CHAPTER-FIVE

Design of Steering System

 Introduction
• The main tasks of steering system are
– To turn the steered wheels in the desired direction (Change
direction of vehicle)
– To allow different steering angles of the steered wheels during
cornering.
– To amplify the torque generated manually by an adequate amount
(Maintain correct amount of effort needed to turn the wheels)
– Provide a degree of 'feel' of the road for the driver
– Not transmit excessive shock back to the driver due to an uneven
road
– Not cause excessive tire wear
 Requirements for steering systems
• Maximum damping of impact from surface irregularities, but no loss of
contact with the road surface.
• Direct steering response to even minor steering movements, due to a very
rigid system.
• The steering systems layout must satisfy the Ackermann conditions: when
the wheels are turned, the elongations of the axes of rotation of the front
left and right wheels must intersect with an elongation of the rear axle
(correct steering principle).
• When the steering wheel is released, the wheels must return to the centre
position and remain stable in that position. (proper wheel alignments:
camber caster, and toe)
 Steering Gear Ratio
 When the steering wheel is turned, the front wheels turn on their
steering axis.
 Steering gear ratio is the ratio
between the number of degrees the
steering wheel is rotated to the
number of degrees the front wheel
turns.
 A vehicle that turns three complete
revolutions from full left to full right
is said to have three turns “lock to
lock.”
A high ratio, such as 22:1, means that the steering wheel must
be rotated 22 degrees to move the front wheels 1 degree.
This means that the steering wheel is easier to turn than a
steering wheel with a lower ratio 14:1.
The 14:1 ratio is considered to be “faster” than the 22:1 ratio.
This allows the front wheels to be turned with less movement
of the steering wheel,
 This is considered by some to be more “sporty.”

The front wheels are able to rotate through 60 to 80 degrees.

 Steering Gear System Calculation

A Steering Mechanism as Machine

 The force required to steer a vehicle is often considerably
larger than a driver can comfortably exert.
 The steering mechanism is a machine that allows a vehicle
to operate the steering without having to exert a large force
at the steering wheel.
 The rack and pinion, worm and sector steering gear
mechanisms are examples of such a machine .
Example
A rack and pinion steering system has 5 teeth of 10 mm pitch and a steering
wheel of 320 mm diameter. Calculate:
a) the movement ratio
b) the mechanical efficiency of the steering gear if a tangential force of 30N
at the rim of the steering wheel produces a force of 560N on the rack.
 Turning Radius
 Turning the Car (when turning, front wheels don’t point the same
direction)

 Inside wheel turns at a smaller radius, hence the inside wheel

turns at a steeper angle then the outside wheel.
During turn – outside wheel must travel in wider arc
 Alignment angle that controls this is called – turning radius – toe-
out on turns or the Ackerman angle
 Under steer – what is it?
This is when the car’s front wheels lose grip through a corner due to excessive
speed.
This causes the front end to push towards the outside of the corner and for the
steering to become useless.
So, Car wants to go straight (wheels not turn as desired )

Under steer – what causes it?

Occurs when the front tires start slipping.
Happens when the front tires are asked to turn while
managing a lot of speed.
If you’re going rather fast and trying to turn the wheel,
the extra momentum may cause the front tires to slip in
the direction you’re travelling so, instead of turning, the
car ploughs straight on.
 Over steer – what is it?
Is an extremely similar set of circumstances to under steer
The car back end wants to come around and turn in the direction
It is the tendency in powerful rear-wheel driven cars
of the skid

Over steer – what causes it?

