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Author: Subject: Alternative steering linkages
Jesus-Ninja

posted on 11/8/08 at 10:23 AM Reply With Quote
Alternative steering linkages

The usual method for joining the steering wheel to the rack is via rods and UJs. What other methods can be safely employed?





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tegwin

posted on 11/8/08 at 10:44 AM Reply With Quote
Replace the track rods with hydraulic rams and use hydraulic sensors on the steering wheel?





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Jesus-Ninja

posted on 11/8/08 at 10:49 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
Replace the track rods with hydraulic rams and use hydraulic sensors on the steering wheel?


I wonder how the IVA man would view that...

I'm thinking some kind of chain drive

[Edited on 11/8/08 by Jesus-Ninja]





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MikeRJ

posted on 11/8/08 at 10:50 AM Reply With Quote
Any method that can transfer sufficient torque along a non-straight path with negligible backlash.

Shafts coupled with some kind of universal joint is the only practical method that springs to mind, which is probably why pretty much every production car uses it.

You could use a purely hydraulic system, though there will be little or no steering feel and I'm not sure of the legality of this for road use in the UK at least.

A chain drive could be used as long as you don't need to transfer torque through any angles. The tensioning and lubrication requirements would make this a poor second choice to a conventional system IMO.

[Edited on 11/8/08 by MikeRJ]

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mangogrooveworkshop

posted on 11/8/08 at 11:08 AM Reply With Quote
How about using a rope like the soapbox carts....

Cheapest way is to use a steering rack..found in almost all cars....l

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nick205

posted on 11/8/08 at 11:09 AM Reply With Quote
What do you need to overcome?

i.e. why NOT use shafts and UJs?

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Jesus-Ninja

posted on 11/8/08 at 11:10 AM Reply With Quote
Hmmm.... here's my problem. The rack I'm using presents a splin at the right hand end, angled slightly outward to accomodate a RHD steering wheel.

My plan is for a centrally positioned driver. This means that when the steering column is "pointed" toward the spline on the rack, the angles will be all wrong.

Maybe a chain in the same plane as the wheel, to offset the shaft to where it was "supposed" to be.





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Fatgadget

posted on 11/8/08 at 11:26 AM Reply With Quote
Belt drive!


Locost RHD conversion.
Locost RHD conversion.

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smart51

posted on 11/8/08 at 11:37 AM Reply With Quote
get a new rack? It will be easier. It might be cheaper.
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Jesus-Ninja

posted on 11/8/08 at 11:40 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by smart51
get a new rack? It will be easier. It might be cheaper.


What would be a good rack to use, given my centrally positioned driver?





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Jesus-Ninja

posted on 11/8/08 at 11:43 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Fatgadget
Belt drive!


Locost RHD conversion.
Locost RHD conversion.



Indeed!

But that is the lines I was thinking along. Although with significantly less distance to cover! (And with a chain rather than a belt... )

I will be retaining the PAS too.





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tegwin

posted on 11/8/08 at 12:24 PM Reply With Quote
It would be far simpler, safer and easier to just get a rack made to measure...

Sorry..I forget your name, but the chap on here building the Motaleria beauty has a custom "central drive" rack...





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02GF74

posted on 11/8/08 at 12:26 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by smart51
get a new rack? It will be easier. It might be cheaper.


and it'll probably be safer too.






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iank

posted on 11/8/08 at 01:20 PM Reply With Quote
nitram38 is the MotaLeira man, but £500 for a Titan rack is a little on the expensive side (though cheaper than engineering something that then killed you)

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=74821





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loggyboy

posted on 11/8/08 at 02:11 PM Reply With Quote
a hunt around a scrapyard might reveal a suitable donor rack, just scower the small hatches.

[Edited on 11/8/08 by loggyboy]





Mistral Motorsport

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loggyboy

posted on 11/8/08 at 02:23 PM Reply With Quote
on further google image searching, old porshes have an interesting rack:

http://www.my914-6.com/images/DSCN2114.JPG





Mistral Motorsport

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zetec7

posted on 11/8/08 at 06:08 PM Reply With Quote
I was going to suggest Porsche 914 racks as well - central splined input. Possibly early 912/912 racks, although they might be harder to find.





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