STEERING SYSTEM

• Steering system, in automobiles,

steering wheel, gears, linkages,
and other components are used to
control the direction of a vehicle’s
motion.
• Power-steering system contains a
hydraulic booster which operates when
the engine is running and supplies most of
the necessary force when the driver turns
the wheel.

• When a vehicle turns at a rate exactly proportional to

the rate at which the steering wheel is turned, it is said
to have neutral steering; if it turns at a slower rate it is
said to understeer; if it turns faster it is said to
oversteer.
History of Steering System
According to the legend advanced by a serious publication on the history of automobile steering
systems, a man by the name of Fitts installed a power steering system on an antique car in 1876.
Robert E. Twiford, an American from Pennsylvania, patented the first all-wheel drive system on April
3, 1900, and his patent included a power steering system.

Francis W. Davis, an engineering in the Heavy Vehicles division at Pierce-Arrow, invented a concept
similar to the one used today in 1926. He offered it to GM, but they determined that it would be too
expensive to make and include in mass-market vehicles.

Interest in power steering increased during World War II, as it facilitated maneuvers for large military
vehicles.

In 1951, Chrysler released the Imperial, a vehicle equipped with power steering. The technology has
come a long way since then, and it’s now considered an essential feature.
 COMPONENTS OF STEERING SYSTEM

1. Steering wheel
2. Steering column or shaft.
3. Steering gear
4. Drop arm or pitman arm
5. Ball joints
6. Drag link
7. Steering arm
8. Stub axle
9. Left spindle and kingpin
10. Left tie rod arm
 The steering wheel is the control wheel to steer a vehicle by the driver. It
contains traffic indicator switch, light switch, wiper switch etc. It is also called a
driving wheel or a hand wheel that is a type of steering control in vehicles.

The Steering column also known as the shaft is fitted inside the hollow steering column. When the
steering wheel is turned, the steering shaft will also be rotated. Due to this, the motion is
transmitted to the steering box.
The steering column is located at the top of the steering system and attaches directly to
the steering wheel. The steering column then attaches to the intermediate shaft and universal
joints.

The pitman’s arm is splined to the steering gearbox rocker arm at one end and
the other end is connected to the drag link by a ball joint.
The steering gearbox contains the gears that transmit the driver’s steering inputs
to the steering linkage that turns the wheels, and it multiplies the
driver’s steering changes so that the front wheels move more than
the steering wheel.
When the steering wheel is turned right or left the pitman transmits the motion
it receives from the steering gearbox to the tie rod. A “drop pitman arm” is used
to correct the steering when a vehicle has a suspension lift.

The ball joints are spherical bearings that connect the control arms to the
steering knuckles. The bearing stud is tapered and threaded and fits into a
tapered hole in the steering knuckle. A protective encasing prevents dirt from
getting into the joint assembly.

The drag link converts the sweeping arc of the steering arm to linear motion in
the plane of the other steering links. “The drag link connects the pitman arm to
the steering arm, or in some applications, it connects to the tie rod assembly.
Steering arm is an arm for transmitting the turning force from the steering gear
to the drag link, especially of an automotive vehicle.
The basic function of the steering system is to allow the driver to safely and
precisely steer the vehicle. Beyond this, the steering system also provides a way
to reduce driver effort by making the act of steering the vehicle easier.

When the steering wheel is rotated, the motion is transmitted to pitman’s arm
through the gearbox. This motion is transmitted to drag link. Drag link transfers
this movement to stub axle which rotates about kingpin. This turns the right
wheel.

In automotive suspension, a steering knuckle is that part which contains the wheel hub or
spindle and attaches to the suspension and steering components. It is variously called a
steering knuckle, spindle, upright or hub, as well.
The wheel and tire assembly attach to the hub or spindle of the knuckle where the
tire/wheel rotates while being held in a stable plane of motion by the knuckle/suspension
assembly.
The right- and left-side tie rods are connected to each other by a centre link,
which is also mounted to the Pitman’s arm on the steering gear and the
idler arm on the passenger side of the vehicle.
Rack and pinion steering are currently the most predominate of the
two steering linkage systems.
CLASSIFICATIONS OF STEERING
SYSTEM
 MANUAL STEERING SYSTEM

