Motoring Discussion > Steering wheel kick-back? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Auntie Lockbrakes Replies: 10
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New Sun 4 Sep 11 06:28 
 Steering wheel kick-back? - Auntie Lockbrakes
Scenario: sharpish bend with poor surface or pot-hole in mid-bend. If you're pressing on the steering wheel reacts to the bad road surface and kicks back in your hand. Can break your line and give you a start.

Why does this happen? How can it be prevented (apart from slowing down!)?
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New Sun 4 Sep 11 08:27 
 Steering wheel kick-back? - Dave_
>> kicks back in your hand. Can break your line

Can break your thumbs too, or so I was told when learning to drive.


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New Sun 4 Sep 11 09:02 
 Steering wheel kick-back? - bathtub tom
That's why Land Rovers never used to have rack and pinion steering.

Worm and nut, worm and peg and re-circulating ball systems are all less than 50% efficient. A consequence of that means the steering wheel can't be turned by turning the wheels.

I think that's the theory, I'm sure NC or someone will correct me if I'm wrong.
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New Sun 4 Sep 11 14:08 
 Steering wheel kick-back? - Cliff Pope
>> That's why Land Rovers never used to have rack and pinion steering.
>>
>> Worm and nut, worm and peg and re-circulating ball systems are all less than 50%
>> efficient. A consequence of that means the steering wheel can't be turned by turning the
>> wheels.
>>
>> I think that's the theory, I'm sure NC or someone will correct me if I'm
>> wrong.
>>

It's not true. There would be no-self-centring effect if it were. My Series II LandRover steering turns as lightly as a rack and pinion. The only difference is there is no power steering.
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New Sun 4 Sep 11 12:07 
 Steering wheel kick-back? - henry k
>> Can break your thumbs too, or so I was told when learning to drive.
>>
I had a near miss many years ago in my !600E.
I clipped a kerb on a ramp in a multi story carpark and the nice shiny alloy spokes of the steering wheel really bashed the joints on both thumbs.
I remember it well even though all my steering wheels since have been padded.
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New Sun 4 Sep 11 09:30 
 Steering wheel kick-back? - Skoda
>> Why does this happen? How can it be prevented (apart from slowing down!)?

I don't think it can be prevented as such. Some folks fit steering dampers on their mountain terrain rigs, but i doubt even that would help much at speed.

Like BT says, i think it's more due to the steering design. The trade off there is the wheels feel completely disconnected from the steering wheel. Almost impossible to accurately read whats going on through the steering wheel with that type of setup.
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New Sun 4 Sep 11 10:20 
 Steering wheel kick-back? - movilogo
Is it still the case with Electric Power Steering?
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New Sun 4 Sep 11 12:23 
 Steering wheel kick-back? - -
Some car but more often truck drivers bolt a fork truck spinner knob to the steering wheel, why i haven't ever quite fathomed....i always take them off before driving the vehicle concerned, though to be fair haven't seen one for a while, hopefully that fad has passed, you'd never stop the wheel with that weapon attached spinning round, take your arm off or yer jaw..

If it gets excessive kick back i'd have thought it's a good sign the dampers are past their best or not up to the job in the first place, they shouldn't allow too much bounce to develop...in theory..;)

edit...badly out of alignment vehicles react badly to momentarily leaving contact too.


Last edited by: gordonbennet on Sun 4 Sep 11 at 12:24
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New Sun 4 Sep 11 17:43 
 Steering wheel kick-back? - devonite
had many badly bruised thumbs and strained wrists over my farming years! Tractors (especially non-power steering ones) and Massey-Ferguson in particular were very prone to steering kick-back on anything except bowling-green like surfaces!
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New Mon 5 Sep 11 08:04 
 Steering wheel kick-back? - Cliff Pope
>> Massey-Ferguson in particular were very prone to steering kick-back on anything except
>> bowling-green like surfaces!
>>

Too true! My Ferguson not only kicks back, it kicks forward. Beyond a certain point in the lock the steering suddenly stops self-centring and instead spins over to full lock.

My driving instructor years ago said never put your thumbs through the steering wheel. Thumbs should be resting along the rim, not inside it.
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New Mon 5 Sep 11 08:33 
 Steering wheel kick-back? - Fenlander
I really can't remember the last time I experienced any significant wheel kickback... I associate it with cars from the 60s. My first Herald was bad for it once I'd fitted a small leather wheel. More recently our series Land Rovers could give a fair snatch. I suppose the last more modern vehicle I've had that could do it was a mid 90s Discovery.
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