Rack and pinion steering system

A vehicle comprising:

• a frame;
• a motor supported by the frame;
• a driveshaft operatively connected to the motor;
• a front differential operatively connected to the driveshaft;
• a front right half-shaft having a left end operatively connected to the front differential;
• a front right wheel operatively connected to a right end of the front right half-shaft;
• a right flexible cover covering the left end of the front right half-shaft;
• a front left half-shaft having a right end operatively connected to the front differential;
• a front left wheel operatively connected to a left end of the front left half-shaft;
• a left flexible cover covering the right end of the front left half-shaft;
• at least one rear wheel supported by the frame;
• a steering wheel supported by the frame;
• a lower right A-arm being pivotally connected to the frame about a right lower pivot axis;
• an upper right A-arm being pivotally connected to the frame about a right upper pivot axis;
• a lower left A-arm being pivotally connected to the frame about a left lower pivot axis;
• an upper left A-arm being pivotally connected to the frame about a left upper pivot axis;
• a steering column operatively connected to the steering wheel;
• a rack and pinion assembly operatively connected to the steering column, the rack and pinion assembly being disposed rearward of the front differential;
• a right tie rod having a left end operatively connected to a rack of the rack and pinion assembly and a right end operatively connected to the right wheel;
• a left tie rod having a right end operatively connected to the rack and a left end operatively connected to the left wheel,
• the left end of the right tie rod and the right end of the left tie rod being disposed forwardly of a vertically and laterally extending central plane of the rack,
• at least one of the right lower pivot axis, the right upper pivot axis, the left lower pivot axis and the left upper pivot axis is disposed laterally between a right vertical plane and a left vertical plane, the left and right vertical planes being parallel to a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle,
• the right vertical plane contains a right end of the front differential,
• the left vertical plane contains a left end of the front differential, and
• the left and right vertical planes being disposed laterally between the left and right flexible covers;
• a front differential input shaft operatively connected to the front differential;
• and
• a universal joint operatively connecting the driveshaft to the front differential input shaft, the universal joint being connected to a rear end of the front differential input shaft,
• a central lateral axis of the rack being disposed rearward of the rear end of the front differential input shaft.