14Dec/104
Video: The front suspension explained (sort of)
I'm in the middle of making a small-scale aesthetic prototype, which I'll post about later, but in the midst I made this little video showing how the double parallelogram tilting front suspension works. The prototype is made out of black foam core with hockey tape in the joints. Bone simple, very cheap and easy to modify. More on that later.
March 1st, 2011 - 21:55
It’s just a (very common) double wishbone suspension, except without a sway bar / anti-roll bar.
I have some concerns about using it as a tilting suspension, because the suspension travel is always perpendicular to the ground, which, when the thing is leaned over, may not be the direction you want the suspension to travel in. Also, you end up with your shocks on the low side nearly fully compressed, possibly not having sufficient remaining travel to absorb a bump. The Piagio MP3 seems to solve both of these as best as possible by putting the shocks out on the ends of the suspension arms.
But clearly a number of people have done as you describe, and have great fun with the results.
March 1st, 2011 - 22:05
Darxus,
I think you’re misunderstanding how the shocks interact with the swing arms. The top shock attachment points pivot independently from the swing arms and independent of the body chassis. This means that the shocks do not compress during lean, as you’ve described. If they did, they would resist the lean and not actually allow the vehicle to tilt. You are correct that this is a double-wishbone suspension. The only difference is how and where the tops of the shocks are attached. If you attached shocks in a car this way, it’d tilt too. This particular style of leaning suspension is derived from the Brudeli Leanster prototype, which is photographed extensively in their photo gallery. It’s also used, albeit using different mechanical components, in the Tilting Motor Works conversion kit.
June 9th, 2011 - 09:52
Thank you Nathaniel, I have been designing a leaning 3 wheeler which will actually be an electrically assisted, covered, tricycle. I am working with a similar layout as yours except I’m trying to keep it fairly narrow, which is making me think of shifting the suspension a little during the tilting cycle (I would have to send drawings for clarity). Seeing your model helps me visualize.
Gordon Hoffman of Lewiston, ID
June 9th, 2011 - 09:57
Glad I could help. My initial Streetliner prototype will be bicycle-based, I’m sure.