Terps Racing 2023 Gearbox Steering Rack

Steering effort and ease of assembly were the primary concerns when it came to our previous steering rack. To address the steering effort issue I changed the pinion on the steering rack from a 24-tooth to a 27-tooth pinion. Additionally to address the assembly concerns I designed two CNC machinable shells that would allow us to tune the distance between the rack and pinion to attempt to control backlash.

The big innovation was an aluminum rack and pinion. The gears were designed out of 7075 Aluminum and anodized. Although 7075 has issues with durability this material was decided upon because it is significantly lighter weight than the steel alternatives and only needs to operate for a 4-hour endurance race.