Design and Development of Novel Configuration of Steering Knuckle for an All Terrain Vehicle (ATV)

Abstract

Steering knuckle or suspension upright is one of the most critical loaded parts in an automobile and especially in all terrain vehicle (ATV) as it has to sustain the forces arising from the braking torque, road bump and the steering pull. Also, in the commercial vehicles, the left knuckle cannot be interchanged with the right knuckle. Therefore there is a need of design and development of a steering knuckle which may be interchangeable and manufactured as a one piece product. Also to reduce the overall weight of an automobile a light weight steering knuckle should be designed. Thus the design and development of a low weight knuckle which is structurally rigid and has the ability to withstand all the forces arising due to bump, cornering, cyclic loading during steering and braking while being interchangeable between front wheels of an Off-Road vehicle is discussed in this article.