A great deal of interest in independent rear suspension designs lately!
I have a question about the ideal relationship between the centre line of the wheel and the wheel bearing for an IRS suspension. If you have a look at the drawing (hopefully) below, the position of the wheel bearing in the hub carrier is marked with the red dotted line.
For the sake of this question, I have penciled in a wheel with its centreline on the hub mounting face.
Now, as a pukka designer, it would seem that ideally the centreline of the wheel should coincide with the centreline of the wheel bearing (and the disc) to place the acceleration/breaking and vertical loads properly into the bearing.
However, my other logic demon suggests that if the centreline of the wheel is at the hub face (as in the drawing), the lever arm effect of loads going into the bearing from any forces trying to pivot the wheel on the bearing are minimised, particularly with a very wide wheel.
For example, if my 12" wide wheel has a rear spacing of say 8", hitting a bump on the tyre's inner edge (or running some -ve camber) will put a larger lever over the bearing than if the rear spacing was 6".
So, If I am seeking the longest bearing life, where should the wheel centreline actually be? Over the bearing, at the hub face, or some distance in between (if I am right on both counts)?
I appreciate the level of expertise on the forum, and thank you in advance for your ideas.
I have a question about the ideal relationship between the centre line of the wheel and the wheel bearing for an IRS suspension. If you have a look at the drawing (hopefully) below, the position of the wheel bearing in the hub carrier is marked with the red dotted line.
For the sake of this question, I have penciled in a wheel with its centreline on the hub mounting face.
Now, as a pukka designer, it would seem that ideally the centreline of the wheel should coincide with the centreline of the wheel bearing (and the disc) to place the acceleration/breaking and vertical loads properly into the bearing.
However, my other logic demon suggests that if the centreline of the wheel is at the hub face (as in the drawing), the lever arm effect of loads going into the bearing from any forces trying to pivot the wheel on the bearing are minimised, particularly with a very wide wheel.
For example, if my 12" wide wheel has a rear spacing of say 8", hitting a bump on the tyre's inner edge (or running some -ve camber) will put a larger lever over the bearing than if the rear spacing was 6".
So, If I am seeking the longest bearing life, where should the wheel centreline actually be? Over the bearing, at the hub face, or some distance in between (if I am right on both counts)?
I appreciate the level of expertise on the forum, and thank you in advance for your ideas.
