Daimlerchrysler Corporation

Chrysler Corporation

Matthew E Klais

William J Thomas

Nicholas Rosenthal

A dual shaft rack and pinion steering assembly for a vehicle includes a housing mounted to the vehicle and containing first and second parallel shafts linked to one another for synchronized axial movement. The first and second shafts are slidably positioned within the housing. One of the shafts includes a piston operable by hydraulic fluid contained within the housing. The other of the shafts includes a rack of teeth for meshing with a pinion gear driven by a steering column. The hydraulic fluid operates the piston by pressure coordinated with the driving of the rack by the pinion gear to assist the coordinated movement of the dual shaft assembly. The linked parallel shafts are connected to a drag link to direct a first wheel in response to axial movement of the shafts, which is further connected to a cross car link simultaneously directing a second wheel.

Dual shaft rack and pinion steering assembly

A rack-and-pinion assembly comprises a housing, a rotatable pinion gear including a plurality of teeth, and at least one moveable mount for providing a moveable attachment of the housing to the vehicle. A rack is slidably positioned within the housing and includes a plurality of teeth corresponding to the pinion teeth. A tie rod is operably attached to one of two ends of the rack, and may also be attached to a first wheel. A cross car link is operably attached to the first wheel and a second wheel. Rotation of the pinion gear causes translational movement of the rack and tie rod relative to the housing, which may thereby turn the first wheel. The first front wheel cooperates with the cross car link to simultaneously turn the second wheel, and the housing moves with respect to the vehicle as the first and second wheels turn.

Rack and pinion steering assembly

A system and method for adjusting at least one of a camber and a caster of a suspension system. The system includes a lower control arm and a suspension member coupled to the lower control arm. The system also includes a plate or plates defining a slot, the slot having a cam retaining element. In addition, the system includes one or more cams retained by the cam retaining element, the cam or cams defining an off-axis opening. The system also includes a bolt extending through the slot and through the off-axis opening in the cam. Upon rotation of the cam, the at least one plate is caused to move relative to the suspension member, which in turn causes the suspension member to move relative to the lower control arm.

Off-axis cam adjustment system and method

An upper control arm adjustment system for an automobile is described. The system includes a bracket, a pair of spaced and opposed indexing fingers located on top of the bracket, and a lever that rotates about a slot formed in the bracket. As a manipulation device is selectively rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise, the lever is rotated towards one of the indexing fingers, thus causing a bolt or cam fastened to the lever to move within the slot, thus causing the upper control arm to move either inboard or outboard with respect to the slot, thus altering the pivot position of the upper control arm.

Upper control arm adjustment system

A lower control arm adjustment system for an automobile suspension system is described. The system primarily includes a substantially U-shaped bracket member selectively fastened to a lower control arm member with a cam bolt, wherein when the cam bolt is moved in a first direction, the lower control arm member moves to a first position, and when the cam bolt is moved in a second direction, the lower control arm member moves to a second position. In this manner, the lower control arm member can be moved inboard/outboard with respect to the automobile body.

Lower control arm adjustment system

An alignment adjuster for wheel alignment of a motor vehicle is provided. The alignment adjuster includes a shaft that is moveable within an elongated slot. The adjustable member in the preferred embodiment is a lower control arm and is attached via bushing to the shaft. The shaft includes a pinion gear that operatively contacts a rack element that is disposed near the elongated slot. Rotation of the shaft will initiate lateral movement of the shaft in the elongated slot.

Camber/caster adjuster

A manual shift lever connection mechanism for connecting a shift handle to the stub shaft of a transmission. The connection mechanism has a sleeve portion disposed about said stub shaft and an insert member for engaging the stub shaft disposed within said sleeve portion. The insert member further has an engagement mechanism for engaging a disassembly tool.

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Waterford, MI, United States of America

Matthew E Klais