VCU Torque test results

b-bassett said:

right here's some actual figures

car has 100,000 on it ( assume original vcu)
5kg weight (5 litres water)
1m bar
time taken to move 45 degrees .....

3 mins...

think it may be on its last legs gearbox seems to have gone bang anyway, so not suprising the rest of the cars dying

Click to expand...

Madmax - can you publish your results in this type of format, please?

http://www.scribd.com/doc/44619806/VCU-Test-Results

Hope this is ok
car has covered 77000 dont no about vcu
I done test with 2 weights,
first with 1.2m bar and 8kg/litres of water
time to move 45 degrees
38 seconds

second test 1.2 bar and 5kg/letres of water
time to move 45 degrees
1min 35 seconds which didnt look right but done it again and was second different.

I thought I read it somewere it was 1.2 and 8kg not 1m and 5kg. What are we going with??

reet folks - tiz time to do sum maths............

correct me if I am wrong, but Torque(moment) = force *length of lever - ie 5KG*1.2M - 6KGM?
The Energy required to turn the VCU is the torque*Angle moved (in Radians).

But to make things a bit more simple (for me primarily) what we want to find out is the Energy required to rotate the VCU? - my understanding is that if the VCU requires a lot of energy to turn it then it is failing due to it being close to seizing and if the VCU requires only a small amount to turn, then the VCU is failing due to it failing to lock up.

Would you agree with this?

If this is the case then we need to find the torque used to turn the VCU - nice and easy - mass in KG divided by length of lever in Meters. This will give us the torque in KGM???
To find the Energy used we time how long it takes to move the lever through a given rotational movement (ideally in radians, but from our perspective a given number of degrees is satisfactory). I would think the bigger the movement the better (90deg?), but it would appear that most peeps are timing over 45 degrees?

Discuss! [smile] Please [/smile]

see right hand side figures in http://www.scribd.com/doc/44619806/VCU-Test-Results

The Mad Hat Man said:

see right hand side figures in VCU Test Results

Click to expand...

I have to say your good!!

but my 2 results are abit different arent they? And that was me redoing it.

So now what do we do wait till one dies and up date it or check them every 6months or 6000miles or something like that??

Yes its a bit disconcerting that the results arent repeatable, or consistent..... That tends to throw all the results into the "unknown" area - not good.

At the mo - it looks like Berty Bassetts is very much on the high side, but I dont like your 15.8 result either .

no i didnt like that one ether, my 2 results arent even close to each other. When I did it with the 8kg it flew round gaining speed as it went were with 5kg it potted round.

Do you think it is something we should try to update over a ruf set milage for our own peace of mind and also for all that are concerned??

I think it would be better to standardise on a 5KG weight and try and time 90 degrees. I think the longer distance the more repeatable results might be.
Unfortunately its down to yu guys to keep checking so that we can build up a comprehensive database of results. Its early days at the mo.

Do you agree with my reasoning in post 123?

:scratching_chin:Yes I do agree with working out the energy, it makes more sense..... I think..... but im running trying to keep up, this landy/4x4 stuff is all new but im trying to learn.

I have a brand new VCU from Ashcroft waited to be fitted, I also have my old VCU already removed. I would very much like to participate with the tests and the data sharing.

Do you have pictures of your test setup?

Also won't the angle be of a big influence? What I mean is that if you have a bar of 1.2 metre standing at an angle of 45 degrees with a weight on the end, the force would be less if the angle is more steep like 60 degrees, and more if the angle is near horizontal like 80 degrees. right?

My idea is that the testing method is very important and should be done the same by every tester if you want to compare values.

yu have very valid points... easy one first...... http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f38/definitive-freelander-vcu-testing-thread-99163.html

yes - I agree the angle that the bar traverses through is likely to be critical.
May I suggest the the bar starts at 1:30oclock and ends at 4:30oclock? ie the bar traverses 90 degrees starting at 45 degrees and ending at 135 degreees. This to be carried out with a 1 metre bar and a 5KG weight.

Might also be worth noting what engine and gearbox is fitted - just in case there are any differences.

hippo has a video on thread think page 5 or 6 ish. first 3 or 4 was arguing lol
1 back wheel up, 1st gear, we are now going with 5kg and i think we were try for 1.2 some are 1m bar.

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh01nQgh7z8"]YouTube - Freelander 1 2001 v6 Viscous Coupling Unit VCU Torque Test[/nomedia]

The Mad Hat Man said:

May I suggest the the bar starts at 1:30oclock and ends at 4:30oclock? ie the bar traverses 90 degrees starting at 45 degrees and ending at 135 degreees. This to be carried out with a 1 metres bar and a 5KG weight.

Click to expand...

I agree is there anyway we could get this put up so people no. Atleast that way we will all have more consistant results with each other.

The Mad Hat Man said:

YouTube - Freelander 1 2001 v6 Viscous Coupling Unit VCU Torque Test

Click to expand...

thats the one thankyou

i thought I just had?
I have also posted it in http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f38/definitive-freelander-vcu-testing-thread-99163.html as well.

This is the first time I have used this option from GoogleDocs, but maybe this could be usefull:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dEt4TS1hZk1sOF8zckxYNEtUSkphMlE6MQ

The data is placed in a spreadsheet which can be made available to everyone.

Any further ideas for this spreadsheet?

I like the look of the start of it 50cc, just wish i had done it with a 1m rather that 1.2 and 90 instead of 45

erm
already done it - i have a spreadsheet available on Scribd - jusy need yu to tell me the results so I can update it - see VCU Test Results

I’ve filmed some more tests with varying weights, and will put this together and pass to mhm for him to check, prior to making it public. I just need a dry weekend to remove the vcu as I would also like to record it tested, off the car, on it’s own, as a comparison. Just to see what results I get back.

Whilst doing the test with one wheel up, I was starting the bar at say 1 o’clock, and watching it fall. The bar moves slow at first, then faster. This is because at say 3 o’clock (horizontal), the bar is heavier than at 1 o’clock. So for this reason is may be easier for peeps to start the measurement going, and time from 45 degrees until it’s horizontal. Hence the bar being timed turning 45 degrees. 45 will be easier to spot. It’s much more noticeable when filming 2kg at 1.2m.

Someone previously posted: weight x bar length = newtons effort

Did yu read my post #123, Hippo?

Thinking about it, it is because a constant torque is not being applied, because the weight is always acting vertically. If yu started at 12:00, it would never move .

The greater the angle ( or to be more accurate, the longer the time) the more accurate the result will be. If the test is always conducted over the same angular displacement 1:00 to 5:00 or (preferably) 1:30 to 4:30 (45-135deg) then the rotational forces acting spin the hub will be the same. Frictional losses having to be ignored .

That is correct , isn't it?

The other method , using a torque wrench, overcomes this problem, because it us the torque applied tbat is measured, which won't vary, as the torque wrench will apply it uniformly.