Rack Pinion

Rack Pinion - How it Works

Has your car been making a funny sound when you make quick turns to the right or left? Does it sound like a clunking or knocking in your wheel well, but you haven't really noticed a difference in the feel of the steering, yet? Are you too scared to take the vehicle because they are likely to start referring to car parts and procedures that you've never heard of before? Don't worry, because you are not alone in this fear. Besides brakes and oil changes, many people don't know how to listen to their car when it tells them something's wrong. If you are having issues when you're steering your car, it is most likely related to rack pinion issues.

In case you are thinking that rack pinion sounds a lot like the German you never studied in high school, don't worry, this is an essential, but little mentioned part that exists in most cars today. Basically, the rack and pinion system in your car is a simple mechanical apparatus that brings together a pair of gears so that the vehicle can be steered using the wheel in a circular motion. If you've ever wondered how twisting your steering wheel around made your car turn and move from side to side, the rack pinion is the part that you can thank.

When you turn your steering wheel, the pinion begins to spin, which sets in motion a series of other movements from other parts of the steering system. As you turn the steering wheel, the pinion moves in a circular motion which, in conjunction with centrifugal force, helps to slide the rack back and forth beneath the car. This activates the tie rods and steering arms which are connected to the rack and also to the wheels of the vehicle.

As this chain reaction travels from the steering wheel to the actual wheels, the steering arms cause each wheel to turn, and the car will begin to travel in the direction that you want it to. Though it sounds simple, the rack pinion was not the first system that was developed for controlling cars and trucks. However, most vehicle manufacturers have all but completely transferred to this system because it uses fewer moving parts and allow the driver to have much more control over the direction of the car. The only problem is that the rack and pinion is usually one of the most important and expensive parts to replace.