Rack-and-Pinion Steering Is Now a Truck Option
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Rack-and-pinion steering, which has become commonplace in passenger vehicles and light trucks, is now getting its first trial in heavy-duty trucks.
Though many engineers say they don’t think it is suited for heavy vehicles, the biggest U.S. Class 8 truck manufacturer — Freightliner Trucks — became the first company to offer rack-and-pinion steering on trucks beginning in January. Freightliner officials say they chose to offer rack-and-pinion steering as an option after examining the results of the successful sponsorship of a vehicle that set the world record six times in the annual Pikes Peak truck race. Officials at other companies, however, said the solid front-end suspension and workload of Class 8s make rack-and-pinion steering impractical.For the full story, see the Feb. 26 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.
Rack-and-pinion steering, which has become commonplace in passenger vehicles and light trucks, is now getting its first trial in heavy-duty trucks.
Though many engineers say they don’t think it is suited for heavy vehicles, the biggest U.S. Class 8 truck manufacturer — Freightliner Trucks — became the first company to offer rack-and-pinion steering on trucks beginning in January. Freightliner officials say they chose to offer rack-and-pinion steering as an option after examining the results of the successful sponsorship of a vehicle that set the world record six times in the annual Pikes Peak truck race. Officials at other companies, however, said the solid front-end suspension and workload of Class 8s make rack-and-pinion steering impractical.For the full story, see the Feb. 26 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.
