A steering system for a vehicle having a frame with respective frame sides and suspended above a solid front axle and a rear axle, the steering system comprising:
- a rack and pinion gearset, the rack and pinion gearset is attached to the front axle and has a slow steering ratio, the rack and pinion gearset includes a rack and a pinion shaft;
- an augmented chain and sprocket assembly, the augmented chain and sprocket assembly includes a housing, a large sprocket, a small sprocket, a chain, an input shaft, and an output shaft, the input shaft and the output shaft protrude through opposite sides of the housing thereby the input shaft and the output shafts;
- an electric assist steering column, the electric assist steering column includes a steering column having a front end and a back end and an electric assist motor box having an input shaft and an output shaft;
- a steering shaft having a front end and a back end;
- a draglink having a first end and second end;
- a tie rod having a first end and a second end, the tie rod first end is pivotally connected to a passenger-side steering knuckle while the tie rod second end is pivotally connected to a driver-side steering knuckle;
- wherein a driver is able to turn or not turn a steering wheel, the turning of the steering wheel by the driver defines a steering input, the steering input refers to a rotational torque, the steering input is transmitted to the pinion shaft such that the steering input exerts the rotational torque on the pinion shaft, the rotational torque that is exerted on the pinion shaft causes the pinion shaft to rotate and refers to a pinion shaft force, the pinion shaft force is able to be exerted on the rack which displaces the rack, and the steering input is transmitted from the steering wheel through the steering system to a front wheels thereby causing the front wheels to turn;
- wherein the turning of the steering wheel by the driver refers to the turning of the front wheels, the turning of the front wheels refers to a steering response by the steering system, the steering system is able to have a light steering response or a heavy steering response, the light steering response by the steering system refers to an ease of turning the steering wheel;
- wherein the augmented chain and sprocket assembly is able to act as a steering quickener, the steering quickener augmented chain and sprocket assembly multiplies a rate at which the driver turns the steering wheel, the multiplication of the rate at which the driver turns the steering wheel refers to the multiplication of the turning of the steering wheel by the driver, the multiplication of the turning of the steering wheel by the driver reduces the turns that the driver does to the steering wheel in order to turn the front wheels, the reduction in the turns that the driver does to the steering wheel in order to turn the front wheels serves to quicken the slow steering ratio of the rack and pinion gearset, that is the steering quickener augmented chain and sprocket assembly quickens the slow steering ratio of the rack and pinion gearset, the quickening of the slow steering ratio of the rack and pinion gearset makes the rack and pinion gearset behave as if the rack and pinion gearset has a quick steering ratio which gives the steering system a quick steering response;
- wherein the solid front axle is able to undergo an articulation, the articulation of the solid front axle refers to the solid front axle rotating about a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis refers to a line passing through a middle of the vehicle from a front end to a back end, the articulation of the solid front axle causes the rack and pinion gearset to also rotate about the longitudinal axis, when the driver does not turn the steering wheel the pinion shaft does not rotate, the articulation of the solid front axle while the driver does not turn the steering wheel causes the rotation of the rack and pinion while the pinion shaft does not rotate, the rotation of the rack and pinion gearset while the pinion shaft does not rotate causes a simulated rotation of the pinion shaft, the simulated rotation of the pinion shaft defines a simulated pinion shaft force, the simulated pinion shaft force is able to be exerted on the rack and thereby displaces the rack, the displacement of the rack due to the simulated pinion shaft force is an unintended displacement of the rack, the unintended displacement of the rack causes an unintended turn of the front wheels, the unintended turn of the front wheels defines a bumpsteer;
- wherein during a street driving or mild off-road driving of the vehicle the solid front axle is able to undergo a small articulation, the small articulation of the solid front axle while the driver does not turn the steering wheel causes a small rotation of the rack and pinion gearset while the pinion shaft does not rotate, the small rotation of the rack and pinion gearset while the pinion shaft does not rotate causes a small simulated rotation of the pinion shaft, the small simulated rotation of the pinion shaft is reduced by the slow steering ratio of the rack and pinion gearset, the reduced small simulated rotation of the pinion shaft refers to a very small simulated rotation of the pinion shaft, the very small simulated rotation of the pinion shaft defines a very small simulated pinion shaft force, the very small simulated pinion shaft force is exerted on the rack and thereby causes a very small unintended displacement of the rack, the very small unintended displacement of the rack causes a very small unintended turn of the front wheels, the very small unintended turn of the front wheels refers to a very small bumpsteer, and very small bumpsteer is negligible bumpsteer.