Three-Wheel Passenger Vehicle Stability and Handling 820140
Eight 3-wheel passenger vehicles of both one-front and one-rear wheel configurations were tested and compared to similar-sized 4-wheel vehicles. The tests produced measures of overturn resistance, oversteer/understeer, transient responses to control and external disturbance inputs, and braking performance and stability. A comparison was also made of a 4- to 3-wheel conversion, and the effects of various handling modifications were evaluated. The results indicate that a properly engineered 3-wheel car can be made as stable as a properly engineered 4-wheel car, although the single front wheel configuration may be less stable in limit maneuvers.
Citation: Van Valkenburgh, P., Klein, R., and Kanianthra, J., "Three-Wheel Passenger Vehicle Stability and Handling," SAE Technical Paper 820140, 1982, https://doi.org/10.4271/820140. Download Citation
Author(s):
Paul G. Van Valkenburgh, Richard H. Klein, Joseph Kanianthra
Affiliated:
Systems Technology, Inc., Hawthorne, CA, Office of Passenger Vehicle Research, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.
Pages: 24
Event:
SAE International Congress and Exposition
ISSN:
0148-7191
e-ISSN:
2688-3627
Also in:
Dynamics of Recreational Vehicles-SP-0509, SAE 1982 Transactions-V91-A
Related Topics:
Drag
Wheels
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