Help!! Problem with my SOLAR CAR!!!!!?
Question:
Our car is pretty fast when compared to those made by other groups, but the main problem is that it keeps tilting and turning all the time so it runs out of the track almost every time. The track we're supposed to run on is 1 foot wide and about 20 feet long.
Our car originally had only 3 wheels for higher speed, 2 at the back and 1 in the front. Then we found out that it's very unstable, sometimes running towards the right and sometimes left, running out of the track all the time. So we gave it 4 wheels instead, but now its speed has significantly reduced, and it's still very unstable. Now we don't know whether giving it 4 wheels instead of 3 is a right choice or not.
Help! What should we do!? Now we have 2 goals:
1) Make it run in a straight line, at least it wouldn't run out of the track again.
2) Make it even faster.
Answer:
Did you try one rear two front? Many old forklifts had that setup it may give you a tighter turning radius.
the problem You have is due to the axis of the front wheel
IS IN THE BACK OF THE WHEEL CENTER OF GRAVITY.
it should be in the front,so the axis is dragging the wheel.
in mechanical terms is call it caster
the one You have now is a "negative caster" , the one I am suggesting You is "positive caster."
what happens if you changes the wheels around two on front one at back try this it might work
Go with 1 front 2 rear. Use individual axles and put a 10 to 20 degree angle on the rear. The tops of the wheels should point inward. If this does not work you center of gravity is too high or off center. That will require a redesign.
is the motor connected straight to the wheel or does it have gears???
Can you fit steering to the car?
the wheel could be controlled by tiller running back over the car.to an idler wheel behind...
The "toe in" of the two front "tires" needs to be adjusted to cause the vehicle to self center better. An automobile will suffer from the same problem of "wandering" without the fronts aimed equally and ever so slightly towards the centerline.
In your situation, I'd spend some time reviewing the construction techniques used with mousetrap propulsion cars... same problems with regard to tracking, and they will also give you some good clues as to what to use for your "tires". Optical media layers are very popular (low mass) and may improve your speed, too.
Have a look around.
http://www.mousetrap-vehicles.com...
http://www.mousetrap-vehicles.com/questi...
A bit of work with Google will net you a bazillion results.
you made the novis go kart mistake. One of the rear wheels has to free float. if both are direct drive she will not steer right or be able to turn. Now another issue is one rear wheel pulling harder than another. If it's too light it will pull to the drive side. One of the suggestions I have is tip the drive wheel axle ever so slightly to keep it pitching in to match the coasting wheel. So in Hench its kind of pushing it back to center. Trike riders feel that right handed pull and body feels it after a long ride.
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