The rack and pinion system can be actually called the best mechanism which helps to change rotary motion into linear motion. But it should be noted that this mechanism works only at particular friction levels. If the friction is too high, there will be more wearing out, and hence, more force will have to be exerted in such cases. The rack and pinion system has a friction of its own, called the inherent friction, which is counted as one of the disadvantages of this mechanism. This is because, as it has a friction of its own, whenever it is working, there would be constant wear and tear on the equipment. This means that the parts would have to be replaced now and then, so that it gives a good performance throughout! But today, methods have been adopted to minimize this friction and maximize the performance.
Today, one of the most widely used steering wheels in almost all the cars is the rack and pinion steering. It is not only the favorite in cars, but is also preferred in trucks, Sports Utility vehicles etc. The working of this steering is quite simple, and does not require a lot of technical know-how, to understand. The rack and pinion steering works on a principle that a wheel, that is made to move through a linear surface, generates some amount of mechanical energy.