Center Streering

27/05/2015, 4:07 pm - V V Devanathan:

My long term doubt , Why not a car or bus designed with a center steering which can give a better control over the vehicle since the driver is in center axis.

I also understand the space constraints. Mani Sir told me he is more interested in designing a car.

Please register your opinions.

27/05/2015, 4:31 pm - Rajasekar S :

Deva do you remember the good old days of driving a contraption made of nungu kaais. Two nongus connected by a stick. This was rolled using a long stick with a y fork at the end. When the y is placed at the centre of the stick connected by nungus it rolls straight with a slight forward push. But when we had to turn the direction we had to move the y towards or nearer to any one nungu as it requires a force at the ends . this is the basic concept on which the steering joint was designed. And it is easier and consumes lesser force to turn at the ends than from the centre as the force to turn increases. With suitable linkages the force applied is transferred to the other wheel to achieve turning. Hope you have understood.

27/05/2015, 4:33 pm - V V Devanathan :

Yes RS. I can understand the principle behind it. Thanks da for ur meaningful reply,

27/05/2015, 5:00 pm - Ajay Khankoje :

What happens to aeroplanes , fighter planes , control in Center , it is a question of good engineering , you can have santosh Kuchhi control also , steering wheel not required , Ferrari cars , sports cars have central steering ,

27/05/2015, 5:03 pm - Rajasekar S :

Ajay Saab we are talking about wheel controls in case of planes there is no steering for the  wheels , that's why tow trucks are used  and it is through the engine lh and rh steering is effected as in bulldozers and earth moving equipments.

27/05/2015, 5:07 pm - Rajasekar S :

The basic mechanical steering is what we were discussing. To day even radio controlled cars are steered with joy stick but the basic mechanical principal cannot change. That's why power steering or power assisted steering comes into picture. To reduce human efforts.

27/05/2015, 5:08 pm - Rajasekar S :
Also sports cars are meant for racing and there is double seat at the rear rather bat the front like normal passenger cars.

27/05/2015, 5:23 pm - Mani :

Sorry for late entry....I think deva ' s doubt is just positioning the steering wheel at centre, for better visibility / control . Below the chassis the mechanisms can be at one end or another. Is it deva ?

27/05/2015, 5:31 pm - Rajasekar S :

Mani San, one more point in not providing steering in centre is considering the safety of the driver and also the second point is the vision of the sides of the road and also the age old practice by human being, psychology etc. may also play a crucial role.

27/05/2015, 5:34 pm - V V Devanathan :

Then why not in auto SR? Can u remember the pat padi in Delhi where bullet is coupled with carriages

27/05/2015, 5:34 pm - Mani :

I think it's more of psychology and old practice. Like car frontage looks like with 2 eyes and mouth etc...With all the side mirrors and cameras, steering need not be in centre. ..example is the 1000s of auto rickshaws running in Chennai and everywhere.

27/05/2015, 5:35 pm - Rajasekar S :

Also if you consider today's passenger cars are front wheel driven where the centre part of the axle does not exist or the engine is in the centre. unlike old cars where it was rear wheel driven .

27/05/2015, 5:36 pm - Rajasekar S :

But auto is a single seated Mani San. And please go back fifty years when there was no technical gadgets we have today in our cars.

27/05/2015, 5:37 pm - V V Devanathan :

Yes Mani Sir. I can understand that.

But why not custom build cars with auto gear

27/05/2015, 5:38 pm - Rajasekar S :

We had to see the side with the rear view mirror, open and close doors, raise and lower glass in doors. Are these possible sitting in the center about 50 years back

27/05/2015, 5:39 pm - V V Devanathan :

U remember Standard make ,3 Wheeler

27/05/2015, 5:41 pm - Rajasekar S :

Yes deva but do you think driving an auto is simpler than driving a car. Remember medak.

27/05/2015, 7:35 pm - Sekar :

Raja, the tow truck is used in Aeroplane  is for reverse movement only. For forward movement the engine air force and steering of front wheel is used.

For information the Aeroplane  and ship doesn't have reverse gear.

27/05/2015, 7:50 pm - Rajasekar S :

Sekar sir the steering of the wheel is done by the speed of the propeller on the wings by slowing the right  side you turn right and vice versa but the wheels do not have controlled steering. Am i right Mani San.

27/05/2015, 7:52 pm - Rajasekar S :

As we do in the bulldozers the left engine slowed turn left rt engine slowed turns right. Same in flights using propellers because propellers can't be reversed tow trucks are used to pull back

27/05/2015, 7:54 pm - Sekar :

Yes SR

27/05/2015, 7:55 pm - Sekar :

The same way even ship propeller is not reversed

27/05/2015, 7:58 pm - Rajasekar S :

Yes sir.

27/05/2015, 8:03 pm - Rajasekar S :

But ship propellers can be reversed. If you remember titanic movie as the ship scrapes the iceberg the captain says reverse the engines and by the time the engines stop and can be reversed they hit the iceberg once again which causes more damage. I think for the reduction of speed or braking reversal of propeller directions might help.

27/05/2015, 8:03 pm - Rajasekar S :

Don't you think so Sekar sir.

27/05/2015, 8:08 pm - Sekar :

No SR.

27/05/2015, 8:13 pm - Sekar :

The propeller in ship can push water in forward direction and the pushed water can get displaced. In reverse direction water cannot be pushed since no space for water displacement.

27/05/2015, 8:15 pm - Mani :

Yes sekar. I believe so. No reversing. Only forward by turbines. Reverse by towing. Turning by right & left engine speed as SR said.

27/05/2015, 8:16 pm - Mani :

But one question. Do the wheels have drive. When landing , are the wheels stationary or rotating ?

27/05/2015, 8:18 pm - Sekar :

 No drives to wheels, I believe

27/05/2015, 8:19 pm - Mani :

So after touching the ground only , wheels rotate ?

27/05/2015, 8:19 pm - Sekar :

Wheels are free to rotate,

27/05/2015, 8:19 pm - Sekar :

And no brakes

27/05/2015, 8:20 pm - Sekar :

Any engine can be used.

27/05/2015, 8:22 pm - Seeni :

அப்ப. ரிவர்ஸ் கியர் உண்டுதாணே...

27/05/2015, 8:22 pm - Sekar :

Even it may gearbox also

27/05/2015, 8:23 pm - Sekar :

But reverse gear will not be used

27/05/2015, 8:34 pm - Sekar :

Even it may have a gearbox also. But reverse gear will not be used, since no space for water to get pushed behind the propeller, and as SR said about titanic the accident also can happen.

27/05/2015, 8:37 pm - Sekar :

Also profile on propeller is designed only for forward pushing only.  Can u  get air from your pedestal fan if motor is reversed. You will not get any air.

27/05/2015, 8:58 pm - Ekambaram C N:

Deva Tractor  is an eg for centre steering

27/05/2015, 8:58 pm - Ekambaram C N: Ajay working for steering co and saying steering is superfluous. what an irony

27/05/2015, 8:59 pm - Ekambaram C N:

I think steering pos is not critical like you mentioned linkage  ackermans mech is imp  Sr

27/05/2015, 9:06 pm - Rajasekar S :

CNE tractor steering position is centre but link is to one wheel and that is linked to the other wheel which you can see on the side.

27/05/2015, 9:17 pm - Rajasekar S :

CNE sir Ackermann mechanism is what we see in tractors. But in today's cars with independent wish bone suspension it is radial rack and pinion with ball joint.

27/05/2015, 10:05 pm - Ekambaram C N:

Aeroplame has rudder to change  direction  split triangle in tail