• The manual steering, as the power steering rack, is made of a pinion, rack and axial tie
rods.
• The steering movement takes place through the impulse from the steering wheel
transmitted to the pinion, which allows the rack to slide.
• Manual steering is a system where manual force is used for the action of steering the
vehicle.
• Manual steering racks use a rack and a pinion, worm and roller and recirculation ball and
nut. 
• Their response is comparatively slow if compared to power steering, and the resistance to
wheel movement is superior. 
• Manual steering racks are preferred for low weight vehicles and their
elements include a steering wheel and column, a manual gearbox and
pitman arm or a rack and pinion assembly, linkages; steering knuckles and
ball joints, and  wheel spindle assemblies.
Advantage of manual steering
• The mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the wheel and
all the components continues to be maintained without the help of the
auxiliary power. That’s the reason why manual steering racks are still
preferred in race cars.
 POWER STEERING OR HYDRAULIC
STEERING SYSTEM

• Hydraulic power steering system is the type of power steering system in which
hydraulic system having hydraulic pump driven by the engine  and hydraulic
cylinders, is used to multiply the steering wheel input force which in turn reduces the
efforts required to steer the front wheels of the vehicle.
• A highly compressed hydraulic fluid is used inside the hydraulic cylinder that applies
pressure on the steering gear.
• Once the engine is on, the steering pump is on and the steering becomes light. This is
also rack and pinion system with a motor. Steering is super heavy when the engine is
off.
 ELECTRIC/ELECTRONIC STEERING
SYSTEM OR POWER STEERING SYSTEM

• Electronic power steering system is the latest type of

power steering system in which the hydraulic system
from the hydraulic power steering is completely
replaced with electric motors and electric sensors,
instead of using hydraulic force.
• The motor driven by the vehicle’s battery is used to
apply force on the steering gear and torque provided by
the motor is controlled by the sensors that detects the
position of the steering column.
• The steering response of this system is quick and very
effective that is why it is used in almost all the new cars today.
The difference between a manual steering racks and a power steering
racks can be explained as follow: while the power steering is a system
that helps in steering the wheels by using the power of the engine,
manual steering racks features a steering system in which manual force is
used for steering.
TYPES OF STEERING SYSTEM
 RACK AND PINION STEERING
SYSTEM

• A rack and pinion steering system consists of a pinion (a circular gear) with a rack
(a linear gear).
• The system works by converting a revolving motion into linear motion.
• Most cars, small trucks, and SUVs come equipped with a rack and pinion system,
rather than the recirculating ball steering found in larger trucks, larger SUVs, and
other heavy-duty vehicles.
 RECIRCULATING BALL STEERING
SYSTEM

• Recirculating-ball steering is used on many trucks and SUVs today. The linkage that turns
the wheels is slightly different than on a rack-and-pinion system.
• The recirculating-ball steering gear contains a worm gear. The first part is a block of
metal with a threaded hole in it. This block has gear teeth cut into the outside of it,
which engage a gear that moves the pitman arm. The steering wheel connects to a
threaded rod, similar to a bolt, that sticks into the hole in the block. When the steering
wheel turns, it turns the bolt. Instead of twisting further into the block the way a regular
bolt would, this bolt is held fixed so that when it spins, it moves the block, which moves
the gear that turns the wheels.
• Instead of the bolt directly engaging the threads in the
block, all of the threads are filled with ball bearings that
recirculate through the gear as it turns. The balls actually
serve two purposes: First, they reduce friction and wear in
the gear; second, they reduce slop in the gear. Slop would
be felt when you change the direction of the steering wheel
– without the balls in the steering gear, the teeth would
come out of contact with each other for a moment, making
the steering wheel feel loose.
• Power steering in a recirculating-ball system works similarly
to a rack-and-pinion system. Assist is provided by supplying
higher-pressure fluid to one side of the block.
 REFERENCES

https://www.encyclopedia.com/reference/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and
-maps/steering-system
https://mobile.guideautoweb.com/en/articles/40540/power-steering-a-brief-history
/
http://www.generalricambispa.com/car-spare-parts/steering/manual-steering-syste
ms-racks/
https://www.mechanicalbooster.com/2017/12/power-steering-system.html
https://www.caranddriver.com/research/a31267607/rack-and-pinion-steering/
https://auto.howstuffworks.com/steering3.htm
https://theqna.org/what-is-steering-system-components-functions/