STEERING RACK AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF

摘要

A method of manufacturing a steering rack for a vehicle rack and pinion steering system. The rack comprises gear teeth and a shank that has a constant outside diameter and constant wall thickness over the majority of its length. The method comprises performing a forging operation on a tubular member with an elongate member positioned in the bore of a thickened region of the tubular member. The forging operation forms the gear teeth on the thickened region, and the elongate member is retained within the tubular member. The tubular member is made by performing a forming operation on a length of tube stock such that the outside diameter of the thickened region is smaller than the outside diameter of the shank, and the wall thickness of the thickened region is larger than the wall thickness of the shank.