Practical 6

Subject with code: Automobile Engineering (2181915)

Name of Laboratory: I.C./Auto. Lab.

List of skills to be developed:

Students will be able to…

a) Operate four stroke 4 cylinder petrol and diesel engine, Transfer case for 4 wheel
drive, constant mesh and sliding mesh gear box.
b) Calculate fuel consumption of four stroke 4 cylinder petrol and diesel engine, speed
ratios of constant mesh and sliding mesh gear box and efficiency of gear box.
c) Draw valve timing diagram of four stroke 4 cylinder petrol and diesel engine.
d) Operate pintale type atomizer, hand brake, centrifugal clutch, internal expanding
shoe brake and shock absorber.
e) Describe Propeller shaft, differential, rear axle, Suspension and Steering System.
f) Work as a leader of a team.
g) Check the pollution emission limit of petrol and diesel engines.

Title: Study of Steering Mechanism.

i. Practical Task:

Study and prepare report on the constructional details, working principles and
operation of Steering Mechanisms.

ii. Practical significant:

The steering system allows the driver to control the direction of the automobile by
means of two major components.

1. The steering gears, which multiply the driver’s effort at the steering wheel; and
2. The steering linkage, which connects the gear box to the front wheels.

How well the system works depends on proper alignment of the front wheels for
directional control and ease of steering.

iii. Competency /skills:

Students are able to…

a) List functions of Steering system.

b) List types of Steering system.
c) Explain working and describe construction of various Steering systems.
d) Compare various Steering systems.
iv. Related Theory:

Need of steering system

1. To convert rotary movement of the steering wheel into angular motion of the front road
wheels.
2. To provide directional stability to the vehicle.
3. To minimize wear of tyres.
4. To turn vehicle at driver’s will.
5. To provide perfect rolling motion of the road wheels at all times.
6. To multiply the effort of the driver by leverage so that turning of wheels is easy.
7. To facilitate straight ahead recovery after completing a turn.
8. To absorb road shocks thus preventing them to get transmitted to the hands of the
driver.
9. To swing the wheels to the left or right.

To achieve correct steering, two types of steering mechanisms are used.

i) Davis Steering Mechanism

ii) Ackermann Steering Mechanism

The main difference between these two is that the Davis mechanism has sliding pairs,
whereas the Ackermann mechanism has only turning pairs. The sliding pair has more friction
than the turning pair and hence Davis mechanism will wear out after certain time. Therefore
Ackermann mechanism is preferred to the Davis mechanism.

ACKERMANN MECHANISM

It consists of a track rod AB connected to the links KA and LB, which are integral with
the stub axles. When the vehicle is in straight ahead position these links make equal angles
with the centre line of the car.

Ackermann Principle:

In order to achieve the instantaneous centre, the inner wheel must turn through a
greater angle than the outer. This difference in movement of the inner and outer wheels is
obtained by inclining the links KA and LB. The effect of this will be clear from fig. If the track
rod AB moves, say through x distance, measured parallel to the axle beam, link KA will move
through a greater angle than link LB. The inclination of these links is such that lines drawn
through them will intersect theoretically at the centre line of the car. This arrangement is
known as Ackermann principle or linkage and can also be applied if the track rod is placed
in front of the axle.

STEERING GEOMETRY PARAMETERS

1. Camber

“Tilt of the wheel plane from the longitudinal plane.”

 Camber angle is the angle made by the wheels of a vehicle; specifically, it is the angle
between the vertical axis of the wheels used for steering and the vertical axis of the vehicle
when viewed from the front or rear. It is used in the design of steering and suspension. If the
top of the wheel is farther out than the bottom (that is, away from the axle), it is
called positive camber; if the bottom of the wheel is farther out than the top, it is
called negative camber.

2. Castor:

“Tilt of the king pin with reference to the transverse vertical plane.”

The caster angle or castor angle is the angular displacement from the vertical axis of
the suspension of a steered wheel in a car, motorcycle, bicycle or other vehicle, measured in
the longitudinal direction. It is the angle between the pivot line (in a car an imaginary line
that runs through the centre of the upper ball joint to the centre of the lower ball joint)
and vertical. Car racers sometimes adjust caster angle to optimize their car's handling
characteristics in particular driving situations.

