STEERING SYSTEM

ROAD MAPS

1. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND STEERING

SYSTEMS
2. STEERING SYSTEM COMPONENTS
3. HYDRAULIC POWER ASSISTED STEERING
4. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING
5. STEERING SYSTEM SERVICE AND REPAIR
1. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND STEERING SYSTEMS

 The steering mechanism

converts the driver's rotational
input at the steering wheel into
a change in the steering angle
of the vehicle's steering road
wheels.
1. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND STEERING SYSTEMS

 Requirements on steering systems

 Sufficiently low steering wheel torques and a narrow steering wheel angle required
for parking
 By means of suitable directness of the steering system the vehicle must react to
minute steering corrections.
 When the steering wheel is released, the wheels must return to the straight-ahead
position and must remain stable in this position.
 Jolts from the road surface must be damped as much as possible.
 The basic design of the steering kinematics must satisfy the Ackermann conditions
1. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND STEERING SYSTEMS

 Classification of steering systems

 Right hand drive steering
 Left hand drive steering
1. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND STEERING SYSTEMS

Classification of steering systems

 Front – wheel steering
 All – wheel steering
 Rear – wheel steering
1. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND STEERING SYSTEMS

 Classification of steering systems

 Muscular-energy steering systems
 Power steering systems
 Power-assisted steering systems
1. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND STEERING SYSTEMS

Power-assisted steering
systems

Rack – and – pinion Recirculating – ball

steering steering

Pneumatic
Hydraulic power Electric power Hydraulic power
power assisted
assisted steering assisted steering assisted steering
steering

Speed –
Constant C – EPS P – EPS DP - EPS RP – EPS
dependent
volumetric flow
volumetric flow
1. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND STEERING SYSTEMS

 A steering assembly includes:

 Steering wheel and column
 Steering gear
 Steering linkages
 Power – assisted steering
mechanism
1. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND STEERING SYSTEMS

 Oversteer and understeer

 Slip angle: The angle between the path that
the wheel is actually taking and the intended
path under side forces
 Oversteer: When the rear slip angles are
greater than those at the front, the vehicle
will turn more sharply than normal
 Understeer is produced when the front slip
angles are greater than the rear and causes
the vehicle to take a path of larger radius
than intended
2. STEERING SYSTEM COMPONENTS

2.1 STEERING WHEEL

 is one of the most important interfaces between driver
and vehicle
 initiates the steering movements and responses the
driving situation to driver.
 has lots of operation controls, such as:
 Multifunction switch
 Gearbox operating switch Steering wheel heating
 Displays
2. STEERING SYSTEM COMPONENTS

2.1 STEERING WHEEL

 The basic structure, the foam body with the steering wheel rim, the horn
function and the airbag are within the basic scope of a steering wheel
2. STEERING SYSTEM COMPONENTS
2.2 STEERING COLUMN
 In order to establish the mechanical
link between steering wheel and gear.
 Other functions are:
 to accept mechanical or electric
locks for theft protection,
 to mount steering shaft switches
 to position clocksprings (airbag)
and/or rotary angle sensors,
 to integrate torsion dampers or
friction bearings to dampen
vibrations,
2. STEERING SYSTEM COMPONENTS

2.2 STEERING COLUMN

 The column consists of:
 Steering main shaft
 Steering column tube
 Intermediate shaft
 Joint
 Adjustable unit and crash elements
2. STEERING SYSTEM COMPONENTS
2.2 STEERING COLUMN
2. STEERING SYSTEM COMPONENTS
2.3 STEERING GEAR
 The steering gear:
 transforms the rotation of the steering column
into the translation of linkages and into the wheels
 provides a large force at the road wheels with a
minimum of driver effort.
 reduce major road shocks transmitted back
 The steering ratio varies from about 18:1 to 35:1
 Types of steering gear
 Rack-and-pinion
 Steering box
2. STEERING SYSTEM COMPONENTS
2.3 STEERING GEAR
 RACK-AND-PINION STEERING
 transforms the rotation of the steering
column into the translation of the rack and
again into the movement of the tyres.
 is today the most common type fitted on
the modern car
 is used with independent front suspension
 consists of a steering pinion, a rack, a gear
case and an adjuster mechanism
2. STEERING SYSTEM COMPONENTS
2.3 STEERING GEAR
 RACK-AND-PINION STEERING
 The pinion, moved by the steering wheel,
is a toothed or worm gear meshing with
the teeth in the rack
 The rack is a toothed bar contained in a
metal housing and it pulls or pushes the
tie-rods to change wheel directions
 The adjuster mechanism is in used to
correct or set rack-and-pinion lash or
preload, which affects steering harshness,
feedback and noise.
2. STEERING SYSTEM COMPONENTS
2.3 STEERING GEAR
 RECIRCULATING BALL STEERING BOX
 is generally found in larger cars
 change the rotational motion of the
steering wheel to a reciprocating motion
to move the steering linkage
 transmits steering forces via a low-friction
recirculating row of balls
 consists of a worm shaft, a ball nut, a
sector shaft, bearings, a worm shaft
adjuster and a gear box
2. STEERING SYSTEM COMPONENTS

