[ROVERNET - UK] P6 Rear Suspension Function

Glen Wilson rovercar at comcast.net
Mon Apr 7 17:11:44 BST 2008


Steven Dibdin wrote:
> No, both systems have the DD tube conected to the hubs for the same reason; to try to keep the both wheels prependicular to the road surface. Neither are turely independent systems. The idea is you get the pluses of the independent's low unsprung weight (good for ride and handling) and the live axle setup (wheels planted firmly to the road by maintaining camber independant of suspension travel). As a way of doing things it works pretty well but with some new compromises.
>   

'Splain it to me some more...

I understand the camber advantages, but maybe I'm not clear on the way 
the tube works. As far as I can see the tube is simply bolted to the 
wheel hubs in a static manner. The two halves of the tube slide 
laterally, but they do not rotate with respect to each other, and the 
tube is stiff.  Therefore, when one bounces or leaves the road, I would 
think that the other wheel would have to be affected. In fact, I'm not 
sure why something doesn't break.  If the two wheel centers are on the 
same plane and the camber is fixed, how can one wheel go over a bump 
without changing the camber of the other wheel just as it would in a 
live axle setup? Are you saying that the DeDion tube flexes? I can't see 
where it is designed to do that.

I've read the theory, but how does it actually work?

Glen



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