3. Kingpin Inclination

“King Pin inclination is the tilt of the king pin from the longitudinal vertical plane.”
 On most modern designs, the kingpin is set at an angle relative to the true vertical
line, as viewed from the front or back of the vehicle. This is the kingpin inclination or KPI
(also called steering axis inclination or SAI). SAI is non-adjustable, since it would change only
if the wheel spindle or steering knuckles are bent. This has an important effect on
the steering, making it tend to return to the straight ahead or centre position. This is because
the straight ahead position is where the wheel is at its highest point relative to the suspended
body of the vehicle - the weight of the vehicle tends to return the kingpin to this position. A
second effect of the kingpin inclination is to set the scrub radius of the steered wheel. This is
the offset between the tyre's contact point with the road surface and the projected axis of the
steering down through the kingpin. If these points coincide, the scrub radius is zero. Zero
scrub radius is possible without an inclined kingpin, but requires a deeply dished wheel so
that the kingpin is at the centreline of the wheel. It is much more practical to incline the
kingpin and use a less dished wheel, which also gives the self-cantering effect. Zero scrub
radius is not necessarily desirable - larger scrub radii lead to less steering effort (especially
on vehicles without power steering), but more force applied to the steering components by
road surface imperfections, braking, etc. Zero scrub radius isolates the steering from these
effects but can lead to a "dead" feel for the driver which is undesirable, especially on
performance vehicles.

4. Toe in or toe out

In automotive engineering, toe, also known as tracking,[1] is the symmetric angle that
each wheel makes with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, as a function of static geometry,
and kinematic and compliant effects. This can be contrasted with steer, which is the anti-
symmetric angle, i.e. both wheels point to the left or right, in parallel (roughly). Positive toe,
or toe in, is the front of the wheel pointing in towards the centerline of the vehicle. Negative
toe, or toe out, is the front of the wheel pointing away from the centerline of the
vehicle.[2] Toe can be measured in linear units, at the front of the tire, or as an angular
deflection.
In a rear wheel drive car, increased front toe in provides greater straight-line stability
at the cost of some sluggishness of turning response. The wear on the tires is marginally
increased as the tires are under slight side slip conditions. On front wheel drive cars, the
situation is more complex.
 Toe in is the amount by which the front wheels are set closer together at the front
than at the rear when the vehicle is stationary. On the other hand, the wheel may be set closer
at the rear than at the front in which case the difference of the distances between the front
wheels at the front and at the rear is called toe out.

Steering Gear box

The steering gear converts the rotary motion of the steering wheel into straight line
motion of the linkage. There are two basic types of steering gears, the pitman-arm type and
the rack and pinion type. Either type can be used in a manual steering system or a power
steering system. The pitman type has a gear box at the lower end of the steering shaft. The
rack and pinion type has a small gear (a pinion) at the lower end of the steering shaft. The
action is the same in either system. When the steering wheel and shaft are turned by the
driver, the rotary motion is changed into straight line motion. This causes the front wheels
to pivot or swing from one side to the other to steer the car.

One job of the steering gear is to provide mechanical advantage. In a machine or

manual device, this is the ratio of the output force to the input force applied to it. This means
that a relatively small applied force can produce a much greater force at the other end of the
device.

1. Worm and Wheel

2. Cam and Double Roller
3. Worm and Nut
4. Recirculation Ball type
5. Rack and Pinion

v. Resource required:

Sr. No. Name of Item Quantity

1 Chart of Steering mechanism 1

vi. Assessment scheme:

a) Attendance
b) Observation
c) viva voce
d) Identify components of Steering mechanism from chart.
vii. Assignments:

1. Discuss effects of Camber, Caster, and Kingpin inclination on performance of vehicle.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Describe construction and explain working of Davis Steering Mechanism.

Fig. Davis Steering Mechanism

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. List types of steering gears. Explain any one in detail with neat sketch.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Fig. Steering gear arrangement

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**********