Stress still there, load path changes


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Posted by hemimech [68.188.168.186] on Saturday, August 18, 2012 at 22:51:07 :

In Reply to: Re: Trouble in Power Wagon Land posted by dave [24.131.120.209] on Saturday, August 18, 2012 at 21:22:55 :

On a typical frame the load path is concentrated straight front to rear on flat road driving. With the swivel joint in the center the load path now passes through the chassis in a crosswise motion. On the swivel frame if the Right front wheel receives a harsh vertical input the energy still drives the right frame rail upwards. Due to the disconnect in the front & rear frame section the energy then passes into the front cross member of the swivel. Right side of the frame goes up driving the Left side downward due to the fulcrum of the swivel. Keeping in mind that standard truck frames are designed to flex while going through obstacles like a ditch you can imagine that welding a large swivel cross member to the center of a standard frame will in no way stop if from flexing at any point foreword of the crossmember. That being said I believe that when the truck is put in a pose like the one above the frame is flexing enough that the rubber Engine & transmission mounts have an inadequate amount of flexibility. This constrains the entire drive line making the engine & transmission a structural member. Under this twisting load the apparent weak link appears to be the fasteners in the front mount. Solution; mounts with increased range of motion or stiffening the frame with a roll cage like structure.




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