ZF Servocom

Mechanical construction

The ZF Servocom, a compact-design

recirculating-ball power steering
gear, basically comprises a sturdy
cast-iron housing (1) with integrated
mechanical steering gear, control
valve and power cylinder.

A turning movement at the steering

wheel is transmitted via the output
shaft and the valve slide (3) in the
control valve to the worm (4) and,
via an endless ball chain (7), trans-
formed into an axial movement of
the piston (2). At the same time, the
sector shaft (6), which is arranged at
right angles to the longitudinal axis
of the piston, is caused to rotate by
the meshing of teeth. The drop arm
mounted on the sector shaft moves
the steering linkage which goes to
the steering arms, thus causing the
wheels to be turned.
The basic components of the
Servocom control valve are the valve
slide, with six control grooves on its
surface area, and a worm in whose
valve bore axial grooves are pro-
vided which are matched to the con-
trol grooves. Centralizing the valve
slide (neutral position) is done by a
torsion bar (5) which provides at the
same time the connection between
the valve slide and the worm. The
valve slide and the worm run in anti-
friction bearings to ensure the preci-
sion of operation and the functional
safety of the control valve even at
high pressures.
If a torque is transmitted to the
valve slide or the worm from the
steering wheel or the steered
wheels, a relative rotary motion
influenced by the torsion bar will
occur between the valve slide and
the worm. The valve slide is thereby
caused to change its position in rela-
tion to the worm valve bore sur-
rounding it, so that the relative posi-
tions of the control grooves are
changed, too. Pressurized oil can
now flow through connecting bores
to one of the two power cylinder
chambers (ZL or ZR) and assists the
axial movement of the piston. When
the steering wheel is released, the
action of the twisted torsion bar
makes the control grooves return to
the neutral position, and the same
system pressure will exist in both of
the power cylinder chambers.
Basic hydraulic function of the
Servocom control valve
The hydraulic fluid delivered by an
engine-driven steering pump (21)
flows through a connecting bore in the
housing bottom, via the feed oil radial
groove (8) and transverse bores in the
valve portion of the worm (4), onward
to the three feed oil control grooves
(9) of the valve slide (3). In the valve
neutral position (see fig. on page 5),
the oil flows, over the open feed oil
control edges (10), to all axial grooves
(11) of the worm head and from there,
over the open return oil control edges
(13), also to the return oil control
grooves (12) of the valve slide. From

Figure at top: 1 Housing 9 Feed oil control groove 17 Hydraulic steering limiter
ZF Servocom, type 8098. 2 Piston 10 Feed oil control edge 18 Pressure relief valve
3 Valve slide 11 Axial groove 19 Replenishing valve
Figure on page 5: 4 Worm 12 Return oil control groove 20 Flow limiting valve
ZF Servocom, type 8098, 5 Torsion bar 13 Return oil control edge 21 Steering pump
control valve in neutral position. 6 Sector shaft 14 Return oil chamber 22 Oil reservoir
7 Ball chain 15 Radial groove ZL Power cylinder, left
8 Feed oil radial groove 16 Radial groove ZR Power cylinder, right

4 ZF Servocom
 14

13

11 22

8 21

10 20

15 12 9 16 3

18
14 ZL 2 17 7 4 5 6 ZR 16 15
8

19

ZF Servocom 5
 14

13

11 22
8 21

10 20

15 12 9 16 3

18
14 ZL 2 17 7 4 5 6 ZR 16 15
8

19

ZF Servocom, type 8098, 1 Housing 9 Feed oil control groove 17 Hydraulic steering limiter
control valve in working position. 2 Piston 10 Feed oil control edge 18 Pressure relief valve
Steering wheel turned clockwise. 3 Valve slide 11 Axial groove 19 Replenishing valve
4 Worm 12 Return oil control groove 20 Flow limiting valve
5 Torsion bar 13 Return oil control edge 21 Steering pump
6 Sector shaft 14 Return oil chamber 22 Oil reservoir
7 Ball chain 15 Radial groove ZL Power cylinder, left
8 Feed oil radial groove 16 Radial groove ZR Power cylinder, right

6 ZF Servocom
these grooves the oil flows back, via
bores, to the return oil chamber (14)
inside the worm and from there to the
oil reservoir (22). At the same time,
the radial grooves (15 and 16) of
the control valve and their associated
connections provide for a connection
between the right-hand (ZR) and left-
hand power cylinder chambers (ZL).
When turning the steering wheel
clockwise (fig. on page 6), the piston
(2) will move to the right in the piston
bore if it is a right-hand ball thread.
Due to the simultaneous rotation of
the valve slide (3) to the right, the
pressurized oil is directed, over the
further opened feed oil control edges
(10), to the three associated axial
grooves (11), via bores to the radial
groove (16), and, via a connection, to
the left-hand cylinder chamber (ZL),
whereby the piston movement is
hydraulically assisted. An individually
adaptable pressure build-up is achieved
by the fact that the partially or fully
closed feed oil control edges (10)
restrict or prevent a connection
between the pressure oil inlet and the
other three axial grooves (11) con-
nected to the radial groove (15). At the
same time, the pressure oil outlet
toward the pressurized axial grooves is
restricted or prevented, too, by the
closing return oil control edges (13).
Mechanically adjustable (top)
and automatically adjusting steering
limiter (bottom).
Steering limiter valve opened,
oil pressure greatly reduced.
The oil displaced by the piston (2) from
the right-hand power cylinder cham-
ber (ZR) first flows through a con-
nection to the radial groove (15) and,
through transverse bores, to the asso-
ciated axial grooves and onward to the
return oil control grooves (12) over the
further opened return oil control
edges (13). From here, the further
return flow of the oil to the oil reser-
voir (21) takes places via the con-
necting bores leading to the return oil
chamber (14). When the steering
wheel is turned counterclockwise, the
operating sequence will be analogous
to the above.
Hydraulic steering limiter
To protect the steering linkage, the
wheel lock stops and the steering
pump from excessive loads at the max-
imum wheel lock angles, the ZF
Servocom has a mechanically adjust-
able or automatically on the vehicle
adjusting hydraulic steering limiter
(17). This device integrated in the
piston (2) is always closed due to the
oil pressure in the right-hand or left-
hand power cylinder chamber. It is only
just before each piston end position
that the steering limiter valve is open-
ed by the contact of the valve pin with
the adjusting screw or sleeve. Thus,
that cylinder chamber which is under
high pressure is connected with the
opposite return oil chamber. As a result
of the pressure drop, hydraulic assist-
ance is reduced heavily. The steering
wheel can only be turned up to the
road wheel lock stop by using in-
creased effort.
Further features
The ZF Servocom is fitted with a pres-
sure relief valve (18) which limits the
delivery pressure of the steering pump
at the maximum specified pressure.
Also, a replenishing valve (19) can be
fitted to the housing or the valve slide,
if required. This valve allows to suck oil
from the return flow if the vehicle
must be steered without hydraulic as-
sistance.
ZF Servocom 7