Dorman Steering Shafts

• Press-out force test on rivets, bearing caps, and weld/press/crimp nuts
• Torsional testing on ultimate strength, high-cycle fatique and low-cycle fatigue
• Tensile load test for maximum torsional angular clearance fork/shaft sub-assemblies
• Salt spray testing per ASTM B117
• On-vehicle fitment testing
• Inner/Outer shaft retention force test
• Inner/Outer shaft slide force test
• U-Joint rotational moment test
• Collapse force test
• Gauge-based constant dimensional verification during the entire production process

Steering shafts connect the steering wheel to the vehicle’s steering mechanisms, such as the steering gearbox or steering rack. Its primary function is clearly to allow for steering by connecting the steering system, but it also serves a critical role in energy dissipation during a crash.

Modern steering columns are collapsible, made of an inner and outer sleeve with between them. In a frontal collision, the sleeves compress like a telescope, allowing the steering column to absorb energy from the crash, and reducing impact on the driver.

Every Dorman steering shaft meets rigorous Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS203 and FMVSS204). These standards specify requirements for minimizing chest, neck and facial injuries through steering systems that yield forward, cushioning the impact on the driver. These systems much also limit rearward displacement of the column into the passenger compartment, further reducing the likelihood of serious injury.