Polyurethane in Automotive Industry : Gear change levels

Polyurethane has replaced both rubber and metal in several components used in the modern car. The properties attractive to the design engineer have again been the general wear and tear characteristics coupled with oil and fuel resistance. The remote control gear change mechanism on many car are subject to considerable vibration and can be the source of irritating noise. Wear on the ball joint can also lead to a less positive action. Both these effects can be minimized by the covering of the balls with polyurethane or by the use of polyurethane housings. A further advantage in the case of the ball joint is that no accurate machining of special mating surfaces is required. If the socket and ball are both metal they require accurate machining. The polyurethane housing eliminates one surface completely and the elastic nature of the material overcomes the necessity of the machining the ball itself to highly accurate dimensions. The gear change mechanism shown is for floor-mounted levers. Gear change mounted on the steering column generally involve a highly articulated machanism, and the use of polyurethane housings in all the ball joint can reduce metallic clatter to a minimum and provide a cushioning effect on the system.