3 replies to this topic

[NRoshier]

I have the hillclimb car I am making very close to the testing phase, with push-rod suspension front and rear. I was wanting to find out if anyone has seen a method to model the bellcrank design in something like solidworks etc.

Currently I have simply measured wheel to damper movement, which is clumsy and time consuming and it would be good to model a couple of different bellcrank shapes to get different effective spring rates etc.

[Greg Locock]

Sure, I'll write you an octave or excel for that. Shoot me the geometry. If anyone has the CAD superpowers then we can double check my stuff. I assume you are trying to get shock travel vs wheel travel? Is the mechanism planar or have you done something ugly?

[Joe Bosworth]

Save yourself heaps of time and effort and simply cut out the first linkage that comes to mind and set it up with cardboard cut outs at half or full size pivot points with thumb tacks or the like to make you pivots

 

A few minutes with a protractor and ruler  will allow you to quickly understand the direction you wish to take.  Computer programmes will give answers in the way of ratios but do not give much/any feel on how you get to the best compromise that you want.

 

[MatsNorway]

I agree with both. Mock-ups is a great starting point for any project and having a spreadsheet to then add variations you try out/check gives you superpowers.

Edited by MatsNorway, 27 February 2022 - 13:40.