The rear
wheels turned in either the same or the opposite direction to the front ones
depending on the degree of lock. Turning the rear wheels in the same
direction as the front (at a smaller angle) reduced the effective steering
radius but turning them the opposite way increased it. In the model,
this was achieved by connecting the rear radius rod to a free sliding pinion
sandwiched between two sliding rack strips. The rack strips were moved by
cranks turning at different speeds, so that in a lock-to-lock turn one rack
moved from one end of its travel to the other, while the other twice
reciprocated from end to end. The cranks were turned by a shaft from the
front steering mechanism, geared appropriately.
The model
also demonstrated power steering. The mechanical power-assister, driven from
a PDU, was actuated by a slip clutch on the steering shaft which detected
torque applied to it. Front steering was by rack-and-pinion, with
power-assistance acting to both front and rear.
The suspension front
and rear was by double unequal length wishbones and coil springs, but the
model deviated slightly from prototype by having no provision for driving
the wheels, all space between them being taken up by the steering mechanisms!
Rear wheel steering
box ▲