Rack and pinion steering apparatus having rack bearing wear compensation with damping

A steering apparatus for a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

• a housing defining a chamber having an inner surface;
• a gear system supported by said housing and having at least a first gear and a second gear in meshing engagement;
• a bearing disposed within said chamber and supporting at least one of said first gear and said second gear relative to said housing for movement relative to said housing for adjusting a position of one of said first gear and said second gear relative to another of said first gear and said second gear;
• a spring disposed between said bearing and said housing for continuously biasing said bearing relative to said housing so as to rotate the eccentric rack bearing about the longitudinal axis in response to loosening of said meshing engagement between said first gear and said second gear to reposition one of said first gear and said second gear relative to the other of said first gear and said second gear;
• and
• a dampener coupled to one of said bearing and said adjustment mechanism for resisting said relative movement between said bearing and said adjustment mechanism to slow said re-positioning of one of said first gear and said second gear relative to the other of said first gear and said second gear;
• wherein said dampener includes a plastic fluid;
• wherein said dampener is disposed within said aperture and includes a first plate engaging said shaft and a second plate coupled to said housing with said first plate rotatable about a central axis relative to said second plate and axially moveable along said central axis relative to said second plate in response to rotation about said central axis;
• and
• wherein said second plate defines a first cavity with said plastic fluid disposed within said cavity and said first plate includes at least one paddle extending into said cavity along said central axis for engaging said plastic fluid with said plastic fluid resisting movement of said at least one paddle.