Normally occurs on cars that drive the rear wheels
It happens when the car is turning and the driver applies more
power than the tires can deal with.
This makes the tires slip and try to push in the opposite
direction to the turn, kicking the back end of the car out.
The same effect can happen by braking too hard while turning.
 Fundamental equation for correct steering
Condition for Correct Rolling
 Axes of front wheels meet the
rear wheel axis when produced
at one point known as
instantaneous centre of the
vehicle.
 Inner wheel required to turn
through a greater angle than the
outer wheel.
 Larger the steering angle,
smaller is the turning circle
radius.
 Fundamentals of Correct Steering Equation
From the fig:-
Cot Ø = (y + c)/b = y/b + c/b
But, Cotθ = y/b, Therefore,
Cot Ø = Cot θ + c/b
Cot Ø - Cot θ = c/b
where, θ=angle of inside lock
Ø = angle of outside lock
a =wheel track
b = wheel base of the vehicle
c=distance b/n the pivot
centers
d=length of the track rod
y=projected distances from
instantaneous center to the inner
pivot center Fig. Correct Steering Angle
 The Ackermann principle
 To achieve true rolling for a four wheeled vehicle moving on a
curved track, the lines drawn through each of the four wheel
axes must intersect at the instantaneous center(see fig. below).
 Ackerman Geometry
 Is the basis for steering on passenger cars, trucks, and some
agricultural tractors.
 The inner and outer steering angles are the angles between the
center line of the vehicle and the tire.
 The inside steering angle will be greater angle than the outside
steering angle.
 The turning radius is the distance from the center of gravity to
the turn center.
 The turn center is determined by the intersection of lines drawn
at right angles to each tire.
 Ackerman Geometry

Basic layout for passenger cars, trucks, and agricultural tractors

δo = outer steering angle
δi = inner steering angle
R= turn radius
L= wheelbase and
a = wheel track
 Ackermann Mechanism
Analytical calculation
 If the slight inclination of track rod AB is
neglected, the movements of A and B in the
direction parallel to axle beam RS can be
considered as the same, say x.
 Let Aˈ, Bˈ represent the correct steering
position and r denote the cross arm radius.
Then
Sin (α + θ) = (y+x)/r………(1)
Sin (α - Ø) = (y-x)/r……….(2)
Adding 1&2 we get, Ackermann steering
equation.
Sin (α + θ) + Sin (α - Ø) = [(y+x)/r] + [(y-x)/r]
Ackermann steering Mechanism
Sin (α + θ) + Sin (α - Ø) = 2y/r
Sin (α + θ) + Sin (α - Ø) = 2 Sin α
 Example
1.A track has pivot pins 1.37m apart, the length of each track is 0.17m and the

rod is behind front axle and 1.17m long. Determine the wheel base which

will give true rolling for all wheels when the car is turning so that inner

wheel stub axle is 60 deg to the centre line of the car.

Given c=1.37
d=1.17 and
r=0.17
Soln

Sin α = c-d/2r
=1.37-1.17/2*0.17 = 0.59
α = 36 deg,
θ = 90-60= 30 deg
Sin (α + θ) + Sin (α - Ø) = 2y/r = 2 Sin α
 Sin (α + θ) + Sin (α - Ø) = 2y/r = 2 Sin α
Ø= 20.9 deg
Therefore; Cot Ø - Cot θ = c/b
Cot 20.9 – Cot 30 = 1.37/b
 Wheel base, b= 1.545m
 STEADY STATE CORNERING
Cornering behavior – equated with handling.
“handling” meant to imply the responsiveness of a
vehicle to driver input, or the ease of control.
handling is an overall measure of the vehicle – driver
combination.
Driver and vehicle is a “closed loop” system.
Open loop refers to vehicle response to specific
steering inputs/“directional response” behavior.
Low Speed Turning
❏ At low speed tires need not develop lateral forces
❏ Tires roll with no slip angle — center of turn must lie off
projection of rear axle
❏ Perpendiculars from front wheels pass through same turn center

❏ Ideal turning angles

 High Speed Cornering
❏ High speed cornering produces different equations wrt low
speed cornering
❏ Tires must develop significant lateral forces to counteract the
lateral acceleration
❏ Slip angles will be present at each wheel
Slip Angles
The angle between direction of
heading and direction of travel.
The Cornering Force
❏ The lateral force denoted by Fy, is
called as the “cornering force” when
the camber angle is zero.
❏ Below about 5° slip, Relationship
is linear
❏ Cα — cornering stiffness
 Cornering Equations
∑ Fy = Fyf+ Fyr= MV2/R
Fyf = cornering force at front
Fyf = cornering force at rear
M = mass of vehicle
V = forward velocity
R = turn radius

For vehicle to be in equilibrium

Fyfb – Fyr c = 0 thus, Fyf = Fyr . c/b

Substituting into equation

MV2 / R = Fyr (c/b + 1)

= Fyr (b + c)/b = Fyr L/b

Fyr = Mb/L (V2/R)