My Elio Alternate Project Is Underway.

[Coss]

Radiator to the side is quite common for transverse engines, where the weight of the engine typically falls more to one side than the other. The battery, washer bottle, fuse boxes etc are also often on the opposite side of the engine to counter the weight.

No reason to block the flow to the exhaust manifold on the right side, the radiator will get enough, and anyway, airflow requires 2 parameters, high pressure to move to low pressure, so what's behind the radiator, or rather what isn't, is critical, and there is a lot of space around the small gearbox behind the radiator.

Oh, and the radiator is actually more centered than it was on the donor car, hence why I need a new, and longer top hose.

You can see the radiator to the left in the video at 2.44 to 2.50

When you first took off on your test drive, I thought you were test driving your 3 wheeler, and in my head, I'm wondering where you got the time to install the windshield, you got out and my mind is in overdrive thinking you had a lot more done then you had showed us. Then my alarm went off and I realized it wasn't the 3 wheeler (DUH) But it is looking really good. It is going to happen sooner then you expect, then you will be here talking about how you can't keep up with orders. Looking good Mark, hang in there, the good part is going to happen sooner then you think.

 

[Mark BEX]

how do you a just the angle ?

With some difficulty, and trial/error. Of course there is a formula, but that is for solid wheels, most of us drive with tires on our wheels that have large varying degrees of slip angle that has to be taken into account.

You see the angles of the steering arms are not parallel, red arrows, that angle must be changed, but you have to get tricky when you have cast spindles with integral steering arms.

You can move the steering rack back or forth some longitudinally, and up and down a little keeping bumpsteer in check, that will change the tie rod to steering arm angle relationship, and/or make some adaptors to relocate the tie rod end pivot point. That is convenient because you can change the steering ratio as well for more, or less, turns of the steering wheel 'lock to lock'.

I initially erred on the lighter side of ackermann for the BEX because being a 3 wheeler, I didn't want to inside wheel 'anchoring' too much in an emergency swerve. Look at my picture and you can see what I mean by "anchoring", the more acute angle grabbing, like throwing an anchor out to one side (and steering the car to the left in that case). But I simply didn't give it enough, being on the side of too safe.

 

[Mark BEX]

So the scrubbing noise of my truck tires turning on the asphalt (slow, sharp turns) is an indication that the Ackermann angles are probably off?

No idea. possible. Have you fitted lower profile tires to it? Maybe it's just too darn heavy, wrong air pressure, wheel alignment off, numbers of reasons.

One thing that does cause it is a manufacturer offering a longer wheelbase of the original design, and because of cost reasons, using the same front spindles/steering geometry of the original shorter wheelbase version (or vice versa). the manufacturer may spec a different tire with a different slip angle to compensate.

 

[84mpg]

No idea. possible. Have you fitted lower profile tires to it? Maybe it's just too darn heavy, wrong air pressure, wheel alignment off, numbers of reasons.

One thing that does cause it is a manufacturer offering a longer wheelbase of the original design, and because of cost reasons, using the same front spindles/steering geometry of the original shorter wheelbase version (or vice versa). the manufacturer may spec a different tire with a different slip angle to compensate.

Original tires are on it.

I suspect it could be slightly out of alignment... although I don't "feel" it being out of alignment. I do my best to miss potholes or avoid hitting curbs, etc. (My wife is not so much concerned with scarring rims on curbs and has a history to back up that claim.)

Around here, you could give a Great Dane a bath in your choice of holes in streets. It's almost impossible to miss holes and poor patch jobs in my area.

Missing potholes will be a little tougher in a 3-wheeler... But I look forward to the challenge.

Hoping to see a vid this week of the naked BEX running around outside!

 

[Mark BEX]

Depending which way you look at it, I had good luck and or bad luck today.

I mentioned I have to modify the rack housing and mount for the new ackermann setup, well I messaged my parts store to get a new rack out for me, I'm on my way, and he replies that "they don't have any", and "they have stopped making them"!

I said "Wadd da?, I see plenty of them on the road", and sent him a picture of one parked in front of my neighbors factory .. "oh you don't mean the Ben Ben, you mean the Ben Ben Mini (series 2) .... got plenty of those".

Seems I had ordered the older model, and this mucking around with the ackermann has caught out that fact before I committed to using that rack, and the later one is even a better setup, and still in production today in the series 3 Ben Ben, which is stupidly called the Ben Ben 2.

"Better setup" because it has a slightly faster ratio (less turns lock to lock) and you can see the huge mounting flange with 2 bolt holes, can't get much simpler than that! Also the pinion will be closer to the car's center, reducing the steering column shaft universal joint's angles for smoother operation.

As you can see I bought that one, stripped it and cut the end off, now at home measuring it and putting it into CAD 3D so i can design a new, and easier, mount for it

Hoping to see a vid this week of the naked BEX running around outside!

You would have to ask the local police for the videos. Not sure if they kept them after the Court case ...

 

[Mark BEX]

The mounting, green, is just so much easier than the other rack housing, off to the laser shop tomorrow :-)

PS: This is the last thing to do before I can give it a test drive.

 

[84mpg]

The mounting, green, is just so much easier than the other rack housing, off to the laser shop tomorrow :-)

PS: This is the last thing to do before I can give it a test drive.

View attachment 25632

Hey Mark... If you round the corners you'll save some weight. Naw... just kidding'!! Nice, clean looking mount.
Gonna work like a charm!

You're going to be like a kid in a candy shop when you get it outside for a spin. Can't wait to see it in action and hear your reviews!!

 

[3wheelin]

Hey Mark... If you round the corners you'll save some weight. Naw... just kidding'!! Nice, clean looking mount.
Gonna work like a charm!

You're going to be like a kid in a candy shop when you get it outside for a spin. Can't wait to see it in action and hear your reviews!!

I think it'll be like another day at the office for Mark because he's been there, done that! On the other hand, I'll be the one jumping up and down when I see the video of the BEX do 0-60 in 5 sec!

 

[Mark BEX]

I've been told you can also put the arms forward too, following that same projection of alignment. Of course, provided you can clear the rims etc.

There's a little thing called an "engine" there that prevents a front mount rack.

You're going to be like a kid in a candy shop when you get it outside for a spin. Can't wait to see it in action and hear your reviews!!

There will be too much critique going on to enjoy myself, there will be problems evident, there always is.

..............................

Anyway, another day, my laser shop guy was not there today, so has to wait until tomorrow before I get my parts.

 

[Mark BEX]

I didn't get my laser cut parts until late in the afternoon, as the worker had yesterday off, and was playing catch up today. I very much appreciate they do such small jobs for me.

So I welded the main mount up, will adapt it to the very simple mount to the crossmember tomorrow. You can see how simple it is.

The 2 parts on the left are the steering arms extensions, and are an effort to increase the 'Environmental Friendly' standing of the car, by being more 'Green'.