Steering design features

Pic. 8.1. Steering gear with hydraulic booster: 1 - tie rod end (right); 2 – the left steering draft; 3, 11 - protective covers; 4 - thermal screen; 5 - steering shaft; 6 – steering column; 7 – the lever of blocking of provision of a steering column; 8 – steering shaft; 9 - sealing case; 10 – a case of the steering mechanism; 12 – a tip of steering draft (left); 13 - right steering rod

Steering is installed on Ford Focus II cars (pic. 8.1) with a rack-and-pinion steering mechanism equipped with a hydraulic booster, and with a safety steering column, adjustable in tilt and reach. The steering drive consists of two steering rods connected by ball joints to the steering knuckle levers of the front suspension.

The pressure of the working fluid in the hydraulic booster is created by a vane-type pump, which is installed on the engine and is driven by a V-ribbed belt common with the generator. If the power steering fails, the ability to drive the car remains, but the effort on the steering wheel increases.

The steering gear housing is installed in the engine compartment and bolted to the front suspension cross member.

The steering column is safety, with a mechanism for adjusting the position of the steering wheel, equipped with energy-absorbing devices that increase passive safety, and an anti-theft device in the ignition lock that blocks the steering wheel shaft from turning. The steering column also houses the controls for the headlights, direction indicators, washer and wiper for the windshield and tailgate glass (on cars with hatchback and station wagon bodies), combined into a block of steering column switches.