Dry steering is the act of turning the steering wheel or rotating the steer wheels of a vehicle on the Z axis by some other means, while the vehicle is stationary.
This action puts strain on the rack and pinion, pump, tie rods, and bearings, especially causes undue wear to the steer wheels, and can be exceptionally difficult in the absence of power-assisted steering. Although in most modern cars the steering components are sturdy enough to handle dry steering without taking damage, it is still not recommended due to stronger tire wear. This is the reason why automatic parking systems are usually designed not to dry steer, although their design would be somewhat simpler if they used dry steering.
Famous quotes containing the words dry and/or steering:
“I had rather hear a brazen canstick turned,
Or a dry wheel grate on the axle-tree,
And that would set my teeth nothing on edge,
Nothing so much as mincing poetry.
‘Tis like the forced gait of a shuffling nag.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Behind the steering wheel
The boy took out his own forehead.
His girlfriend’s head was a green bag
Of narcissus stems. “OK you win
But meet me anyway at Cohen’s Drug Store
In 22 minutes.””
—John Ashbery (b. 1927)