14.0 Steering parts
1 - steering wheel
2 - steering shaft
3 - switch on the steering column (stalk switch)
4 - steering wheel height adjustment lever
5 - suspension strut
6 - tie rod end
7 - ball bearing tip
8 - cuff of the steering mechanism
9 - power steering reservoir
10 - rack and pinion steering mechanism
11 - power steering pump
Steering consists of steering wheel, steering column, rack and pinion and tie rods (see illustration 14.0).
The steering column transmits the movement of the steering wheel to the gear rack of the steering mechanism, which moves according to the turn of the steering wheel, to the right or left.
The tie rods transmit the driving forces through the lugs and knuckles to the wheels.
The rack and pinion control is smooth and has no backlash. The steering mechanism does not require maintenance, eliminating the need to check the condition of the cuffs, as well as the dust caps of the tie rod ends.
Hydraulic Power Steering (servo control) ensures the application of a minimum of effort when turning the wheels. The hydraulic booster consists of an oil pump, a fluid reservoir and pressure lines.
The oil pump is driven by a ribbed belt. The pump draws hydraulic oil from the reservoir and drives it at high pressure to the valve stem.
The valve stem is mechanically connected to the steering column and directs the oil, depending on the direction of the steering wheel, to the corresponding part of the working cylinder in the steering gear housing. There, the oil presses on the rack piston and thereby supports the driver's effort on the steering wheel. At the same time, a piston on the other side of the slave cylinder pushes hydraulic fluid into the reservoir through the return hose.
Attention! Welding and straightening work on steering elements is prohibited. Always replace self-locking nuts and rusted bolts and nuts with new ones when carrying out repairs.
Attention! The tightening torques for the screwed connections specified in this chapter must be observed. If the car owner does not have sufficient experience in performing repair work on the car, then it is recommended to entrust them to the workshop.
The driver's airbag is installed on the steering wheel, which is a folded bag that is instantly filled with air in a frontal collision, thereby protecting the driver's torso and head from hitting the steering wheel.
With a sufficiently strong impact, the control device ignites a small explosive charge and the gases resulting from the explosion of the charge fill the pillow within a few milliseconds. This time is enough to soften the impact on the steering wheel. The air cushion then collapses within a few seconds as the gases are expelled through the outlets.