F1technical.net

Hello

I have to do a presentation for an interview soon, and the title I have been given is:

"The design and analysis of a composite F1 steering strut"

Does anyone know where I can find out more information about this? Im not even precisely sure which part they are talking about...

...and google isn't much help

Thanks very much

I'm not familiar with the name 'strut' either. Do you mean a steering arm, or an upright?

A strut could be the damper spring assembly. A McPherson strut combines the damper and spring assembly with the up right. But WTF is a F1 steering strut

I would strongly recommend you go back and ask for clarification. The ambiguous wording may be deliberate to ensure that you can communicate any questions or ambiguities you might discover.

Hope this helps. "Break a leg" at the interview and let us know how you get on.

I'd imagine they mean a tie rod. Composite layup, machined lugs that are bonded in the ends with spherical bearings.

wow

thanks for the quick replies...

I have emailed to ask for clarification - I hope I get some back - I still have a week before I have to present...

Will post back when I have more details...

Ahhh the fun life of a graduate continues - I just hope they don't get us building towers out of clothes pegs at this one...

Simon

Well, the only composite thing in steering system if we exclude steering wheel are steering arms (tie rods).

manchild wrote:Well, the only composite thing in steering system if we exclude steering wheel are steering arms (tie rods).

Do they use steel steering column?

Technically a steering arm may also be called a steering strut as it can be in tension or compression. A strut after all is just a structural member which resists compression loadings.

MrT

RacingManiac wrote:Do they use steel steering column?

Now we have to agree what you mean by steering column

Seriously, rack and pinion are made from steel, joints and axle connecting pinion and steering wheel is also made of steel (you had this axle in mind when you said "steering column"?).

Rack and Pinion are not necessarily steel....there are enough cars in FSAE even with aluminum rack, and some even run custom titanium one...

I don't think its out of the possibility that F1 car has custom titanium rack, nor is it impossible(unless rule prohibits it) to have carbon fibre tube steering column(or steering axle as you call it).

I have been informed that:

"the title given as 'The design and analysis of a composite F1 front steering strut' is referring to the steering arm. This is long push-rod that controls the direction of the wheels."

I will have a route around and see if I can find some stuff, if any of you know any sites with info on it please let me know

thanks for all your replies

Simon

That is going to be one interesting subject, I am not even sure if they use composite materials here or not. This is usually rigidly bolted to the front upright at one end and the steering arm from the steering rack at the other and is subjected to a lot of bending moments, with some very high shock loadings as they bounce into curbes or into one another or brush the armco at Monnaco or Indy. So I guess Schuie's will be extra tough then sorry!

The upright with the bearing carrier are metal and subjected to a lot of heat from the front brakes and the steering arm sees a lot of this heat too, particularly as it is usually located within the confinds of the wheel rim and shrouded with all the aerodynamic covers in this area.

So I guess a composite steering arm has to be able to withstand heat and high shock bending loads whilest being lighter than the metalic equivilent

These are the only composite ones I could find http://www.hpiracing.com/graphics/pro2/thad/thad5.jpg

Steering struts do tend to be composites i think. They will be woven using helical, circumfrencial or polar winding techniques around a given core material. Pretty sure they are a plain composite as well e.g. carbon and not a hybrid for example carbon-kevlar.


You would best begin looking not at specific steering strut manufacture but reading composite books and looking at how struts are generally made. Don't jump in to the hard bit till you have a good fundermental understanding of the composites first - I've seen many get in a mess doing it this way!

We are talking about a tie rod here, no? Why would you ever want to rigidly bolt it to the upright? I've only seen them as pure tension/compression members with spherical bearings on either end. Should never be any bending.

Unless I'm missing something obvious..

Oops. Sorry again. See next post.