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Steering Systems
The manual steering system incorporates: 1. steering wheel and column, 2. a manual gearbox and pitman arm or a rack and pinion assembly, 3. linkages; steering knuckles and ball joints; and 4. the wheel spindle assemblies. In Pittman arm systems, the movement inside the steering box causes the Pitman shaft and arm to rotate, applying leverage to the relay rod, which passes the movement to the tie rods. Power steering systems add a hydraulic pump; fluid reservoir; hoses; lines; and either a power assist unit mounted on, or integral with, a power steering gear assembly. There are several different manual steering gears in current use. The "rack and pinion" type is the choice of most manufacturers. The "recirculating ball" type is a past favorite because the balls act as a rolling thread between the wormshaft and the ball nut. Another manual steering gear once popular in imported cars is the "worm and sector" type. Other manual gears are the "worm and tapered pin steering gear" and the "worm and roller steering gear." The steering wheel and column are a major source of injury to the driver, and a range of energyabsorbing and non-intrusion designs have been developed. There is great variation in these designs, some of which are now thought to be not fully effective. Energy-absorbing columns have to serve two functions. First, they must stop the steering wheel and column from being pushed to the rear as the front of the car is crushed in an impact. Before such designs were invented, a common feature of driver injury was for the chest to be impaled by the steering column. The energy-absorbing column must also provide the driver with a tolerable impact as he moves forward and strikes the wheel with his chest. At that point in the crash, the column should build up the load on the driver's chest to a tolerable level, and then deform under that load to give a "ride-down" for the driver.
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Several design problems are presented in providing this system. One major problem is that collapse of the column due to the frontal crush of the car should not hinder its performance for providing ride-down for the driver's chest. The system must also be so designed that under crash conditions, the wheel stays in such a position that it will strike the driver's chest and not move upwards into the region of his face, or downwards into his abdomen.
Steering Linkage
The steering linkage is made of interconnected parts which move every time the steering wheel is turned. The rotating movement of the steering column activates mechanisms inside the steering box. Tie rod ends, which join the key parts, pass on the steering wheel's motion no matter what the angle of the linkage or the vibration from the road. In a pitman arm steering setup, the movement inside the steering box causes the Pitman shaft and arm to rotate, applying leverage to the relay rod, which passes the movement to the tie rods. The steering arms pick up the motion from the tie rods and cause the steering knuckles to turn the wheels. The steering linkages need regular maintenance for safe operation, such as lubrication and inspection. Faulty steering links can cause tire wear at the least, and complete loss of control of the vehicle at worst. "Popping" noises (when turning the wheels) usually indicate worn out steering linkages.
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the worm gear. The assembly is mounted on anti-frictional bearings. When the roller teeth follow the worm, the rotary motion is transmitted to the pitman arm shaft, pitman arm and into the steering linkage.
Power Steering
Over the years, power steering has become a standard equipment item on many automobiles. The demand for this system has caused power steering to be installed on over 90%% of all domestic new car production. All systems require a power steering pump attached to the engine and driven by a belt, a pressure hose assembly, and a return line. Also, a control valve is incorporated somewhere in the hydraulic circuit. "Power steering" is really "power assisted steering." All systems are constructed so that the car can be steered manually when the engine is not running or if any failure occurs in the power source. Most power steering pumps contain a flow control valve, which limits fluid flow to the power cylinder to about two gallons per minute, and a relief valve which limits pressure according to system demands.
Wheel Alignment
In its most basic form, a wheel alignment consists of adjusting the angles of the wheels so that they are perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other. The purpose of these adjustments is maximum tire life and a vehicle that tracks straight and true when driving along a straight and level road. This article begins with information that any motorist should know; however, if you are interested
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in learning more about this topic, click on the underlined words for more detailed explanations of each term. We will cover various levels of detail with the deepest levels containing information that even a wheel alignment technician will find informative. If you know anything about wheel alignment, you've probably heard the terms Camber, Caster and Toe-in.
Camber
Camber is the angle of the wheel, measured in degrees, when viewed from the front of the vehicle. If the top of the wheel is leaning out from the center of the car, then the camber is positive ,if it's leaning in, then the camber is negative. If the camber is out of adjustment, it will cause tire wear on one side of the tire's tread. If the camber is too far negative, for instance, then the tire will wear on the inside of the tread.
