Steering: Description and Operation

GENERAL DESCRIPTIO POWER STEERING





Saturn power steering systems are a rack and pinion design. The major components are the steering wheel, steering column and shaft assembly, intermediate shaft, power steering gear, tie rods, steering knuckles, and power steering pump and hoses.
The front wheels are steered by a power rack and pinion steering system in the following manner: The steering wheel is turned by the driver, causing the steering shaft in the steering column to turn. The steering column turns the intermediate shaft (the intermediate shaft is a jointed shaft that connects steering column to the input shaft of steering gear), which finally turns input shaft of steering gear. The input shaft of the steering gear controls a rotary spool valve in the power steering gear. Pressurized power steering fluid is supplied to the spool valve by the engine mounted, belt-driven power steering pump. This fluid exits the pump (through the pressure hose) to the gear and is directed through the spool valve to one of two paths, depending on which direction the wheel is being turned. If the wheel is turned clockwise (right turn), the spool valve will direct the fluid to the right side of the steering gear integral rack piston, attached directly to the rack. Fluid pressure acting on the right side of the rack pinion will assist the rack in turning the wheels to the right. The opposite occurs when the steering wheel is turned counterclockwise (left turn).