2.3 STEERING GEAR

 OTHER TYPES OF STEERING BOXES
 Screw and nut
 Worm and sector
 Worm and roller
 Cam and peg
2. STEERING SYSTEM COMPONENTS

2.3 STEERING GEAR

 VARIABLE GEAR RATIO

Steering ratio
25
23
21
19
17
15
-20 -15 -5 5 15 20
2. STEERING SYSTEM COMPONENTS

2.4 STEERING LINKAGES

 for a light commercial vehicle
with rigid front axle
 for a car with recirculating
steering box
 for a car with rack and pinion
steering
3. HYDRAULIC POWER ASSISTED STEERING

 To overcome the problems of heavy steering

and also provide a reasonably responsive
steering ratio, many vehicles are now fitted with
power assistance to the steering system.
 The power assistance arrangement should obey
certain requirements:
 It must be ‘fail-safe’.
 The degree of assistance should be
proportional to the effort applied by the
driver, and the driver must be able to retain
the ‘feel’ of the wheels
3. HYDRAULIC POWER ASSISTED STEERING

 In addition to the normal steering components,

the hydraulic power assisted steering requires:
 A hydraulic pump serves as the energy source
and supplies oil to control valve
 A control valve provides the steering cylinder
with an oil pressure which corresponds to the
rotary motion of the steering wheel
 A steering cylinder converts the applied oil
pressure into an assisting force
3. HYDRAULIC POWER ASSISTED STEERING

 HYDRAULIC PUMP
 A vane pump, generally driven by the
engine, integrates with an oil-flow control
valve and connects an oil reservoir, hoses
and pipes
 The pump produces pressure as it rotates
and forces the fluid to the spool control
valve.
 The maximum pressure that the pump
can produce is proportional to engine
speed
3. HYDRAULIC POWER ASSISTED STEERING

 HYDRAULIC PUMP
 The flow control valve is a precision-fit
valve controlled by spring pressure and
fluid pressure.
 A pressure relief valve is located in the
flow control valve; excess pressure is
returned to the inlet side of the pump.
3. HYDRAULIC POWER ASSISTED STEERING

 HYDRAULIC PUMP
 The flow control valve is a precision-fit
valve controlled by spring pressure and
fluid pressure.
 A pressure relief valve is located in the
flow control valve; excess pressure is
returned to the inlet side of the pump.
 A control spool is used to adjust area of
the output, thus the flow volume changes
depending on engine speed
3. HYDRAULIC POWER ASSISTED STEERING
 CONTROL VALVE
 The control valve provides the steering
cylinder with an oil pressure which
corresponds to the rotary motion of the
steering wheel.
 A torsion bar translates the applied torque
precisely and without any degree of play into
as small an actuator travel as possible.
 The control edges, which are in the form of
chamfers or bevels, move as a result of the
actuator travel and thus form the
corresponding opening cross section for the
oil flow.
 Control valves are usually built according to
the "open center" principle
3. HYDRAULIC POWER ASSISTED STEERING

 CONTROL VALVE
 One of the most common control
valve is rotary – type spool valve
controlled by a torsion bar that is
interposed between the steering
shaft and the pinion
3. HYDRAULIC POWER ASSISTED STEERING

 STEERING CYLINDER
 The double-acting steering cylinder
converts the applied oil pressure into
an assisting force which acts on the
rack and which intensifies the
steering force exerted by the driver.
 The steering cylinder is normally
integrated in the steering box.
 As the steering cylinder has to be
extremely low-friction, particularly
high demands are made on the
piston and rod seals
3. HYDRAULIC POWER ASSISTED STEERING
 STEERING CYLINDER
3. HYDRAULIC POWER ASSISTED STEERING
4. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING – EPS

 HPS generate the power-assist in a  EPS generates the power-assist by

cylinder connected to the rack. means of an electric motor whose force
 A hydraulic pump supplies the is fed into the rack or steering column
cylinder with hydraulic energy. by a servo gear unit.
 It is actuated by a rotary valve  The motor is actuated by the EPS ECU.
4. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING – EPS

Advantages of EPS
 EPS is activated only when needed, energy is fed
only when the car is steered.
 A rather low average energy consumption (2 –
3%) is the result, leading to better mileage and
less CO2 emission.
 The additional functionality that meets higher
requirements for vehicle safety, ride comfort and
driver-assist
4. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING – EPS

Design of EPS Systems

 C – EPS: Column
 P – EPS: Pinion
 DP – EPS: Dual pinion
 RP – EPS: Rack parallel
4. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING – EPS

Design of EPS Systems

 C – EPS: Column
 P – EPS: Pinion
 DP – EPS: Dual pinion
 RP – EPS: Rack parallel
4. ELECTRIC
Design of
EPS systems
POWER
C – EPS PSTEERING
– EPS DP – EPS
– EPS RP – EPS

