Hydraulics?

[donkey boy]

OK, it's crazy and probably completely off the wall. But reading all the nonsense we are writing in the "Grant Steering Wheel" thread, I was somehow fascinated by the idea of hydraulic suspensions. Not for making hops and three wheel stands and stuff like this, but for keeping traction when rock crawling. You could lower and lift the body, transfer more weight to one side, keep the body straight on side slopes, really play with your suspension. Hmmm -- Did anybody ever attempted something like that?

 

[rpenner54]

I think that there are tractors that use this type of "suspension". The only problem is you would have to use either hydrolics or springs I don't think its possible to do both. However I know that I am wrong on lots of things and that is probably one of them. Doing something to this nature would seem to take the fun out of rock crawling to me too. Part of the fun is learning how to place the tire just right and get it so you don't come smacking down on that next rock. IMHO only though.

 

[riffman]

Hydrolic everything!!!

check this site out....

Dead Link Removed

Its a site about a monster truck that has a hydrolic suspension, drivetrain, blah blah blah......its kinda neat....but i don't think it answers your question.


(yes yes yes...i know i can't spell!!! )

 

[Frank-D]

Hi Michael,

I`ve seen something simulare in a offroad-magazine(4wheel fun September`98).

They make it with air suspension at a CJ5-build for trails only. They can make a lift of more than 1 meter at each wheel. The suspension works like the one in a Citroen XM.They get that system from Canada.

Sorry have the magazine with some photos-but no scanner at home.Maybe some friend had one so I can put some at this thread.

and that is no joke!!!

It`s the biggest CJ5 I`ve ever seen in my life.
Here are some mods of it:
8,2 liter V8 Caddy engine
Unimog axles with 100%air locker system
38,5x16 R15 super swamper tires
Power welder
2 warn winches-8274

 

[donkey boy]

Ryan, I agree w/you that it would take part of the fun out of 4-wheeling. The same with 4 wheel steering. OK, this was the killer-argument. Let's forget about it ... for now

riffman, I was thinking about something less big and sofisticated (sophisticated??, LOL, what was that with the spelling)

Frank, air-suspensions became actually pretty common in the upper-class SUV's (Range Rover, Land Cruiser, Explorer Ltd.), but you are right, it would also be a way to go, with some independent control for each wheel, hmm...

[Edited by donkey boy on 07-20-2000 at 12:45 PM]

 

[mrboyle]

Have you seen the Scorpion MKI rock crawler? http://www.fourwheeler.com/gallery/scorp/index.html It uses Firestone air bags not only for suspension, but for stability. It has a preportioning valve that links the air bags, so when one tire goes up, the tire on the oppisite corner goes down. The same thing could be done using a hydro. suspension, but with hydros your suspension would be fairly rigid and not able to function, except to flex. By using air the scorpion can function like a normal suspension, and FLEX like crazy.

 

[95ExplorerLtd]

Anybody have regular hydros?

Well does anybody have regular hydros? The kind to go up and down, front to back, side to side? Think they'd be worth it?

 

[mikefox]

santanimal

Wow, riffman. I haven't seen or heard of that truck since I saw it in person back in the '80s at a Monster Truck/mud bog/tractor pull at the old Kingdome in Seattle. It was pretty cool to see it go through its routine. They had it go up on its back wheels and wheelie over a Sherriff's car. The truck back then also would come out with a triangular track setup at each wheel. I seen that setup go through a mud bog and get stuck and had to be pulled out.What memories you have stirred up.

 

[Frank-D]

Hi everybody,

The Scorpion MKI is really maniac-maybe someone would do this with an Explorer?!?!
Ey donkeyboy-what`s about you????

mrboyle,do you know the owner of it-maybe they will come to moab next year-so we can see it live in action?!?!

Frank-D
Stuttgart/Germany

 

[donkey boy]

Yeah Frank, why not!! Just find me a sponsor first
My Ex-Defender is a daily driver and my only car (I don't think my wife would borrow me hers, except if it needs a wash or tune-up)

 

[GJarrett]

Frank, you asked about the owner of the Scorpion. It is actually a custom made kit that you can order

http://www.scorpionvehicles.com/

Similar to a Sniper, but a Scorpion is street legal.

 

[rpenner54]

The sniper is too! All of the ones I have seen always have license plates on them. I am not 100% positive on that though. Maybe at some point I will go over to their shop and ask. But that would get me in trouble.

 

[mrboyle]

I don't know the owner, but I did meet him a couple years ago at the SEMA show in Vegas. He was in Moab several times with the origional Scorpion and most recently with his latest version running a 4cyl turbo Cummins oil burnner. I envy his fabricating and engineering ability and if you ever get a chance to meet him he is a extreemly down-to-earth individual.

 

[Frank-D]

Hi everybody,

I`ve been on the Scorpionsites you said.
This vehicle can really be called "Unstopable"!

Sorry donkeyboy can`t help you with a sponsor-I don`t have enough money-bought to much for my Explorer!!!

But I think about to give the idea to someone I know-he is in a 4x4 club,maybe they have enough money for a simulare project!?!You can find crazy&rich people everywhere!!

I´m sad that we don`t have nothing like this in German-army(I`ve been theire 3 years ago).Than I maybe have had the chance to drove with it!


So let me know if anyone,rich&crazy,would make a Explorer-Scorpion project!

Frank-D
Stuttgart/Germany

 

[mattadams]

the idea of an Explorer Scorpion is like saying that the scorpion is a Jeep... it's not... they take some jeep parts, some chevy parts (if I remember right either the Scorpion or the sniper uses a Chevy engine), probably some Ford parts and a whole bunch of other parts. It doesn't have a body of a vehicle, its the body of a machine. It's like the thread we had a while back called "the ultimate explorer" where everyone said what they'd do to make their Explorer the ULTIMATE Explorer, but you forget that after a certain point you can't call it an Explorer if your replacing the body, reinforcing the frame, replacing all the axles, etc.

 

[Frank-D]

Sorry Matt,

maybe I had to explain->I think the idea with the suspenion is very good-airbags and the system.I think it could be also done to a Explorer.You`re right when you say that a ULTIMATE Explorer just had to look like a Explorer and also had the main "System" of it,but need some mods- suspenion,engine,interior,exterior and multimedia.
So it don`t matter for me if the lift is done by bodylift,suspenion(trailmaster,rancho,...) or something like the custommade suspenion of the Scorpion!!

So please don`t throw me out of the best message-board for Explorers-just a joke!!!!

Frank-D
Stuttgart/Germany

 

[Ray Lobato]

Hey Frank-D,
At least you didn't post a picture of a suburban like someone else(Goober) did. We thought about taking his little Explorers away.

 

[Goober]

Man, .....Ya make one little-itty-bitty teeeeenny-tiny mistake and they attack like a pack of rabid wolves.

I'm sorry!,....sob, sob,..... (Doing Wayne & Garth,... I'm scum,..I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy.... ).


All good now??

 

[rpenner54]

Walker Evans' newest rockcrawler uses hydrolic stearing front and rear along with LONG coil's with hydrolics in them. Course its not street legal but it can be done.