FEF
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Vehicle length - Wheelbase
I really like the Indy look. It's sharp, cuts through the air, and has a fair amount of weather protection. It's the right way to go if one wants an open ****pit.
If we believe a longer wheelbase is better... The question is, how long is too long, with regard to proportions? How long a wheelbase makes it look too stretched?
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6/11/2006, 12:56 pm
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Gas3
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Re: Vehicle length - Wheelbase
With regards to wheelbase length,you might look into widening the body enough to have your passengers legs come around the sides of the front seat. Not extremely comfortable for a long ride it might prove functional for short hauls with only a moderate increase in length.
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6/14/2006, 12:45 pm
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FEF
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Re: Vehicle length - Wheelbase
Yup. That's exactly what I'm thinking of doing.
Though, I was thinking that side-by-side would be better... That is untill I remembered we'll have to wear helemts. Since we'd be wearing helmets, there's no real reason for side-by-side as communication will be done via com system.
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6/15/2006, 12:31 am
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cloudbam
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 Re: Vehicle length - Wheelbase
hey guys! This is my first post on here but i thought i would share some about what i have learned about three wheeled cars. As far as vehicle length goes there are a few things it effects. The longer it is the harder it is to get the weight displacement correct. Of course you have to factor this in with the amount of grip you plan on having (the use of a motorcycle or car style tire). now what is the most important about length is the ability to tip the entire vehicle at higher g's. Now you may think "oh well i am not going to be able to corner it THAT hard". That may not be completly true. Take the Campagna T-rex for example. On the "skidpad" test it can pull a 1.71. By comparison the mclarin f1 pulls a .89. Huge difference. The Campagna has a dry weight of 1000 pounds. so, with a little work, a homemade vehicle like these should be able to pull even more. Now imagine the wheels of the vehicle as a triangle. the longer you stretch the rear point away from the front two, the easier it will be to tip. the T-rex has the ability to tip itself and the front track is 70 inches wide. Why not one of the vehicles built here? Just a thought. Any corrections are welcome. Thanks.
P.S.
second thought, most vehicles proportions are about the same. Normaly you can fit 4 wheels from the back of the front tire to the front of the rear tire. And is about 2 to two and a half tires high. Though the idea we would be working with would only be about 1 1/2 to 2 high.
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9/11/2006, 1:11 pm
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Acerguy
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Re: Vehicle length - Wheelbase
Here is a nice analysis on the vehicle dynamics of three wheeled vehicles: http://www.rqriley.com/3-wheel.htm
I can confirm from personal experience in building trikes (human powered) that the key is keeping the CG as close to the side by side wheels is vital. Lengthening the vehicle but keeping the actual distance of the CG to the two side by side wheels the same will make the vehicle LESS prone to tipping. Put another way, if you took the basic Indycycle-style concept and added an extended swingarm, the vehicle would be less prone to tipping (effectively moving the CG closer to the front). However, if you add the length IN FRONT of the driver, then you are moving the CG AWAY from the front....so it would be MORE prone to tipping. 
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9/19/2006, 1:55 pm
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FEF
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Re: Vehicle length - Wheelbase
It's my understanding that it's best to keep the weight in the triangle. Imagine the tires beign teh corners, and you'll be OK.
With this in mind, it's also true that making the wheelbase longer makes that triangle tricky. That means virtually nothing on the rear section.
The triangle works for motorcycle sidecar outfits, too. I'm told, it's all about the triangle.
It appears that there are no issues extending the design, as long as the weight triangle is kept in mind.
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10/31/2006, 3:20 am
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