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Decreasing maximum steering angle

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Old 08-07-06, 07:26 PM
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Decreasing maximum steering angle

Right now, at full lock to either side, the steering linkage (lowered rack and rod ends) is hitting the wheel. While this isn't a problem normally (just don't put full lock in), I've spun a few times in a few autocrosses and it's smacked into the wheels pretty hard, removing a bit of material each time. So I'm wondering, is there any way to decrease the maximum steering angle, sort of a bump stop only for steering? More of a...toe stop?
Old 08-07-06, 09:48 PM
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Do you have stock wheels? Proper offset wheels won't have this problem.
Old 08-08-06, 12:07 AM
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Stock wheels, yes. Stock steering setup, no.

At full lock, the wheels would clear the rack in the stock position, but as it's lowered the wheel is hitting the tie rod end.
Old 08-08-06, 08:59 AM
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then it's lowered too far.

What's your steering setup.

and FYI, there isn't really any way to reduce steering angle. My summer internship is with ACH (cooperation between Ford and Visteon to keep both companies afloat while they sell off a bunch of facilities) working with Rack and Pinion gears. From talking with the engineers that are in my cube about this sort of thing, they said that there are two ways to increase or decrease the steering rack throw:

1) keep the gear pitch the same and change the number of teeth
2) change the pitch of the teeth so you have the same number of teeth, but a quicker/slower rack that will not move the tie rods as far/move them farther

machining more teeth into the rack, like SCC said the Apexi team did with their D1 FD in their recent "Bastard" article, is a VERY BAD idea. There is NO WAY that this gear will hold up to major abuse. Examples that i've been given for gear failures is that the gear (rack) would snap at the base of the outermost tooth. In this particular case, the only way that they could fix it is to deep heat treat the teeth. Normally they harden just the wear surfaces of the teeth of a gear to between Rockwell 55 and Rockwell 60 hardness. In the case where the gear snapped at the base of the outermost tooth, they had to harden the gear all the way down through the trough of the teeth.

If you want to reduce the steering throw on a rack on your car, the only cost effective way is to fill in the end teeth on the rack with welding filler. Another bad idea, because you'll ruin the hardening and run the risk of snapping the rack and you'll more than likely warp the rack.


Post more information and people will be able to give you more help.
Old 08-08-06, 12:31 PM
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Steering setup:

OEM FD rack, converted to manual by maval mfg. Steering rack is lowered by the HSC subframe and the rod ends are the HSC bump steer correction units.
Old 08-08-06, 02:03 PM
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-hijack-

I used to work at Visteon Monroe Plant (now ACH). When they announced the whole Visteon/Ford/ACH thing there was a mass exodus of engineers that left the company, myself included.

-end hijack-

Originally Posted by whitey85mtu
then it's lowered too far.

What's your steering setup.

and FYI, there isn't really any way to reduce steering angle. My summer internship is with ACH (cooperation between Ford and Visteon to keep both companies afloat while they sell off a bunch of facilities) working with Rack and Pinion gears. From talking with the engineers that are in my cube about this sort of thing, they said that there are two ways to increase or decrease the steering rack throw:

1) keep the gear pitch the same and change the number of teeth
2) change the pitch of the teeth so you have the same number of teeth, but a quicker/slower rack that will not move the tie rods as far/move them farther

machining more teeth into the rack, like SCC said the Apexi team did with their D1 FD in their recent "Bastard" article, is a VERY BAD idea. There is NO WAY that this gear will hold up to major abuse. Examples that i've been given for gear failures is that the gear (rack) would snap at the base of the outermost tooth. In this particular case, the only way that they could fix it is to deep heat treat the teeth. Normally they harden just the wear surfaces of the teeth of a gear to between Rockwell 55 and Rockwell 60 hardness. In the case where the gear snapped at the base of the outermost tooth, they had to harden the gear all the way down through the trough of the teeth.

If you want to reduce the steering throw on a rack on your car, the only cost effective way is to fill in the end teeth on the rack with welding filler. Another bad idea, because you'll ruin the hardening and run the risk of snapping the rack and you'll more than likely warp the rack.


Post more information and people will be able to give you more help.
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