Rich wrote:
> <snip>
>> > there are 6-wheel Land Rovers about, and Range Rovers.
>
> Yes have driven them in the electricity industry as Simon towers.
>
> <snip>
>> Indeed, but this chappy is "designing" a 4-axle (I assume 8 wheel)
>> version, but, sadly, with only one front axle and three rear, all of
>> them driven, which Carmichael, afaik, never managed on their 3-axle fire
>> tenders.
>
> Yes, dead right, 4 axles, 3 at the rear, one steering at the front, all
> driven !!!!
> Dont understand you say Carmichael never managed it with two ??
>
> Why do you say "sadly, with only one front axle and three rear" ??
>
> I cant see a problem driving three rear axles, just throw in various
> props, a transfer box, stir it all about and away you go, only problem
> could be the overall length and the weight of complete vehicle and turning
> circle..
>
> But if any one knows better please give some input !!!
>
The problem I could see is that of scrubbing all the tyres.
With an 8x8x2 setup you have one steering axle and a further three static
axles - when turning your pivot point is going to be somewhere between the
#2 and #3 axles with the #1 and #4 axles being further out - the result is
that the wheels on the #4 axle will end up getting dragged sideways when
you're turning and you will scrub the tyres quite badly. You also stand a
fairly good chance of the #1 (steering) axle ending up in what is
effectively terminal understeed because it just doesn't have enough
traction to drag the other three round. All of this is assuming approx.
100" wheelbase between #1 and #2 axles and then around 40" wheelbase
between #2,#3 and #4
If I was doing this I'd look at building an 8x8x4 configuration with either
the #1 and #2 axles steering with 40" wheelbase between them and then 100"
between the #2 and #3 which would give you a Land Rover that thinks it's a
Scammell Explorer, or another (probably better) choice would be to have the
axles spaced approximately
| || |
and have the #1 and #4 axles steering around a turning point dead centre on
the car - no tyre scrubbing and turning characteristics similar to a dumper
truck.
Of course, the other, stranger, approach would be to build an 8x8 with no
"steering" per-se and go with fiddle brakes on all axles. At that point you
have a Land Rover Argocat.
Something to consider with what you are trying to build is that it is
effectively a half-track without the actual track.
P.
--
If Mind over Matter is a Matter of Course
Does it Matter if Nobody Minds?
