How a Steering Rack Works
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Lexus Champion
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,729
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From: Toronto, Canada
How a Steering Rack Works
I took apart my steering rack to see what’s inside and how it works!
Check out my video here:
Here are a few photos illustrating the breakdown:
The steering rack, installed in the vehicle. Its responsibility is to take the rotational motion of the steering wheel and turn it into translational motion to push and pull the front wheels, causing them to turn.
Tie rod joins at the steering knuckle.
Steering Rack assembly removed:
Inner tie rod screws into the rack beneath this bellow:
Steering gear, input shaft (left), output shaft that engages with the rack (Right)
Steering rack, with the teeth that engage the steering gear:
This is the heart of the hydraulics. Its called the rotary valve.
Inside there’s a torsion beam that causes a slight rotational difference between the input and output shafts. In the neutral position, input fluid is redirected back out the output.
In the twisted position, the slight rotational difference causes the valves internally to align with those on the collar and housing, allowing fluid to move to one side of the rack, giving it assist.
You can see a slight angular difference if you rotate it with pliers.
This is the thin torsion beam on the inside
Finally, I cut open a tie rod to find a little ball joint with plastic bearings inside:
Enjoy!
Check out my video here:
Here are a few photos illustrating the breakdown:
The steering rack, installed in the vehicle. Its responsibility is to take the rotational motion of the steering wheel and turn it into translational motion to push and pull the front wheels, causing them to turn.
Tie rod joins at the steering knuckle.
Steering Rack assembly removed:
Inner tie rod screws into the rack beneath this bellow:
Steering gear, input shaft (left), output shaft that engages with the rack (Right)
Steering rack, with the teeth that engage the steering gear:
This is the heart of the hydraulics. Its called the rotary valve.
Inside there’s a torsion beam that causes a slight rotational difference between the input and output shafts. In the neutral position, input fluid is redirected back out the output.
In the twisted position, the slight rotational difference causes the valves internally to align with those on the collar and housing, allowing fluid to move to one side of the rack, giving it assist.
You can see a slight angular difference if you rotate it with pliers.
This is the thin torsion beam on the inside
Finally, I cut open a tie rod to find a little ball joint with plastic bearings inside:
Enjoy!
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manalive20
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Apr 10, 2007 10:09 AM
