LEGO Tank Suspension Types Video

[Kelkschiz]

Hi all,

I made a small video which some of you may find insteresting. It's about different kinds of tank suspension and how to build them in LEGO, nothing fancy just something for beginners.

[Tommy Styrvoky]

great video, it seems to cover the basics of suspension building, even though nearly every vehicle uses a different type ( though most vehicles post WWII use torsion bars) . The dual torsion bar setup is interesting, but I think panthers used singular full hull length torsion bars, cool concept though, I wonder if it is possible to make it even more compact.

[jorgeopesi]

Very interesting video, what about using Lego rubber 2x1 fixing the axes in the torsion bar suspension?.

Edited February 10, 2015 by jorgeopesi

[bjorkan]

very interesting, we should have organized posts and videos like this one as a kind of lessons

[Kelkschiz]

@jorgeopesi, yes i think using those nifty 2x1 rubbers would be a very nice to both fixate the axles at the end and provide a bit of extra dampening. Perhaps i should get me a few of those.

@Tommy, Thanks! About the panther suspension, there may have been more versions, but this setup was definitely used on panther tanks. For instance, take a look at this video:

This suspension system is fully dscribed in Panther & Its Variants (1993) by Walter J. Spielberger.

Edited February 10, 2015 by Kelkschiz

[bonox]

That's obviously a great deal of work to produce that video. Just wanted to express my appreciation for your effort and I learnt a few new things as well as enjoying some of the old footage of the real things.

[Kelkschiz]

That's obviously a great deal of work to produce that video. Just wanted to express my appreciation for your effort and I learnt a few new things as well as enjoying some of the old footage of the real things.

Making these videos always takes longer than you expect! Thanks for your kind words :).

[D3K]

Great and very informative video! Thanks!

[darksheep]

This is really cool , like the subject and how its presented .

[dougstar]

You have made it very easy to understand good video ☆☆☆☆☆

[__________________________]

great video, it seems to cover the basics of suspension building, even though nearly every vehicle uses a different type ( though most vehicles post WWII use torsion bars) . The dual torsion bar setup is interesting, but I think panthers used singular full hull length torsion bars, cool concept though, I wonder if it is possible to make it even more compact.

If Tommy says it's a good video it's a good video

[Kelkschiz]

I wonder if it is possible to make it even more compact.

It should be possible to eliminate the middle notch. The pivot block might be tricky though...

[sonar]

Thanks for the video. But you could have mentioned the most modern - the hydropneumatic - tank suspension which is used by most modern tanks: K2, Type 10, Altay, Arjun, Challenger 2 or Leclerc. Has anyone tried to replicate this type of suspension on tracked Lego vehicles?

Edited February 11, 2015 by sonar

[Kelkschiz]

Thanks for the video. But you could have mentioned the most modern - the hydropneumatic - tank suspension which is used by most modern tanks: K2, Type 10, Altay, Arjun, Challenger 2 or Leclerc. Has anyone tried to replicate this type of suspension on tracked Lego vehicles?

As far as i know nobodies has tried to create that yet. I was thinking about the same thing after i had finished the video and relaxed a bit. It is always after doing a video that i think of new stuff, very annoying . But when i figured all the parts i would need for that, i quickly forgot about it again.

[Tommy Styrvoky]

Thanks for the video. But you could have mentioned the most modern - the hydropneumatic - tank suspension which is used by most modern tanks: K2, Type 10, Altay, Arjun, Challenger 2 or Leclerc. Has anyone tried to replicate this type of suspension on tracked Lego vehicles?

Hydorpneumatic suspension would be impossible to do with current lego parts, because it requires a compressible gas and a fluid, it could work with pneumatics, but it would loose pressure over time, and take up too much space. It would be simpler to replicate that with torsion bars or springs.

