The benefit of power assisted steering is best felt when parking the car or moving it at very slow speeds. When stationary it can actually require considerable effort to turn the steering wheels from lock to lock without Power Assisted Steering.
Power Steering was introduced around the 1950s as an optional extra. The need for assistance in steering came about because cars were rapidly gaining weight around this time. American cars were really the first to use the technology, owing to the size of the cars there and the public demand for this option.
When a car is moving the tyres offer less resistance to being steered left or right and very little force is required to steer round corners. Power Assisted Steering clearly doesn't change the amount of resistance the tyre has on the road surface it is simply that it is far less noticeable to the driver.
Many types of cars a re now fitted with variable power assisted steering. This type of assistance is as it sounds, The amount of assistance varies dependant upon vehicle speed.
If the car is stationary the power assistance is greater. At high speeds the assistance is negligible to enhance driver feeling and control.
Now most cars either have it fitted as standard or, where this is not so, it will at least be available as an option. No longer is it just fitted to large or powerful cars but also to small cars where maneuverability in the town centers or in car parks becomes an issue.
There are only a few different types of power assisted steering in use on today's cars. The most commonly used is the hydraulic type, although electro-hydraulic and pure electric motor assisted powered steering is now being favored by some motor manufacturers.
Hydraulic Power Steering: The main components that make up this type of Power Assisted Steering system are the steering rack, the hydraulic pump, the fluid, the reservoir containing it and the hydraulic pipes connecting it all together.
The operating principle of Hydraulic Power Assisted Steering is quite simple unlike the construction of the system which is more complex. The steering rack assembly is a sealed unit and should never be tampered with as it works at very high pressures. Operationally it is quite simple. The engine drives a belt that powers the hydraulic pump and this gives hydraulic pressure to the system, ready when needed. When you turn the steering wheel in the car the system automatically calls on this pressure to assist in turning the wheels.
Electric Power Steering: This was first introduced in the mid 1970s to prevent the sudden loss of control caused by the loss of the hydraulic assistance if the engine were to stall with the car still moving. The Electric Power Steering works independently from the engine, taking its power from the car's electrical charging system or battery.
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