Javelin article--The Automobile

[robert lintott]

Javelin owners will be interested in the April edition of The Automobile , with a front cover picture of Javelin UTW 58 ( E2PD 21959) and an interesting article by the editor . Does the Javelin have rack and pinion steering ? Bob Lintott

[David Morris]

Hi Robert,

Havn't seen the article yet, but it sounds very interesting! I know John Airey gets the magazine regularily and he will surely see it!

Yes, the Javelin does have rack and pinion steering, but it is what you would describe as a 'folded' rack, in that it is curved into a crescent, rather than conventionally straight, as in the Jupiter and others like the Morris 1000. Adjustment of the 'mesh' is by an eccentric bush at the foot of the steering column, which is a technique I believe Jowett's used on their pre-war cars.

All the best,

David

[ian Howell]

This is an excellent article - including a cover photograph - about Javelins as Jowett's would-be salvation, in the April issue of The Automobile.

Good read, couple of minor grumbles but generally a welcome addition to our publicity.

Seems strange though that there was no mention of this front page article in the March issue.The devil is in the detail!


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[Keith Clements]

May be worth adding into the "Publications" album in the Gallery...

[jowettgeoff]

Many magazine articles and other publications have credited the Javelin with 'rack and pinion' steering, and David quite reasonably describes the system as a folded rack. But strictly speaking, the design is known as 'gear and pinion'. Semantics rule!

[george garside]

Jowett's refered to the steering as "Internal gear & pinion" in the jav workshop manual (1950). The Autocar description of the Jav (May 1947) describes it as "an internally toothed gear segment and pinion" and rightly comments that "The use of an internal gear and pinion is one of the few items familier on early Jowett cars"

george

[robert lintott]

I asked the question about the " rack and pinion " steering because , to me, it does not look like it . The Javelin has a central , massive girder actuated by the lever driven off the steering box, which contains the mechanism described as pinion and sector etc. There is an idler gear on the left and useful adjustable ball joints on each end of the girder. A rack and pinion system is simpler with a straight rack actuating the steering arms directly.

I think the writer is incorrect according to the normal concept of "rack and pinion" . I wonder why Jowett did not fit R and P ? There seems to be room and it is simpler and probably cheaper.

It is still a good article, Bob Lintott

[David Morris]

Hi all,

This thread seems to aquired a life of its own! I think we are really talking semantics here? The Javelin steering mechanism was probably designed well before what we know as present-day rack and pinion designs and, as has been mentioned, harks back to earlier Jowett pre-war designs. Personally, I think Jowett's did a good job on the design. Every joint on the Javelin steering system is adjustable. Probably 'conventional' rack and pinion designs, as fitted to the Morris 1000, were a new idea in the early 1950's?

I suggest that the Javelin system is preferably to many later and more normal rack and pinion systems and Jowett's are to be congratulated on their robust design. Even the degree of 'mesh' with the rack is adjustable with an eccentric bush at the foot of the steering column.Well done Jowett's!

All the best,

David

[george garside]

Whilst I'm not sure who was first with a staight rack & pinion system it was certainly well before the Javelin. Tatra were using it in 1933 & citroen introduced in on the 'traction' for the '37 model year (not 'on original '34 models)/ I think Tracta were even earlier. The Jav system was aa development of Ben Jowetts patented ? 1914 system fitted to twins up to '39 complete with accentric bush adjustment. I dont think there was room on a Jav for a straight rack , the curved beam being required to clear the bellhousing.

george

[ian Howell]

A friend of mine who owns a 1926 Humber tourer, a few years ago had a 1905 Humberette and that had rack and pinion steering.

I spent hours rebuilding the rack by applying braze material and then filing the teeth to form. Because the rack is in effect a circle of infinite radius, the involute sides of the teeth are straight. Just as well!