Medium or upper Dynamics sport cars,

Area of Compact and middle – Compact and middle
middle class upper middle class cars
application class vehicles – class vehicles
vehicles or high load vehicle

- Low system friction

- Compact - 10–15 % higher and high efficiency
- Being favorable with Slightly higher power - The power-assist unit
Advantages
regard to environment steering power - Being able to install can then be turned
requirements in very difficult space arbitrarily around the
rack

- Not a self – locking

- High requirements Higher requirements Higher requirements for
worm gear
Disadvantage - The package for temperature, temperature, waterproof
- Limited highest steering
s possibilities of this waterproof and and vibration
torque
system are limited vibration
- Crash response
4. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING – EPS

Electric motor
 The motor converts electric energy,
fed in by the on-board wiring, into
mechanical energy on demand.
 Three types of electric motor are
used in EPS systems:
 DC motor
 Asynchronous 3 – phase motor
 Synchronous 3 – phase motor
4.Types
ELECTRIC
of EPS
motors
POWER
DC motor with brush STEERING –
Asynchronous 3 – phase
motor
EPS
Synchronous 3 – phase motor

Areas of
Low – power steering system
application

- Robust construction,
- Being operated with DC
high operational safety
power
and high strain ability
- Very precisely and
- Low torque fluctuations
- Very easy control dynamically machine driving
Advantages and is very quiet
- Cheap - Steady output power
- Higher power density
- Higher power density and
- Must bed driven by
better efficiency than
sinoidal current
asynchronous motor

- Bad cooling of the rotor winding

and high inertia of the rotor limit
Position or revs sensor
Disadvantages - sufficiently low wear of the brush Position or revs sensor needed
needed
system and electromagnetic
tolerance
4. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING – EPS
Power – assisted gear
 The main function of the servo gear unit is
the transmission of the power - assist
torque to the rack when the electric motor
has provided it on demand.
 Worm gears are used in the C – EPS, D -
EPS and DP - EPS to transmit power
between electric motor and drive pinion.
 Ball screws transform the rotation of the
electric motor in an RP – EPS system into
a translation of the rack. Toothed belt
transfer the assist power of the electric
motor to the ball thread nut
4. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING – EPS
BASIC STEERING FUNCTIONS
 Power-assistance: to ensure that the
driver does not have to support all the
forces applying at the rack, but that the
EPS motor supports an essential part of
these forces
Rack force = isteer x torsion bar torque
+ iservo x motor torque
 At low speed, the rack forces are highest.
At such speed, the power-assistance can
be applied in such a way that comfortable
steering
4. EPS
4. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING – EPS
SWITCHES AND SENSORS EPS ECU ACTUATORS

Torque sensor Electric motor

Steering angle sensor

Motor position sensor DLC

Wheel speed sensor ABS ECU EPS indicator

CAN
Engine speed sensor ECM
4. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING – EPS

Torque sensor
 One of the most important measured variables of
EPS systems is the steering wheel torque
 It is measured at the input shaft of the steering
system.
 Based on the measured steering torque, the
required power assist is identified by the steering
functions and control the EPS motor supplies it to
the driver.
4. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING – EPS

Torque sensor
 Inductive torque sensors
 Magnetic torque sensors
 Optical torque sensor
4. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING – EPS

EPS ECU
ECUs for EPS basically
include signal-processing
electronics, to compute
the currently required
power assist, and power
electronics, to feed the
electric motor
accordingly
4. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING – EPS
BASIC STEERING FUNCTIONS
 Power-assistance: to ensure that the
driver does not have to support all the
forces applying at the rack, but that the
EPS motor supports an essential part of
these forces
Rack force = isteer x torsion bar torque
+ iservo x motor torque
 At low speed, the rack forces are highest.
At such speed, the power-assistance can
be applied in such a way that comfortable
steering
4. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING – EPS

BASIC STEERING FUNCTIONS

 Friction compensation: to reduce the effects of frictions in the steering with
regard to the above-mentioned force balance
 Inertia compensation: to reduce these negative effects of inertia on the
steering feel.
 Active damping: to reduce undesired qualities of disturbances by damping the
steering system
4. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING – EPS
EXTENDED STEERING FUNCTIONS
 Active return: to improve runback response , primarily in the low speed range
 Directional Stability Correction: to relieve the driver from actively correcting
steering wheel to prevent a drift of the vehicle down the slope
 Park Steering Assistant: is to perform the requested steering movements esp.
during reverse parking in the parallel parking, the driver’s task is focusing on
throttling and braking
 Driver Warning/Lane Departure Warning: to generate a vibration of the
steering wheel in case of unintentional departure from the lane
 Tracking/Lane Keeping System: to keep the vehicle in the lane by an active
steering control.
5. STEERING SYSTEM SERVICE AND REPAIR