How much does a car steering wheel turn?

  • Thread starter Martal39
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I can turn my car steering wheel one and a half times, I think thats the same for most cars....

Edit: I mean thats 3 turns, end to end...
 
So , how much does it go?
Half circle to each side or more?If so , how much more?A full spin?

F1 cars do 1 complete rotation, or spin (360 degrees) lock to lock at Monaco, where the tightest steering is needed - so, from straight, you can turn the wheel through half a circle to full lock either way. My road car has about 2 1/2 rotations (900 degrees) lock to lock, 1 and a quater complete turns, or circles, either side from straight. In comparison, the DS2 steering wheel, for playing GT4 on and such, has only about 3/4 of a rotation, or 270 degrees - just over a thrid of a circle each way.
 
Ok ,thanks. This may be locked.

Oh and btw , the DFP steering wheel does 900 lock-to-lock too

That'll be the one I'm thinking of. I always get them (DFP and DS2) confused... plus the ol' memory ain't so good; I'll be thinking of an old wheel I had for the PS1 :dunce:
 
It's about 3 turns for most road cars, between full left lock and full right lock - about 1080 degrees. Sportier cars have "quicker" steering racks with a smaller lock-to-lock rotation. My car is 2.4, which is just a little quicker than a DFP.
 
Roo
F1 cars do 1 complete rotation, or spin (360 degrees) lock to lock at Monaco, where the tightest steering is needed - so, from straight, you can turn the wheel through half a circle to full lock either way.

Not even that much on a Formula one car...

The steering wheels are not designed to make more than three quarters of a turn of lock in total, so there is no need for a continuous rim, instead there are just two 'cut outs' for the driver's hands.
Source - http://www.formula1.com/insight/technicalinfo/22/5287.html

...so 270 degrees at most.

As Famine has said most modern road cars are around 3 turns lock to lock, with anything below 2.7 feeling far more 'darty' on the road


Regards

Scaff
 
My 318i does 1440° lock-to-lock, or 4 rotations. Throws my friends for a loop when they try driving it. :lol:

Famine and Scaff have the answer for the "average" car, though. 👍
 
My 318i does 1440° lock-to-lock, or 4 rotations. Throws my friends for a loop when they try driving it. :lol:

wow really? It must be tiring to drive that thing. Do new BMW's with active steering change how many turns the wheel has? What i mean is, does active steering reduce the number of turns needed because its ratio changes with speed and such.

Edit
never mind, i found my answer on wiki

In a parking situation, the computer varies the ratio so that the steering wheel needs less than two turns to move the wheels lock to lock.
 
My 318i does 1440° lock-to-lock, or 4 rotations. Throws my friends for a loop when they try driving it. :lol:

Famine and Scaff have the answer for the "average" car, though. 👍

It must feel like your parking a space ship or something when you go to the mall or something.
 
wow really? It must be tiring to drive that thing. Do new BMW's with active steering change how many turns the wheel has? What i mean is, does active steering reduce the number of turns needed because its ratio changes with speed and such.

Edit
never mind, i found my answer on wiki

Also new BMWs have a much smaller lock to lock, my 320i (E90) has a 2.9 turn lock to lock (without active steering)


Regards

Scaff
 
I've got 2.6 or 2.7... most economy cars nowadays have 3 to 3.2, although even the base Civics now get 2.6.

4 turns is just so... old school! :lol:
 
Its about 3 turns for my Corolla, from lock to lock, and probably around 2.5 for my MR2, but its been a bit since I drove that.

The MR2 feels much more darty than the Corolla on the highway, that is certain.
 
Also new BMWs have a much smaller lock to lock, my 320i (E90) has a 2.9 turn lock to lock (without active steering)


Regards

Scaff

Do you know what the ratio is when the steering "activates"?
 
My old Corona had 5 turns lock to lock, together with the lightest steering I've ever experienced, it was quite an interesting drive.
 
Do you know what the ratio is when the steering "activates"?

The following is from BMW's technical info on Active Steering

BMW
Active Steering gives drivers more precise handling and tracking: this ensures that their automobiles are more mobile and agile even on twisting roads. A planetary gear is integrated with the steering column; depending on the situation, the feature varies the angle of steering determined by the user at the wheel (superimposed steering).
It increases the steering angle at lower and mid-range speeds; by contrast, at higher speeds (e.g. on motorways), the steering angle is reduced. When parking, the active steering feature makes it easier to manoeuvre by amplifying the movements of the steering wheel.

active_steering_2.gif

So it doesn't really alter the steering ratio, more amplify the effect of the steering input, as such getting 'converted' ratios would I imagine be quite hard, as it will vary depending on the speed of the car, etc.

I did test drive a car fitted with it and personally didn't get on with the system, hence the reason why I spec'ed mine without it.


Regards

Scaff
 
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