Tag: Car Parts
Demystifying Rack And Pinion Steering
by admin on Jan.06, 2009, under American Classic Cars
Demystifying Rack And Pinion Steering
For those of you who have been following my columns on cars, car parts, and the systems that make them work together, you’ll already know that I enjoy making complicated processes simple. Today, I’m going to explain rack and pinion steering. We’ll take a brief look at the parts involved, how they work, and why they’re so important. Let’s get started.
This is them most popular type of power steering used in all late model cars. Without it, your vehicle would be considerably more difficult to operate (though you might have bigger biceps). If you’ve ever driven a car with a manual steering setup, you’ll know from experience that maneuvering can be difficult. Luckily for all of us, power steering systems were created to make driving a little more pleasant.
The manner in which this setup works is mildly complicated. Car aficionados will likely already have a clear grasp of the basics. For others (that is, the average motorist), we’ll start at the beginning. In order to fully describe it, we’ll take a look at the two major components that comprise this setup: the “rack” and the “pinion”. Let’s take a closer look at each component and what purpose they serve.
The Rack
This refers to the steering rack, which is essentially a long piece of metal that is flat along at least one of its sides. On the other side is a row of teeth that are set side by side next to each other along the length of the car part.
The Pinion
No, it’s not an abbreviation for a personal point of view (that would be ‘pinion), it’s actually a round rod that also features teeth. However, the teeth run parallel to the shaft and not side by side. Held steadily in place by a collar, the shaft moves into the rack at a 90 degree angle. That causes the teeth to perfectly line up and mesh with the teeth of the rack. Since it’s directly connected to the steering column, turning the wheel to the right will cause the component to rotate clockwise (from your perspective as the driver). In other words, the rack moves to the left, causing the wheels to turn right.
One of the main reasons this setup is the most popular system is that it’s comprised of relatively few parts. Compared to less popular, more complex setups, it’s by far the simplest. In a nutshell, fewer parts translates into fewer things that can potentially fail and require service.
In some newer cars, a new type of system is beginning to gain popularity. It uses electric components instead of relying on a traditional hydraulic system. However, most of these vehicles still come equipped with a rack and pinion setup that can be called upon if the electric system fails.
Chances are, you’ve never thought about the parts that allow you to turn the wheel and maneuver your vehicle. In a future column, we’ll be exploring camshafts, mufflers, and stabilizer bars.