Caster
When you turn the steering wheel, the front wheels respond by turning on a pivot attached to the suspension system. Caster is the angle of this steering pivot, measured in degrees, when viewed from the side of the vehicle. If the top of the pivot is leaning toward the rear of the car, then the caster is positive, if it is leaning toward the front, it is negative. If the caster is out of adjustment, it can cause problems in straight line tracking. If the caster is different from side to side, the vehicle will pull to the side with the less positive caster. If the caster is equal but too negative, the steering will be light and the vehicle will wander and be difficult to keep in a straight line. If the caster is equal but too positive, the steering will be heavy and the steering wheel may kick when you hit a bump. Caster has little affect on tire wear. The best way to visualize caster is to picture a shopping cart caster. The pivot of this type of caster, while not at an angle, intersects the ground ahead of the wheel contact patch. When the wheel is behind the pivot at the point where it contacts the ground, it is in positive caster. Picture yourself trying to push the cart and keep the wheel ahead of the pivot. The wheel will continually try to turn from straight ahead. That is what happens when a car has the caster set too far negative. Like camber, on many frontwheel-drive vehicles, caster is not adjustable. If the caster is out on these cars, it indicates that something is worn or bent, possibly from an accident, and must be repaired or replaced.
Toe-in
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The toe measurement is the difference in the distance between the front of the tires and the back of the tires. It is measured in fractions of an inch in the US and is usually set close to zero which means that the wheels are parallel with each other. Toe-in means that the fronts of the tires are closer to each other than the rears. Toe-out is just the opposite. An incorrect toe-in will cause rapid tire wear to both tires equally. This type of tire wear is called a saw-tooth wear pattern as shown in this illustration.
If the sharp edges of the tread sections are pointing to the center of the car, then there is too much toe-in. If they are pointed to the outside of the car then there is too much toe-out. Toe is always adjustable on the front wheels and on some cars, is also adjustable for the rear wheels.
Tires
Types of Tires No tire can handle every road condition and driving style perfectly. Positive attributes are always offset by negative factors, as the following list of tire types shows: All-Season Tires: The Jack-of-all-trades of the tire world, and, as a result, they're the most compromised. They provide only adequate traction and handling, but they have long tread life and a smooth, quiet ride. They're also relatively affordable. Touring All-Season Tires: These tires combine good handling with a civilized ride. Their performance oriented construction means that theyre somewhat noisier and harsher than regular all-season tires. They're also more expensive than regular all-season radials, but last just as long. Some manufacturers arbitrarily add "touring" to a tires name as a selling point. Performance Tires: Wider tread and lower profiles combine good looks with good grip for precise, high-speed driving. Performance tires tend to have a harsh, noisy ride, relatively poor wet traction, bad snow traction, and they wear out faster than all-season radials. Theyre also much more expensive. The price of ultra-high performance tires can cause your jaw to drop. Conventional Snow Tires: Have chunky, aggressive treads that dig down to pavement covered by snow and ice. Theyre noisy and handle poorly on dry roads. They're more expensive than all-season radials. They should last a long time, especially since they're only on the car for one season each year. Studded snow tires have tiny metal studs embedded in the tread for even better traction. (These days snow tire use is less common than in past decades. If you live in a place
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where it snows, and you drive a rear-wheel drive car, invest in a set of snow tires.) "High-Tech" Snow Tires: Have precision engineered tread patterns and state-of-the-art multi-cell compounds which lend to good ice/snow traction and stopping ability. They can be used all year, but theyre noisy and somewhat clumsy on dry pavement. They're expensive and wear out quickly. Light Truck Tires: Specifically designed for trucks and sport-utility vehicles, yet they are as diverse as passenger car tires. "Highway ribbed," on-road tires emphasize civilized ride and handling, while aggressive "off-road" or "mudder" tires have a loud, harsh ride and sloppy handling on pavement. Light truck tires are more expensive than passenger car tires due to their larger sizes, higher load ratings and heavy-duty construction. Deep treads mean that they'll last a relatively long time. There are a variety of specialty tires: Rain Tires: Have a drainage channel in the tread that directs water away from the tire's surface more efficiently than conventional drainage grooves. High Flotation Tires: Big, wide tires that people put on 4x4 trucks and sport-utilities so they can drive on the sand without sinking. These tires have poor traction in the ice and snow, so put those skinny, un-cool tires back on the truck for the winter. Directional Tires: Have a "one-way" tread pattern optimized for the direction the tires rotate on the car. Asymmetrical Tires: Combine multiple tread patterns in order to make a more well-rounded performance tire. Self-Sealing Tires: Have a flexible inner-lining that seals around an object if punctured, stopping air loss. "Twin" Tires: This setup employs two thin, "half-width" tires which are mounted on a special wheel. If one tire goes flat, the other "half" can still support the car. "Run-flat" Tires: Use special rubber compounds and reinforced sidewalls that can support the car even when deflated -- allowing limited travel. "Lifetime" Tires: Last for many years, as the name suggests. These tires wear out very slowly while delivering adequate traction.
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