Steering

The steering system as we all know becomes the most important part of the vehicle as it is responsible for moving the vehicle in right direction. While proper suspension can give the car a smooth ride, complete proper handling cannot be achieved without a properly designed steering system. So the steering aggregates selected must satisfy the suspension system, the engine power available which is responsible for the ground wheel rotation, the type of tire and many such features. An improper steering geometry can cause additional expenses to the user in the form of reduced tire life, increased fuel consumption and also wear of the suspension system. The steering system employed is RACK AND PINION steering system. This system is a very sturdy for the kind of terrain on which the vehicle will run and simple to design and use. The stub axle will be designed such that it can accommodate the steering arms and also the independent suspension arms. The geometry of any steering system comprise of the camber, castor, king pin inclination and wheel offset. These aggregates can be calculated by considering the suspension aggregates and also the type of road wheels and tires on it. The track rod of the steering was to be designed such that it can also change its inclinations with the change in the suspension angles. This is very important in order to avoid the contact between the suspension arms and the track rod. By applying the castor principle, the self centering action of the steering was maximized in order to ease the steering efforts after turning. Calculations:

Cot cot = (track width / wheel base) = (b/l) = inner wheel angle,= outer wheel angle Turning radius(R) = (b/2) + (l / sin (avvg. steering angle)

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

Cot 12.31 6.56 4.62 3.63 3.03 2.62 2.31 2.08 1.88

4.64 8.66 12.21 15.38 18.25 20.89 23.34 25.67 27.89

R (m) 22.4 12.03 8.54 6.79 5.74 5.04 4.54 4.16 3.87 Camber Caster Parameter Steering lock angles Value Outer : 30 deg Inner : 35 deg