steering Geometry

2 • Fixing The Design Parameters
3 • Fabricating The Designed Components
4 • Modelling And Analysis Of Designed Components
5 • Testing And Identifying The Failures
6 • Modifying The Design And Again Reconstructing It

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JASC: Journal of Applied Science and Computations ISSN NO: 1076-5131
IV. ACKERMANN LAW
The law governing the turning motion of vehicles is called the Ackermann law, which states that while negotiating the turn the
inner wheel turns through greater angle than rear wheel. This system was invented by German carriage builder Georg
Lankensperger which was applied by the Rudolf Ackermann in 1818 for horse-drawn carriages. Ackermann introduced a law for
perfect steering and all steering system are designed considering this law.
A. Design Consideration
For the driving to be less tedious and more comfortable the design considers driver ergonomics. By certain trials with driver, we
confirmed angle of steering wheel to be 390 with horizontal plane.

Fig. 1 Angle of steering wheel and column

Regarding column position, While designing steering geometry we have done many iterations regarding angle of steering column,
one of which was using U-joint for good ergonomics, also as there was clearance considerations of brake pedal and acceleration
pedal but, later due to change in rule of pedal by regulating body SAE BAJA India, we shifted our steering geometry from using
U joint to straight column.

Fig. 2 Steering column with U-joint

Fig. 3 Straight steering column

B. Set Design Parameters

The whole steering system is simulated using lotus shark which gives all the predicted results for different vehicle parameter the
best suited parameters are selected.

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JASC: Journal of Applied Science and Computations ISSN NO: 1076-5131

Fig. 4 Simulation in the lotus shark

TABLE I

Sr.
Parameters Values
No
1. Wheelbase 1500mm

2. track width 1371.6mm

3 Inner angle 48.97 deg

4. Outer angle 27.47 deg

5. Pinion radii 15 mm

6. Tie rod length 400 mm

7. Rack length 380 mm

8 Steering wheel diameter 250 mm

9 Rack travel 70 mm

C. Steering Ratio and C-factor

The steering ratio refers to change in tire angles per degree rotation of steering wheel where C-factor refers to rack travel per unit
rotation of steering wheel. Calculating the steering ratio and C-factor using the following formulae,

1 C − Factor
= sin−1 {( )}
steering ratio steering Arm length × 360

By calculating using above formulae steering ratio is 2.69, which ultimately results in the responsive steering as the single degree
rotation of steering wheel will results in 2.69 degree tilt of wheel.

V. DESIGN OF RACK ,PINION AND SPLINE

A. Rack and Pinion Design

Notations used here are as follows-

R = radius of pinion
φ = pressure angle of gear
m = module

The gear pair is required to check in interference which is as follows:

𝑚 <= 𝑅. 𝑠𝑖𝑛(2𝜑)

𝐶 − 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 = 96.92 𝑚𝑚 = 2𝜋𝑅,

𝑅 = 15.4𝑚𝑚 = 15𝑚𝑚,

𝑃𝐶𝐷 (𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑜𝑛) = 30 𝑚𝑚

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JASC: Journal of Applied Science and Computations ISSN NO: 1076-5131
𝑚 <= 15𝑠𝑖𝑛 (2 × 20)

𝑚 <= 1.75

𝑃𝐶𝐷 = 30 = 𝑚 𝑥 𝑛𝑜. 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑡ℎ = 1.5 𝑥 𝑛𝑜. 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑡ℎ

𝑁𝑜. 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑡ℎ = 20
𝑁𝑜. 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑛 𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑘 = 21

Thus the module is selected to be 1.5 which is less than 1.75 and thus the minimum number of teeth on pinion is calculated as 20
which provide no interference for proper meshing of gear pair. The number of teeth on rack is decided to be 21 which will give
the rack travel of 50mm on either side thus for validating the design the required rack travel should not exceed the 35mm therefore
the stoppers are provided on the rack.

B. Spline analysis

𝑀𝑡 = 1/8 × 𝑃𝑚 × 𝑙 × 𝑛 × ( 𝐷𝑜 2 − 𝐷𝑖 2 )
Where,
Mt = Total Torque Transmitted
Pm = Permissible Pressure =6.5 N/Mm2
L = Length Of Spline
N = No. Of Spline

The total torque that is applied on the pinion is calculated by analysing all the lateral forces during cornering is 750N which results
the torque on pinion. The pinion is given the external splines and an internal splines are provided on the steering column thus
considering all the standard diameters and force calculated the splines are calculated as follows:

𝑀𝑡 = 750 × 15 = 1/8 × 6.5 × 20 × 𝑛 × ( 132 − 102 )

𝑛 = 10.03~12.00
𝑛 = 12.00

𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑆𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒 = (2𝜋𝑟/24) = 1.7𝑚𝑚

C. Under-steering and Oversteering gradient

It is a constant on which we can decide whether vehicle will undergo, oversteer or understeer. Both the understeer and oversteer
characteristics of the vehicle are important in dynamic behaviour of vehicle’s whole system. The understeer characteristics are
considered to be Safe as the steering system is within control but the turning radius for the understeering car is more than the
oversteering car. As our main objectives is to minimize the turning radius thus it is required to have the oversteer characteristics
in the system.
57.3 × 1.5 k × 11.11 × 11.11
δ= +
2.133 9.81×2.133
Where,
δ = Angle turned by vehicle,
L = Wheelbase,
R = Radius of Turning ,
k = Under steer gradient,
V = Velocity of the vehicle,
g = Gravitational constant
The values for the above parameters are considered as follows:-

