How does a conventional steering system (mechanical steering) in an automobile work? Please be specific, thanks!

Mechanical steering systems use the driver's physical strength as the steering energy source, in which all the force transmitting parts are mechanical, and are mainly composed of three major parts: the steering manipulator, the steering gear and the steering transmission mechanism.

Figure 23-1 shows a passenger car mechanical steering system. When the car steering, the driver on the steering wheel 1 to apply a steering torque. The torque is transmitted to the steering gear 6 through the steering shaft 3 and the flexible coupling 4, and then through the left and right cross ties 119 to the left and right steering knuckle arms 13 fixed on both sides of the steering knuckle 14. (The right side of the steering knuckle and steering knuckle arm is not drawn), so that the steering knuckle and the steering wheel supported by it deflected by a certain angle around the main axis of the pin to realize the steering.

From the steering wheel to the steering gear between a series of parts, all belong to the steering mechanism. From the steering gear to the steering knuckle this series of parts (excluding the steering knuckle), all belong to the steering transmission mechanism.

At present, the domestic and foreign production of many models in the steering manipulation mechanism in the use of universal transmission (including steering universal joints and steering shaft), as shown in Figure 23-2. As long as the appropriate change in the geometric parameters of the steering universal drive, can meet the requirements of the total layout of various variants of the car, help steering wheel and steering gear and other components of the generalization and serialization. Even in the case of the steering wheel and steering gear coaxial, between them can also be used in a universal transmission device to compensate for the components in the car due to installation errors and deformation of the installation base (cab, frame) caused by the two axes do not actually coincide.

The steering system shown in Figure 23-2 is used in conjunction with a non-independent suspension. The force and motion output from the steering gear is transmitted to the left steering knuckle 9 through the rocker arm 6, the steering tie rod 7 and the knuckle arm 8 to cause it to rotate about the main pin. A steering trapezoid is provided to deflect the right steering knuckle 13 and the right steering wheel supported by it by a corresponding angle. The steering trapezoid consists of a trapezoidal arm 10.12 fixed to the left and right steering knuckles, and a steering cross tie bar 11 connected to the trapezoidal arm by ball hinges at both ends.

Mechanical steering system structure diagram