Quote:
Originally Posted by wmws
Physics tells me that the effort to turn the wheel will be greater with the shorter pitman arm but you would turn the steering wheel less to have the same effect on the wheels.
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That was the way I thought of it at first too but I had it backwards. Try visualizing it this way. Hang a weight off the end of a regular pitman arm and then pick up the pitman arm by the other end. Then shorten the pitman arm and do the same thing, it's easier to pick up, less of a moment with a shorter arm.
In the steering system that weight is the force of the components pushing back against the pitman arm.
As far as the amount you turn the wheel, look at the arcs each arm would trace. The longer arm traces a bigger arc, bigger arc=more linear movement=less input at the wheel to get the same turning circle as a shortened arm.