Information AboutWheelbase |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT WHEELBASE | |
| fundamental physics concepts | |
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In both road and rail Vehicle s, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels. ROAD In Automobile s, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel, and the center of the rear wheel. At equilibrium, the total Torque of the forces acting on the car is zero, and thus the wheelbase is related to the Weight on each tire by the following formulas: : : where is the Weight on the front tire, is the Weight on the rear tire, is the wheelbase, is the distance from the Center Of Gravity (CG) to the rear wheel, is the distance from the center of gravity to the front wheel, is the Mass of the car, and is the Gravity Constant . So, for example, when one loads the trunk with heavy goods, the center of gravity shifts rearward and the Weight on the rear tire increases causing it to sink depending upon the stiffness of the Suspension . If the Automobile is accelerating or decelerating, extra Torque is placed on the rear or front Tire respectively, and the equation relating the wheelbase, height above the ground of the CG, and the weight on each Tire becomes: : : Because of the effect the wheelbase has on the Weight transfer of the vehicle, wheelbase dimensions are crucial to the balance and steering of the Automobile . For example, a Car with a much greater Weight load on the rear tends to Understeer due to the lack of weight and therefore grip from the front Tire s. This is why it is crucial, when towing a single-axle caravan, to distribute the caravan's weight so that down-thrust on the tow-hook is about 100 pounds force (400 N). Likewise, a car may Oversteer or even "spin out" if there is too much Weight on the front Tire s and not enough on the rear Tire s. Also, when turning there is lateral Torque placed upon the Tire s which imparts a turning force that depends upon the length of the Tire distances from the CG. Thus, in a car with a short wheelbase, the short lever arm from the CG to the rear wheel will result in a greater lateral Force on the rear Tire which means greater acceleration and less time for the driver to adjust and prevent a spin out or worse. Wheelbases provide the basis for one of the most common Vehicle Size Class systems. Bikes See Also: Bicycle and motorcycle geometry The Wheelbase on many commercially available Bicycle s and Motorcycle s is so short, relative to the height of their Centers Of Mass , that they are able to perform Stoppie s and Wheelie s. RAIL In rail vehicles, the wheelbase follows a similar concept. It is particularly applied to Steam Locomotives . Short-wheelbased locomotives can negotiate sharper curves. On some larger wheelbase locomotives, driving wheels may lack Flange s in order to pass curves. SEE ALSO REFERENCES |
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