Steering Components Flashcards
What is the first component of the steering system?
Steering wheel
What is the purpose of a steering wheel
Gives mechanical advantage
Used as a measuring point for free play in steering system
Drivers contact to steering
Rotary motion
What is the component that connects the steering wheel to the steering box
Steering column , rotary motion
How is the column held central to the tube?
Bearings or bushes
How is the steering column attached to the steering wheel?
Top end is splined or threaded to enable attachment of steering wheel
What does the steering box do?
Turns rotary motion into reciprocating motion
Enables a large force to be applied with minimal effort to control the direction
What connects the steering box to the drag link?
Drop arm , also known as pitman arm
Connected to a ball joint on the drag link
What does the drag link do?
Linear motion, connects the drop arm to the upper steering arm via a ball joint
What connects the drag link to the stub axle?
Upper steering arm
How can the upper steering arm be attached to the stub axle?
Bolted or forged
What is the alternative name to the lower steering arms?
Ackerman arms
What is set by the manufacturer on the lower steering arms to achieve desired characteristics?
Precise angle to achieve desired handling characteristics
What is connected to the lower steering arm?
Track rod by ball joints
What does twisting the track rod do?
Particular steering geometry can be set of adjusted
What are fitted to limit the angle turned by each stub axle?
Steering locks
What are the 2 types of steering locks?
Adjustable stop
Fixed stop
What is backlash?
The necessary movement between the teeth of engaged gears
What is reversible steering?
If you jacked up the vehicle, and physically turned the road wheel to and fro the wheel would rotate
This is because you can overcome the friction in the steering system due to low gear ratio
What is irreversible steering?
You would not be able to turn the road wheel to and fro
This is because you cannot overcome the friction in the steering system due to high gear ratio
On reversible steering systems what are the benefits?
Road shocks can be felt
Gives a driver a better feel of the road and makes him more responsive
On lighter vehicles a degree of reversibility is built in
What type of steering is on larger vehicles?
Irreversible
What are the types of steering boxes?
Worm or cam and roller
Worm and re circulating ball
Rack and pinion
Why is the worm gear hour glass shaped on a worm or cam and roller?
To ensure full engagement of the roller throughout the travel
Hwo does the worm and re-circulating ball work?
Balls recirculate as the nut travels along the thread to separate the worm gear from the nut
The moron of the ball bearing reduces friction and wear between worm gear and nut
What are the advantages of the rack and pinion?
Less moving parts
Gives driver a more direct feel
How is the pinion connected to the column?
Through universal joints
The rack is connected at each end by what?
Tie rods with ball joint
What does the adjustable pad on the rack and pinion do?
Helps reduce backlash and absorbs road shocks
What are the alternative name for ball joints?
Rod ends and track rod ends
What do adjustable steering connections do?
Adjusted to give correct steering alignment
Screwed into ends of steering linkages
What are the 2 methods of attachment?
Castellated nut and split pin
Nyloc nut
How can you tell a castellated nut and split pin?
The stud have a hole to take the split pin
The castellated nut may be replaced by what?
Nyloc nut
How many threads should protrude past the nyloc ring?
At least 2
The nyloc nut cannot be replaced by what?
Castellated nut
True/false
Never re-use a nyloc nut always replace with a new one
True
What can be used to remove ball joints?
Ball joint splitters
