Shovelhands in the workshop, I did it my way........

[Shovelhands]

Thanks @skinnyhoskins

 

[Dave W]

Yes excellent work. Impressed

 

[ARW]

Have you some drawings or are you just making it up as you go? I envy your skill time and spare cash to be able to do this.

 

[phillipe]

Thanks @skinnyhoskins

i have made a few things but nothing on this scale,when i do building jobs i just break them down into smaller jobs ,but with the long term look of the building in my mind at all times ie routing of pipes cables etc.do you do similar ?

 

[Shovelhands]

Yes excellent work. Impressed

Thank you very much Dave , glad you approve

 

[Shovelhands]

Have you some drawings or are you just making it up as you go? I envy your skill time and spare cash to be able to do this.

Thank you.

Yes...just winging it....

I've got an idea of where I'm going with it, but nothing set in stone, as I like to say "it's a fluid situation "

There's no drawings, I could do them, but how long would that take me? I could do proper CAD, not cardboard aided design CAD, but again, how long would that take me? And would those things present me with problems that I would fret over, rather than just work my way around?
I'm not sure, I don't draw things out very often, take each job and problem as it comes.

There's things that I'm changing as I go, like the panhard rod mounts for instance. They, in reality, will be more as I originally imagined them, rather than my most recent plan in my head of them! A quick assessment of the situation the other day, when the axle was in position, soon presented a problem! But that's just how it goes, I will work my way around it.....hopefully

 

[Shovelhands]

i have made a few things but nothing on this scale,when i do building jobs i just break them down into smaller jobs ,but with the long term look of the building in my mind at all times ie routing of pipes cables etc.do you do similar ?

Doing exactly the same with this project

I can 'see' the finished machine, sort of, but there's lots to do to achieve it! And many stages, and things that could/have to change to get there

I simply haven't the time, or man power, to charge on with this and get it done in a couple of months. It will take a long time, and with all the different aspects of the build, I'm just taking it step by step. But, as you say, always thinking of the bigger picture, trying to not compromise a future element, by doing something wrong now! That may not look wrong, but will hinder things further down the line...

Also, while working on it, I can see other things I can do to improve it, and am possibly now considering adding suspension to the drive axle, but it's in the thinking stage at the mo, let's get the back one done first!

My other problem, well it's not really a problem, is the variable nature of our work. I'm not doing this sort of thing day in day out, so some things take a bit more head scratching and effort. Not withstanding the fact that you've got to think about all the other jobs! Today for instance, I stareted with a spot of rendering on a barn, then some woodwork for tomorrow's job, and when I got back to the yard I did a bit if welding and cutting, so lots to think about! If I had every aspect of this machine mapped out in fine detail, then I think my head would probably explode!

 

[REStracTORATION]

You have missed abit matey..

Top job as always nearly ready for paint
Im down your way in near future al pop round and have her like new

 

[Shovelhands]

You have missed abit matey..

Top job as always nearly ready for paint
Im down your way in near future al pop round and have her like new

Missed a bit
Do you mean that little bit that still needs welding?...

Long way from paint

 

[REStracTORATION]

Th

Missed a bit
Do you mean that little bit that still needs welding?...

Long way from paint

Thats the bit mate i knew you would know what i meant

Nearly ready for paint couple more hours weeks and she will be ready to rock n roll

 

[Shovelhands]

Th

Thats the bit mate i knew you would know what i meant

Nearly ready for paint couple more hours weeks and she will be ready to rock n roll

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Great stuff @Shovelhands /@Clamphands
I feel your pain regarding design work..
I nearly failed my workshop classes due to lack of paper to show how I'd "designed" my projects.. I settled on making what I saw in my mind, then drawing it, then working backwards to the concepts and rough sketches etc to satisfy the teachers.. but that is what they wanted.
Will be extremely interested to see how you're going to locate that big axle, I have it all pictured in my mind, so it'll be interesting to see if I'm close
Awesome fab work though, impressive!

 

[Shovelhands]

Great stuff @Shovelhands /@Clamphands
I feel your pain regarding design work..
I nearly failed my workshop classes due to lack of paper to show how I'd "designed" my projects.. I settled on making what I saw in my mind, then drawing it, then working backwards to the concepts and rough sketches etc to satisfy the teachers.. but that is what they wanted.
Will be extremely interested to see how you're going to locate that big axle, I have it all pictured in my mind, so it'll be interesting to see if I'm close
Awesome fab work though, impressive!

