General information and structure (Opel Vectra A)

The steering system consists of a steering wheel, steering gear, and steering rods. The steering wheel is mounted on a steering column, which transmits force to the steering gear. The steering rods, connected to a toothed rack, transmit force to the wheels.

The rack and pinion steering has a smooth movement and no play. It also does not require maintenance, except for checking the condition of the sealing cuffs.

Some versions of cars are equipped with a power steering system, which makes it much easier to turn the steering wheel. The power steering system consists of an oil pump, an oil tank and oil lines. The pump is driven by a wedge or (on a 1.6 l engine) toothed belt. In all-wheel drive vehicles, the oil tank has a larger capacity, since the hydraulic system also ensures the operation of the disengaging fluid coupling. The pump sucks oil from the tank and delivers it under high pressure to the distributor valve. The valve is located on the steering gearbox, and, being mechanically connected to the steering column, supplies oil (depending on the degree of steering wheel rotation in one direction) to a certain side of the working cylinder. In the cylinder, the oil presses on the piston of the toothed rack, thereby facilitating the turning of the steering wheel. At the same time, the piston squeezes oil from the other side of the working cylinder through the drain hole and then through the drain pipe back into the tank.

There is also a steering option with the ability to adjust the steering column height relative to the floor of the passenger compartment. Thanks to this, the driver has the ability to choose the most comfortable position for the steering wheel. The steering wheel height is adjusted manually using a lock. When the lock is pulled out, the steering column is released, and under the action of the spring, the steering wheel is set to the highest possible position, which makes it easier to lift it in different positions of the driver's seat. In this position of the lock, the steering wheel can be set to one of five different positions, the most comfortable for the driver. To fix the column in the desired position, release the lock. The steering column height adjustment mechanism does not require maintenance.

Caution! If the mechanism is disassembled, use new self-locking nuts. Do not perform any welding or straightening work on the steering! Figure D0247 shows the steering without the height adjustment mechanism.