Corvette Glossary Of Terms

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Rack and Pinion

A type of linear actuator that comprises a pair of gears which convert rotational motion into linear motion. The circular pinion engages teeth on a linear “gear” bar–the rack. Rotational motion applied to the pinion will cause the rack to move to the side, up to the limit of its travel. For example, in a rack railway, the rotation of a pinion mounted on a locomotive or a railcar engages a rack between the rails and pulls a train along a steep slope.

The rack and pinion arrangement is commonly found in the steering mechanism of cars or other wheeled, steered vehicles. This arrangement provides a lesser mechanical advantage than other mechanisms such as recirculating ball, but much less backlash and greater feedback, or steering “feel”. The use of a variable rack (still using a normal pinion) was invented by Arthur E Bishop, so as to improve vehicle response and steering “feel” especially at high speeds, and that has been fitted to many new vehicles, after he created a specialised version of a net-shape warm press forging process to manufacture the racks to their final form, thus eliminating any subsequent need to machine the gear teeth. Rack and Pinion content courtesy of Wikipedia).

Reuss, Lloyd E.

Born September 22, 1936. Lloyd E. Reuss became the eighteenth president of the General Motors Corporation on August 1, 1990. He was relieved of this post just two years later in April 1992 when the board of directors decided that a change in direction was necessary for the corporation. He was succeeded by Jack Smith.