The steering wheel is mounted on the splines of the steering shaft and secured with a self-locking nut. In vehicles equipped with a driver's airbag, an airbag module is installed in the steering wheel instead of the pad.
The steering shaft is composite. It consists of an upper and an intermediate shaft. The upper shaft rotates in two bearings pressed into the steering column tube. An ignition switch with an anti-theft device is installed on the upper part of the column pipe. The intermediate shaft is detachable and has two cardan joints at the ends.
The steering column is assembled with a gear motor and an electric power steering control unit. The efficiency of the electric power steering depends on the speed of the vehicle.
The electric power steering only works when the engine is running. The steering column brackets are attached to the body with four studs and self-locking nuts. The brackets are connected to the steering column tube by a hinge. The upper bracket is equipped with a steering column locking mechanism. By moving the locking lever to the lower position, you can change the angle of the steering column. When the lever is raised, the column is fixed in the selected position.
The steering mechanism is of the rack and pinion type and consists of a housing, a drive pinion and a rack, which are in toothed engagement. The mechanism is secured to the engine compartment bulkhead with two brackets on rubber supports. When the steering wheel is turned, rotation is transmitted through the upper and intermediate shafts of the steering column to the drive gear, which, turning, moves the rack.
The steering rods, which consist of the rods themselves, tips and adjusting bushings, are bolted to the steering rack. On the inner ends of the steering rods there are lugs with rubber-metal bushings pressed into them. The outer ends of the rods are fitted with ball joints, which connect the steering rods to the pivot arms of the front suspension struts. When the rack moves, the tie rods rotate the front suspension struts. The length of the steering rods can be changed by rotating the adjusting bushings, thereby changing the toe-in of the front wheels. The bushings are secured against spontaneous rotation by tie bolts screwed into the flanges of the steering rod ends.
Steering:
1 - steering rod end;
2 - adjusting sleeve;
3, 6 - steering gear mounting brackets;
4, 5 - steering rods;
7 - right protective cap;
8 - right support of the steering gear;
9 - Steering gear protective cover;
10 - steering mechanism;
11 - seal;
12 - intermediate shaft with lower cardan joint;
13 - Upper cardan joint;
14 - steering column with electric power steering;
15 - steering wheel;
16 - contact ring*;
17 - steering wheel mounting nut;
18 - Steering wheel pad (driver airbag*);
19 - steering shaft bearings;
20 - left protective cap;
21 - left support of the steering gear.
* For vehicles with airbag.