TABLE II

Sr.no. Parameters Values

1. Gravitational constant 9.81 m/s2
2. Velocity of vehicle 11.11 m/s
3. Radius of curvature 2024 mm
4 Average turning angle 38.670
5 Wheelbase 1500 mm

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JASC: Journal of Applied Science and Computations ISSN NO: 1076-5131
Using above values we obtain , k= -0.6105. The value is negative, hence it clearly indicate that vehicle will result into oversteer
condition which leads to good turning ability.
D. Steering Effort Calculations

The parameters scrub radius, mechanical trail, kingpin inclination and castor angle influences the steering effort. The positive
castor angle increases the steering effort whereas the negative reduces the same, but the negative castor has a self-steering
characteristics which results in the phenomenon called as Hard Steering. In this vehicle’s front tires are capable of turning
automatically resulting in requirement of large effort to keep the steering wheel and tire to stabilize. The vehicle have positive
castor which is more stable than the negative castor but required the more effort. The hard steering is also influenced by the scrub
radius thus an optimized value of castor , kingpin inclination and scrub radius . The mechanical trail is also responsible for the
influencing the steering effort, more the mechanical trail more will be the effort and vice versa. Also the tire contact patch increases
and reduces with increase and decreased in the mechanical trail. Thus it required to have optimized value of mechanical trail.

TABLE III

Sr. No Parameters Value

1 Scrub radius 40.51 mm
2 Mechanical trail 3.06 mm
3 Traction force 555 N
4 Lateral force 592 N

𝐿𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = ((11.11 × 11.11)/(9.81 × 2.0240)) 𝑚/𝑠2

𝐿𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 6.222𝑚/𝑠^2
𝐿𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 = (6.286 𝑥 220)𝑁;
𝐿𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 = 1368.84 𝑁
𝐿𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑠 = (1368.84 𝑥 0.4325)𝑁
𝐿𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑠 = 592.18 𝑁

To calculate steering effort we need a net torque applied on each tire, first factor is traction force and second one is due to lateral
force.

𝑇𝑜𝑟𝑞𝑢𝑒 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 = 𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 × 𝑚𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑙

𝑇𝑜𝑟𝑞𝑢𝑒 𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙 = 592 × 3.06 = 1811 𝑁. 𝑚

Similarly, we know that

𝑇𝑜𝑟𝑞𝑢𝑒 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 = 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 × 𝑠𝑐𝑟𝑢𝑏 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠

𝑇𝑜𝑟𝑞𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = (555 × 40.51) = 22483 𝑁 − 𝑚

Now,
𝑁𝑒𝑡 𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑞𝑢𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑒 = 1811 + 22483 = 24294𝑁 − 𝑚
As we know,
𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑟𝑚 = ((𝑛𝑒𝑡 𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑞𝑢𝑒 )/(𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑟𝑚))

𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑟𝑚 = (24294/60) = 404 𝑁

We get below condition as the steering wheel is connected to pinion through straight steering column,

𝑇𝑜𝑟𝑞𝑢𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 𝑇𝑜𝑟𝑞𝑢𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙

𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑡 = (404 × 15)/150 = 40.49 𝑁

The calculated steering effort is based on static condition, thus the steering effort at dynamic condition will be definitely be less
than the static condition as tire has point contact with the road while driving which results in less effort for turning the car.

E. Modelling and Analysis of components for steering system

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JASC: Journal of Applied Science and Computations ISSN NO: 1076-5131

Fig. 5 Modelled Pinion in Catia V5r20 Fig. 6 Modelled Rack in Catia V5r20

Fig. 7 Equivalent stress on Pinion Fig. 8 Equivalent Stress on Rack

Fig. 9 Total deformation on pinion Fig. 10 Total Deformation on Rack

VI. CONCLUSIONS
The design complies with the SAE BAJA rulebook. The complete design is manufactured and successfully tested and found to
be sustainable. The designing process involves the combine knowledge of engineering studies with use of advanced engineering
applications. While designing number of iteration is being carried out to achieve the desired set of parameters. The steering system
consists of rack and pinion gear pair with single tilted column. The use of U-joint was neglected due the less space and obstruction
to master cylinder and brake pedals mounting. The Ackermann angles, Turning Radius, Camber and Toe change at dynamic
condition found to be acceptable. The turning radius of vehicle is found as desired. The validation of all set parameters are done
successfully.

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VII. REFERENCES

[1] William F. Milliken & Douglas L. Milliken, Race car vehicle dynamics, SAE International, 1995.
[2] Thomas D. Gillespie ,Fundamental of Vehicle Dynamics, SAE International,1992
[3] Kirpal Singh, Automobile Engineering , vol 1, Standard publishes-distributors-Delhi, 1982
[4] V B Bhandari, Design of Machine Elements, third edition, McGraw Hill Education, India, 2010

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