A centering member including a first section configured and arranged to produce a pulling force along a longitudinal axis thereof and a second section configured and arranged to produce a pushing force along a longitudinal axis thereof, wherein the first section and the second section are configured and arranged such that the longitudinal axis of the first section is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the second section. There is a first mounting means attached to a first distal end of the centering stabilizer and a second mounting means attached to a second distal end of the centering stabilizer Preferably, the first section comprises a gas push-type spring and the second section comprises a gas traction spring.

A steering device includes a rack shaft, a pair of tie rods, a rack housing portion, a pinion gear at one end of the rack housing portion, a first supporting portion to support the one end of the rack housing portion, and a second supporting portion to support the other end of the rack housing portion. The second supporting portion is movable in an axial direction of the rack housing portion from a proper position where the second supporting portion fixes the rack housing portion by being mounted on the vehicle body to an escaping position on the side of the pinion gear. The escaping position is a position where a distance from a tip of the tie rod on the other end of the rack housing portion to the second supporting portion is equal to or longer than twice the length of the tie rod.

A centering stabilizer including a first section that produces a pulling force along a longitudinal axis; a second section that produces a pushing force along a longitudinal axis; and connecting means that connects the first and second sections such that the longitudinal axis of the first section is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the second section. The stabilizer also includes first mounting means attached to the first section, wherein the first mounting means securely attaches the centering stabilizer to a first portion of a steering system of a vehicle, and second mounting means attached to the second section, wherein the second mounting means securely attaches the centering stabilizer to a second portion of the vehicle, wherein when the set of steerable wheels are displaced from a straight ahead driving position, a distance between the first portion of the vehicle steering system and the second portion of the vehicle changes.

Embodiments relate to a steering system installed in an autonomous vehicle including a front wheel module configured to steer front wheels of the autonomous vehicle using a first motor, a rear wheel module configured to steer rear wheels of the autonomous vehicle using a second motor, a longitudinal axis module connecting the front wheel module to the rear wheel module and configured to steer each of the front wheel and the rear wheel of the autonomous vehicle inward using a third motor, and a controller configured to control a driving motor for providing a rotation power to the first to third motors and at least one of the front wheels and the rear wheels.

Methods and systems are provided for monitoring steering gear overtravel in rack and pinion steering systems. The provided systems and methods introduce a change in the length of the fastener that attaches an inner tie rod ball joint housing within a steering gear rack bar. The provided systems and methods also monitor the disengagement of that fastener (also referred to as overtravel and as rack travel) to generate flags and provide them to the Controller Area Network (CAN) bus of the vehicle.

A steering assembly basically includes a steering gearbox, a bracket, a rotational motion restriction structure, and a translational motion restriction structure. The steering gearbox includes a housing and a steering rack. The steering rack has a first rack end and a second rack end. The bracket is coupled to the first rack end. The bracket includes a first tie rod connection located axially inward of the first rack end and the second rack end with respect to a longitudinal center axis of the steering rack. The rotational motion restriction structure is configured to restrict rotational movement of the bracket relative to the longitudinal center axis of the steering rack. The translational motion restriction structure is configured to limit translational movement of the steering rack along the longitudinal center axis of the steering rack. The rotational motion restriction structure and the translational motion restriction structure are located at different locations.

A socket assembly includes a housing having an inner bore extending along a central axis between a closed first end and an open second end. At least one bearing is disposed in the inner bore, wherein the at least one bearing has a bearing surface and a support surface opposite the bearing surface. The socket assembly also includes a ball stud having a shank portion extending outwardly from the housing through the open second end and a ball portion disposed in the inner bore. At least one preload washer biases the at least one bearing into engagement with the ball portion of the ball stud. The at least one preload washer has an outer coating of a low friction, heat insulating material.

A rear wheel steering apparatus may include: a driving part housed in a housing part; a rotating part rotated by the driving part; a moving shaft part connected to tie rods, and screwed to the rotating part; a spline plate spline-coupled to the moving shaft part so as to restrict rotation of the moving shaft part; and a space maintaining part protruding from the moving shaft part or the spline plate, and maintaining a space between the moving shaft part and the spline plate.

Methods and systems are provided for monitoring steering gear overtravel in rack and pinion steering systems. The provided systems and methods introduce a change in the length of the fastener that attaches an inner tie rod ball joint housing within a steering gear rack bar. The provided systems and methods also monitor the disengagement of that fastener (also referred to as overtravel and as rack travel) to generate flags and provide them to the Controller Area Network (CAN) bus of the vehicle.

A stand-up type industrial vehicle, such as a stock chaser, is provided that includes a frame including a driver's space, a pair of steerable front wheels, and a steering system. The frame can include a cargo space behind the driver's space. The front wheels are pivotally coupled to the frame about respective laterally spaced-apart steering axes. The steering system is mounted to the frame for steering the wheels. The steering system includes a steering wheel, a steering lever operatively coupled to the steering wheel, for example via an upper and a lower shaft coupled by a one-stage reducer assembly, to be imparted a lateral swinging motion thereby upon rotation thereof, and a steering linkage coupled between the steering lever and the wheels to translate this lateral swinging motion into a turning motion of the wheels. A dual-pivot steering system for use in a stand-up type industrial vehicle is also provided.