STEERING

By Team ASPIRE

RACK & PINION STEERING

Arack and pinionis a type oflinear
actuatorthat comprises a pair ofgearswhich
convert rotational motion into linear motion.
The circularpinionengages teeth on the rack.
Its easier and more accurate vehicle control.
It improves handling and steering response.
Its easy to limit steering rack travel and
therefore the steering angle.
The track rod connections are on the rear of
the rack, which affects only the plan view
angle of the track rods, and hence the
Ackermann factor.

GEOMETRY- Ackermann
Steering
Geometry
To avoid the need for tyres to slip sideways
when following the path around a curve.
It enhances controllability by avoiding
large inputs from road surface variations
being applied to the end of the tie rod.
It greatly reducing the fore-andaft(parallel) travel of the steered wheels.
We have generated by moving the rack
inward so as to lie on a line drawn between
the steering kingpins and the centre of the
rear axle.

Symbols
B- wheelbase= 1450mm
L- Track Width= 1380mm
R- Turning Radius= 3.8m
R- Radius of rotation of the
centre of gravity(CG)= 3890mm
L- Distance of CG from the rear wheel=
779mm
i- Inner Steer Angle
o- Outer Steer Angle
- Slip Angle

L-

Track Length
stA- Trailing Arm Angle
C- Length of the Tie Rod
D- Length of the Trailing Arm= 13cm
H- Distance between wheel centre and rack
position= 11cm
A- Distance from central Tie Rod connection
to vertical pivot= 47cm

CALCULATIONS

Inner Steer Angle

= 25
Outer Steer Angle

= 18


Slip Angle

= 8
Ackermann Factor

= 0.9241

Trailing

Arm Angle

stA

= 37

stA

Length of the Tie Rod C

C = 38cm
Steering Ratio
Steering ratiorefers to the ratio between the turn of
thesteering wheel(in degrees) or handlebars and
the turn of the wheels (in degrees).
Our Efficycle uses a steering ratio of 13:1

MATERIALS USED
The surface of the two parts i.e. the rack
and the pinion should have least 55 HRC;
the parts are not generally post-ground
due to the existence of a balance for the
play.
Induction harden able and annealed steels
such as Cf53, 41Cr4 are suitable materials
for the steering rack.
Case-hardened steels such as 20MnCr5,
20MoCr4 are suitable for the pinion gear.

CRITICAL SPEED
It is the speed at which the steer angle required
to negotiate any turn is zero.
It also represents the speed above which an over
steered vehicle exhibits directional instability.
Cornering Stiffness(C)- Ratio of lateral load to
that of slip angle. Used to compare the cornering
behaviour of tyres.
Understeer Coefficient(Kus)- It indicates the steer
angle required to negotiate a given curve

Where,

-weight distribution the front axle

-weight distribution on the rear axle
- cornering stiffness of the front radial tyre
- cornering stiffness of the rear radial tyre
Critical Speed Vc
=
Where,
g- acceleration due to gravity