What is a Steering System?

Help Your Car Head in the Right Direction

Car Steering Systems 101: How They Work

Springfield, Virginia drivers have come a long way from guiding a horse with its reins. Today’s modern steering systems only require gentle movements to make your car go where you want it to go. But exactly how does a car’s steering system work? Thankfully, the wheel alignment automotive experts at Cardinal Plaza Shell are here to explain the ins and outs of a steering system.

What is a Steering System?

Your vehicle’s steering system changes the rotation of your steering wheel into a movement of your road wheels. It enables you to guide a heavy car with light force. There are two types of auto-steering systems, including linkage and rack and pinion steering. However, modern-day vehicles are outfitted with a rack and pinion steering system.

How a Rack and Pinion Steering System Works

A rack and pinion steering system change the steering wheel’s rotational movement into the linear motion that makes your road wheels turn. The system is composed of a round gear (or the steering pinion) that locks teeth onto the bar (the rack).

A rack and pinion steering system works in the following ways:

• Your steering wheel has a shaft that extends down underneath it
• At the end of the shaft is a circular gear called the pinion
• This gear sits on a toothed rod (referred to as the rack) that extends the entire width of your vehicle, connecting to all four of your tires
• When you turn your steering wheel, the pinion rolls the teeth along withmaking the rack and pushes the rod to the left or to the right/ When the rod moves, so do the wheels

To ensure your car’s steering system works at its best, it’s important to get routine wheel alignment services from Cardinal Plaza Shell in Springfield, Virginia.

Wheel Alignment and Steering

Having properly aligned wheels will help your vehicle’s steering system to operate efficiently. For the wheels to effectively respond to the steering system, they need to be precisely angled.

Misaligned wheels can throw off your driving if you hit a pothole or drive over bumpy, uneven terrain. If you notice your vehicle pulling to one side or your tires squealing, it’s time for a wheel alignment.

Help Your Car Head in the Right Direction

To ensure your car is running its best, schedule a wheel alignment service at Cardinal Plaza Shell in Springfield, Virginia. Contact our team of automotive repair experts by calling 703-451-6280. You can also stop by our shop. We’ll see you soon.