[Saberwing40k]

I found some other videos related to how the torsion bar suspension works:

And one for a triple differential drive setup:

I also found a page that describes a variety of tank drive systems, which could inspire other builders:

http://www.gizmology.net/tracked.htm

And finally, how to change a track:

http://youtu.be/dn1wxSDYz9A

[sonar]

Hydorpneumatic suspension would be impossible to do with current lego parts, because it requires a compressible gas and a fluid, it could work with pneumatics, but it would loose pressure over time, and take up too much space. It would be simpler to replicate that with torsion bars or springs.

I was thinking the same thing about Lego pneumatics. The system uses air which should be compressible. Therefore the lower the pressure, the softer the suspension. Can you sustain different levels of air pressure in the system? Or does it work only in binary mode (full pressure-no pressure) and does not have in-between states (Sariel's book does not explain that)? I do not own any pneumatic elements and have no experience with them.

Edited February 11, 2015 by sonar

[Tommy Styrvoky]

I was thinking the same thing about Lego pneumatics. The system uses air which should be compressible. Therefore the lower the pressure, the softer the suspension. Can you sustain different levels of air pressure in the system? Or does it work only in binary mode (full pressure-no pressure) and does not have in-between states (Sariel's book does not explain that)? I do not own any pneumatic elements and have no experience with them.

I do own some cylinders,they can compress somewhat, but I think I found a better solution, there are cylinders with air inside that have springs on the rod,they would work, but they are really stiff.

here's the part

Technic shock absorber 10L dampened

Edited February 12, 2015 by Tommy Styrvoky

[sonar]

I do own some cylinders,they can compress somewhat, but I think I found a better solution, there are cylinders with air inside that have springs on the rod,they would work, but they are really stiff.

here's the part

Technic shock absorber 10L dampened

Well these cylinders look big enough to fit only in the biggest models. Besides any use of spring elements is by definition a Christie suspension.

What I am thinking as Hudropneumatic suspension is all pneumatic cylinders for every roadwheel connected into one closed pneumatic system. But I guess it is not so easy to pull off.

[Kelkschiz]

Well these cylinders look big enough to fit only in the biggest models. Besides any use of spring elements is by definition a Christie suspension.

What I am thinking as Hudropneumatic suspension is all pneumatic cylinders for every roadwheel connected into one closed pneumatic system. But I guess it is not so easy to pull off.

I'd have to disagree that any suspension with spring elements constitutes a Christie suspension. Whether you pick the old First World War vertical coil spring suspension, or the leaf spring suspension of the same era, or the Second World War bogie/VVSS or Horstmann suspension, they all had springs of one type or another without being Christie suspensions. Even a torsion bar can be called a spring. So many suspension types use springs.

As I see it the Christie suspension is defined by the placement and shape of the swing-arm and the placement and size of the spring: big springs, usually placed in the hull, with the swing-arm transporting the force to the spring.

[sonar]

I'd have to disagree that any suspension with spring elements constitutes a Christie suspension. Whether you pick the old First World War vertical coil spring suspension, or the leaf spring suspension of the same era, or the Second World War bogie/VVSS or Horstmann suspension, they all had springs of one type or another without being Christie suspensions. Even a torsion bar can be called a spring. So many suspension types use springs.

As I see it the Christie suspension is defined by the placement and shape of the swing-arm and the placement and size of the spring: big springs, usually placed in the hull, with the swing-arm transporting the force to the spring.

Yes the leaf spring suspension is different because unsprung suspension elements mount directly onto the leaf spring. This system is different.

The rest work on the same basic principle: coil spring element on one end of the swing arm and roadwheel on the other end. One coil spring + one swing arm - basic trailing arm suspension. Combine bogie suspension with two trailing arm suspensions - you have VVSS suspension. Change direction of the coil spring - you have Christie suspension. Mount two Christie suspensions back to back - Horstmann suspension. Replace coil spring of trailing arm suspension with torsion bar - you have torsion bar suspension. All of these work on the same principle.

Edited February 12, 2015 by sonar