Danfoss Steering Components and Systems

Danfoss hydraulic steering components and systems cover a wide range of mobile machinery applications, from compact agricultural tractors to large articulated vehicles.

The range includes hydraulic steering units, electrohydraulic steering valves, priority valves, flow amplifiers and steering wheel sensors, covering open centre, closed centre, load-sensing and steer-by-wire configurations. Danfoss steering components are used across agricultural machinery, construction equipment, forklift trucks, road building machinery and material handling systems.

Hydraulic Steering Units

Danfoss hydraulic steering units use a rotary spool and sleeve design with a gerotor or geroler gear set. The steering wheel directly meters flow to the steering cylinder in proportion to wheel rotation, providing a direct mechanical relationship between wheel input and vehicle response. All units include emergency steering capability; in the event of pump failure, manual pumping action is maintained through the gear set.

OSPC: Open centre and load-sensing steering unit. Available in open-centre non-reaction (ON), open-centre reaction (OR), closed-centre non-reaction (CN) and load-sensing (LS) configurations. Steering torque 0.8 to 3.0 Nm, back pressure capability up to 40 bar (580 psi). Integral valve options include pressure relief, shock, suction and check valves. The most widely specified unit in the Danfoss range.
OSPD: Dual-displacement steering unit with two rotary gear sets. In normal steering, both gear sets are active for high-flow output. In emergency mode (pump failure), one gear set maintains manual steering. Suited to larger vehicles requiring higher steering flow.
OSPF: Load-sensing steering unit for forklift trucks and compact wheel loaders. Steering torque 0.8 to 3.0 Nm, back pressure up to 40 bar (580 psi). Effective control of negative steering forces, preventing runaway on articulated vehicles with a single differential cylinder.
OSPL: Load-sensing steering unit for large vehicles requiring high displacement. Maximum steering pressure up to 240 bar (P-T). Available in static and dynamic LS versions only. Designed to minimise flow loss at large displacements.
OSPM: Mini steering unit for compact vehicles and machines with limited installation space.
OSPU: Load-sensing dynamic steering unit with built-in flow amplification up to 4:1. Displacements from 120 to 500 cm³/r in normal steer mode. An alternative to dual-displacement units, providing manual steering over a wide application range in a compact package. Available with a progressive displacement option for smooth performance across slow and fast steering.
VSP: Steering unit with integrated priority valve, simplifying system installation by eliminating the need for a separate priority valve in the circuit.
OSPB: Load-sensing steering unit available in open-centre, closed-centre and load-sensing configurations. Displacements from 50 to 500 cm³/r, recommended flows from 5 to 70 l/min, and maximum steering pressure of 210 bar (3,045 psi). Low steering torque of 0.5 to 3.0 Nm under normal conditions.

Priority Valves and Flow Amplifiers

OLS, OLSP and OVPL Priority Valves: Priority valves for load-sensing steering systems, ensuring preferential flow to the steering circuit regardless of other system demands. The OLS family covers six base sizes in in-line and flange-mounted configurations. The OVPL valve block is designed for use with OSPL steering units and provides higher flow capacity than the integrated valve options.
OSQ Flow Amplifiers: Flow amplifiers with integrated steering priority valve for use with OSPBX, OSPCX and OSPLX steering units, allowing a smaller steering unit to control a larger cylinder with proportional amplification of input flow.

Electrohydraulic Steering

Danfoss electrohydraulic steering systems allow the steering input to be electrical rather than mechanical, enabling GPS auto-guidance, joystick steering, variable ratio steering and steer-by-wire configurations.

EHPS: Electrohydraulic pilot-operated steering valve for hydraulically piloted steering systems. Used with an OSP steering unit to add electrohydraulic control without replacing the mechanical steering column.
OSPE: Combined electrohydraulic steering unit and valve with integrated functional safety to SIL 2 and Performance Level d. Provides both manual and electric steering input with smart steering capability.
EHi: Electrohydraulic steering valve for auto-guidance and joystick steering. Controlled by electrical input from a GPS receiver or steering wheel sensor. Suited to tractors, harvesters, sprayers and wheel loaders where GPS guidance or joystick control is required.
PVED-CLS: Proportional valve electrical driver for CAN bus load-sensing electrohydraulic steering. Part of the EHPS system, providing electronic control of the hydraulic pilot valve via CAN bus communication.
SASA: Steering wheel angle sensor for electrohydraulic steering systems. Provides the steering input signal required for auto-guidance, joystick steering and variable ratio steering applications.

Typical Applications

Danfoss steering components are used across a wide range of mobile applications, including:

Agricultural machinery: tractors, harvesters, sprayers and self-propelled equipment
Construction machinery: wheel loaders, articulated dump trucks and motor graders
Forklift trucks and reach stackers
Road building and maintenance equipment
Material handling systems
Specialist and large-format vehicles

Our website shows a selection of the Danfoss steering components and systems we supply. If you cannot find what you need or would like impartial advice on the right specification for your application, please contact our team. We source globally and will still be able to help.

Open-centre steering units have a continuous connection between pump and tank in the neutral position, and are used with fixed-displacement pumps. Load-sensing (LS) steering units signal the pump to deliver only the flow required for steering at any given moment, reducing energy consumption and heat generation. LS units are suited to systems with variable-displacement pumps and offer better efficiency in applications where steering demand is intermittent.

With reaction steering, any external forces acting on the steered wheels, such as road camber or ground resistance, produce a corresponding movement of the steering wheel when the operator is not actively steering. Non-reaction steering prevents this feedback, giving a steadier steering wheel and reducing operator fatigue on rough terrain. Both types are available across the Danfoss OSP range.

The OSPU includes a built-in amplification circuit that provides up to 4:1 flow amplification. This means a smaller steering unit can generate the high flow rates required for large vehicles or large steering cylinders without needing a separate flow amplifier in the circuit. The OSPU provides displacements from 120 to 500 cm³/r with normal pump supply.

Steer-by-wire removes the direct mechanical link between the steering wheel and the steering valve, replacing it with an electronic signal. This allows more flexible cab and machine design and enables advanced features such as GPS auto-guidance and variable steering ratio. Danfoss steer-by-wire components include the OSPE, EHi and PVED-CLS, used in combination with an OSP hydraulic steering unit.

The EHi is an electrohydraulic steering valve added to an existing hydraulic steering system, allowing electrical input from GPS or joystick alongside normal manual steering. The OSPE is a more integrated solution combining the steering unit and electrohydraulic valve in a single assembly, with built-in functional safety to SIL 2 and Performance Level d, suited to machines where certified functional safety is required.