Cantilevered worm gear assembly with limiter bushing

A power steering assembly comprising:

• an electric motor having an output shaft extending therefrom;
• a housing containing a worm gear operatively coupled to a steering shaft, the worm gear rotatable about a worm gear axis;
• a worm arranged to engage the worm gear, the worm extending from the output shaft of the electric motor as a single, integrally formed shaft, the single, integrally formed shaft extending axially from a first end to a second end and being cantilevered to allow the second end to deflect;
• and
• a portion of the housing surrounding a portion of the shaft proximate the second end of the shaft, the portion of the housing and the portion of the shaft defining a clearance therebetween, wherein the portion of the housing is the immediately adjacent component relative to the second end of the shaft.

A method of assembling a power steering assembly comprising:

• linearly adjusting at least one component of the power steering assembly to set a backdrive caused by contact between threads of a worm and teeth of a worm gear;
• supporting the worm in a cantilevered manner to allow an end of the worm to deflect;
• and
• limiting deflection of the end of the worm with a component that is the immediately adjacent component relative to the second end of the shaft, wherein the component and the end of the worm define a clearance therebetween.