car steering

Rapot said:

hey guys...can you please help me...what is the best material to use in steering components of a car, specifically go-karts???😕 ...

A flexible shaft similar to drill extensions. This way it wont impale you in case of an accident (remember Ayrton Senna).

I suggest aluminium wrapped with a thin cosmetic layer of carbon fiber.

[font=serif said:

hd[/font][font=serif]reynolds[/font]]A flexible shaft similar to drill extensions. This way it wont impale you in case of an accident (remember [font=serif]Ayrton[/font] Senna).

No one knows for [font=serif]certain[/font], but the courts determined that Senna's steering column broke causing the accident. He did not have abdominal or chest injuries. He died of head injuries.

I'm not sure what you [font=serif]are trying [/font]to learn here, but I've never seen anything other than steel used on formula car steering columns, and [font=serif]certainly [/font]not on my cars (FF, FM), or other cars I've driven (FA, FC). My crew drove karts and they all had steel steering columns too, though they did not race [font=serif]competitively [/font]and I don't know what is used on serious shifter karts.

I did have a steering wheel come off down a modest straight during a race. I was very lucky to get it back on before the next turn. It was only off for a couple of seconds, but we were at about 145-150mph and it seemed like an eternity. I would not compromise steering gear on a race car.

it's been 10 years since i've raced, but the karting association rules that i raced under specified steel steering components (spherical rod-end joints, tierods, steering arms, steering shaft) and grade 5 or better steel fasteners with safety wire.

if you are going to compete in sanctioned events you might want to review your organization's rulebook before construction.

genedoc said:

No one knows for [font=serif]certain[/font], but the courts determined that Senna's steering column broke causing the accident. He did not have abdominal or chest injuries. He died of head injuries.

He had a crash not due to steering breaking. Wehn he crashed the steering rod impaled his helmet went thru one of his eye resulting in death (now the FIA stipulates that steering rods break into several sections during front end high speed collissions as a result of this). If that didn't happen even if he crashed he would still be kickin' [censored] and micheal wouldn't have a record.

hd reynolds said:

He had a crash not due to steering breaking. Wehn he crashed the steering rod impaled his helmet went thru one of his eye resulting in death (now the FIA stipulates that steering rods break into several sections during front end high speed collissions as a result of this). If that didn't happen even if he crashed he would still be kickin' [censored] and micheal wouldn't have a record.

A piece of the right suspension went through Senna's visor and pierced his skull just above his right eye.

The actual cause of the crash is disputed. Although courts found that the steering column failed due to metal fatigue before the crash, those court cases were not really intent on determining why Senna died; they were intent on proving that Team Williams had caused Senna's death. Prosecutors tend to see what they want to see, and they don't spend much effort proving other theories.

Williams and others point to telemetry data that shows that the steering column was intact before impact. Their theory has always seemed a lot more probable to me. The Williams car had a severe rear end problem. Damon Hill complained about it, but he was not listened to. Senna also complained about it, calling the car dangerous. And Mansell later confirmed the car was [censored]. It was not until the later part of the season that the problem was rectified. Schuey testified that Senna almost lost it on the lap before, and video from Schu's car shows Senna bottoming out just before he straightlined into the wall. The basic theory goes that when Senna bottomed out on the bumps, the car lost downforce and made steering impossible. This was aided by Williams running a low ride height and cold tires further reducing it.

I think Senna was pushing too hard. He told Hill to take a line through Tamburello that avoided the bumps but he did not take his own advice. With DNFs in the previous races, he needed the points and Schumacher was breathing down his neck.

It was a completely [censored] weekend for Formula 1.