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Types of Steering Wheel
You must be driving car from ages. Have you ever wondered how a car steering wheel works? When you drive a car and you turn the steering wheel, you can only make out that the car wheels turn towards the direction you want, but there are lot more things that come in between the steering wheel and the tires that one has to be aware. Steering wheel is a part of steering system that is maneuvered by the driver. Basically, there are two common types of car steering systems. They are rack-and-pinion and re-circulating-ball steering.
Rack-and-pinion steering
This is the most common type of steering on cars that is used in small trucks and SUVs. The rack-and-pinion gear set is inserted in a metal tube at each end of the rack projecting from the tube. A rod or a tie rod connects to each end of the rack. The pinion gear is always attached to the steering shaft. When the steering wheel is turned on then the gear spins and moves the rack.
However the rack-and-pinion gear set has two major things:- The gear set converts the circular motion of the steering wheel into the linear motion, which is needed to turn the wheels.
- The gear set also provides a gear reduction which makes it easier to turn the wheels.
Re-circulating-ball Steering
In this kind of steering, the connection that turns the wheels is vaguely different from that on a rack-and-pinion system. The re-circulating-ball steering gear contains a worm gear. Worm gears are normally used when large gear reductions are needed. The gear is in two parts. The first part of the gear is a block of metal with a threaded hole in it. However this block has gear teeth cut into the outside of it, which connects a gear that moves the pitman arm. The steering wheel is engaged to a threaded rod, alike to a bolt that sticks into the hole in the block. Therefore, when the steering wheel turns, it also turns the bolt. Rather than twisting more into the block the way a normal bolt would, this bolt is held fixed so that when it spins, it moves the block, which in turn moves the gear and then the wheels.
Today’s modern automobiles are enhanced with power steering that helps to drive the car easily and smoothly. These steering wheels are globally relied on a hydraulic system, even though electrical systems are steadily replacing this technology.
There are different types of Adjustable steering wheels. They are as follows:
Tilt Wheel
This type of steering wheel was developed by General Motors Saginaw Steering Gear Division and was available in several General Motors products in 1963. This was a luxury option on cars where the tilt function assists to regulate the steering wheel by moving the wheel through an arc in an up and down motion. These tilt steering wheels depends on a ratchet joint located in the steering column just below the steering wheel. However by freeing the ratchet lock, the wheel can be accustomed upward or downward while the steering column remains stationary below the joint.
Telescope Wheel
Telescope steering wheel also was developed by General Motors Saginaw Steering Gear Division. This wheel can be adjusted to an infinite number of positions in a 3-inch range. However the Tilt and Telescope steering wheel was launched as an exclusive option on Cadillac automobiles in 1965.
Adjustable Steering Column
By the name itself one can understand what it does. This steering wheel allows steering wheel height to be adjusted with only a small and helpful change in tilt. So many of these systems work with compression locks or electric motors instead of ratchet mechanisms. However later it may be capable of moving to a memorize location when a given driver uses the car, or of moving up and forward for entry or exit.
Swing-away Steering Wheel
This steering wheel was introduced on the 1961 Ford Thunderbird. It was made available on other Ford products throughout the 1960s. To make driver exit and entry easier, Swing-away steering wheel permitted the steering wheel to move nine inches to the right when the transmission selector was in Park.
