Steering colum cover

[Jonny Rochester]

I am wondering to what extent we have to sheild the steering column and steering rack etc. I know the rules say all moving parts have to be protected from the driver with a hard material, or similar. But if there is a plain cylinder with no fittings that just turns with steering, it seams funny that we have to shield this. From looking at photos it does not seam like other cars all have this. I can understand shielding the uni joint, but we have seen cars that seam to have a silicon tube around the uni joint, what does not seam like a hard material.

Any help and guidance is appreciated. I can show current photos if it helps.

[Pat Clarke]

Jonny,

You won't have to cover the column unless there are joints, etc, that might snag when rotating.
The rack and housing needs to be covered if it is in the footwell, along with and rotating protrusion that might snag.
Think about covering any moving component where snagging could impede steering operation.

Pat

[Jonny Rochester]

Thanks for that reply. That makes things easier for us.

I will try and find a silicon or rubber thing to go around the uni joint, and if we get told otherwise at the competition that will keep us occupied.

[Mitchell]

Depends on the scruitineer. Last year at FSAE-A they enforced this rule on all cars. Everyone (I say everyone but maybe not all teams, just the ones he checked) basically got a section of split plastic tubing, slid it over thier steering shaft and taped it top and bottom.

So yes, your steering shaft is a moving part and must be covered (depening on who you talk to)

[Pat Clarke]

Oh dear,
The things that happen when you are not around :-(

Pat

[Tim.Wright]

Well, until the rules are written a lot more concisely there are always going problems with multiple interpretations not just by students but by the technical inspectors.

I was a tech inspector at FSAE Italy this year (last event of the Euro "season") and saw a lot of cases where badly written rules had resulted in different interpretations by different scrutineers at different events.