Thanks Pete

Adding suspension to the big axle, is only an idea at the mo, it's going through the design department as we speak, I will wait until I actually get to that stage, if I get there, to explain my idea, it will be easier once I'm doing it. But what I will say now is, my best way is an A frame, but it's not really possible, for a few reasons......so, it will be done another way, if I choose to do it at all, we will see

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Thanks Pete

Adding suspension to the big axle, is only an idea at the mo, it's going through the design department as we speak, I will wait until I actually get to that stage, if I get there, to explain my idea, it will be easier once I'm doing it. But what I will say now is, my best way is an A frame, but it's not really possible, for a few reasons......so, it will be done another way, if I choose to do it at all, we will see

In my mind it will be located fairly well by the A frame at the front, and it's just the lateral movement needing addressed?
My imaginings are a bit like a 6-link set-up, but 4 of those links are taken care of by the A frame. Merely a bell-crank in the centre of the axle, and a rod to each chassis rail to keep it in the centre regardless of what the steering or suspension is doing... but so many options would work. A panhard set-up being the logical one, but there is that slight bit of lateral shift esp. with so much clearance/travel.
Will let you get to sleep, best of luck

 

[Shovelhands]

In my mind it will be located fairly well by the A frame at the front, and it's just the lateral movement needing addressed?
My imaginings are a bit like a 6-link set-up, but 4 of those links are taken care of by the A frame. Merely a bell-crank in the centre of the axle, and a rod to each chassis rail to keep it in the centre regardless of what the steering or suspension is doing... but so many options would work. A panhard set-up being the logical one, but there is that slight bit of lateral shift esp. with so much clearance/travel.
Will let you get to sleep, best of luck

Sorry Pete , have we got crossed wires here? Are you talking about the rear axle? Or my 'idea' or putting suspension on the drive axle?

If it's the drive, I cannot use an A frame unfortunately, for a few reasons (things in the way)......

Long way off all this though, and yes, I should get some sleep! ..

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Sorry Pete , have we got crossed wires here? Are you talking about the rear axle? Or my 'idea' or putting suspension on the drive axle?

If it's the drive, I cannot use an a frame unfortunately, for a few reasons (things in the way)......

Long way off all this though, and yes, I should get some sleep! ..

A bit of both, actually..
What I was referring to, was the lazy axle, but then you could "in theory" retrofit an identical linkage to the driven axle, with either one or two pairs of trailing linkages and notch to fit airbags to it. Could possibly even put balance lines between the airbags akin to the Austin Hydrolastic system (don't think anyone would mind, and it is British) but that could be done in the future as well.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

for the drive axle?

 

[Kiwi Pete]

and/or a Watts link for either axle

 

[Shovelhands]

for the drive axle?

Your sort of on the right lines here Pete .....

Although it's not quite that simple, as usual....

Having panhard on the rear axle, I've got it, and it's the best way for what I've got, Watts linkage would work, but again, there's a fairly important feature on the axle that would need a fairly substantial mounting made, to get round it. Also it's just more moving parts. Panhard will do fine

The drive axle, cannot have either panhard or watts, there just isn't space, so that kinda scuppers the simple A frame idea, there's also a transmission sitting just where you'd want to anchor the A frame!
So, a pair of trailing arms, much like your pic, with a stabilising A frame at the top, giving three point mounting, which should keep the axle in check in all directions, and negate the need for a panhard or watts link.
Oh, and just to complicate things, the lower arms will have to be load bearing, and have air bags on them, as there isn't any room to fit them directly above the axle, as I'm doing on the rear......
Just ideas at the mo, the mad fecker in the design dept may change his mind yet

Oh, and well done, you've successfully drawn me into to a conversation about this, when I said I'd elaborate later....my fault really, for mentioning it at all.....good to get your thinking cap on though

 

[Cab-over Pete]

Re. Suspension on the rear axle, I wonder if you might run into stability issues?

On most four wheeled chassis the front axle props each front corner up whilst the rear axle is bobbling up and down. Being a three wheeler there is nothing to prop each front corner up.

I can see your idea working if only one wheel rear wheel drops in a small hole or hits a small bump, but if that hole is big enough for both rear wheels on one side to drop into, then she might lie down.

Just musing.