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Converging 5 link trailing arm suspension design?
GaryM - 26/3/08 at 06:10 PM

Does anyone know of any car that uses converging (when viewed from above) trailing arms in a 5 link configuration?

Cheers
Gary

MikeR - 26/3/08 at 06:26 PM

what are you looking for?

Caterham link two arms together and they attach to the axle in the middle. This does away with the need for a panhard rod (making a 4 link design).

Simon - 26/3/08 at 11:12 PM

I'll have to check the Haynes book, but isn't the SD1 a 5 link set up?

ATB

Simon

procomp - 27/3/08 at 07:56 AM

Hi one of the Toyata's in the late 80's i think. Had simalar to your discription. I think it was the last of the RWD corolla's.

Cheers Matt

mcerd1 - 27/3/08 at 08:49 AM

Scimitars ??

aerosam - 27/3/08 at 01:15 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Simon
I'll have to check the Haynes book, but isn't the SD1 a 5 link set up?

ATB

Simon


The SD1 had a watts linkage, I'm not sure if that is the same thing.

mcerd1 - 27/3/08 at 05:11 PM

quote:
Originally posted by aerosam
The SD1 had a watts linkage, I'm not sure if that is the same thing.


the scimitars have a watt's linkage too, it just replaces the panhard rod

but i'd need to get the tape measure out to find out if the trailing arms are converging of not

[Edited on 27/3/08 by mcerd1]

TheGecko - 27/3/08 at 11:36 PM

In general terms, the whole point of having a 4-link location with one (or both) pairs converging (called a Satchell Link by the way) is to do away with the need for a 5th link to do transverse location. Therefore a 5-link with converging trailing links would be unusual - not impossible, just unusual. From memory a production car with Satchell link rear was the Holden Torana. The very first series Torana (late '60s) was basically a rebadged Vauxhall Viva I believe but the later ones were pretty much Australian local designs.

More important question - why do you want to know?

Dominic

MikeRJ - 27/3/08 at 11:42 PM

quote:
Originally posted by TheGecko
In general terms, the whole point of having a 4-link location with one (or both) pairs converging (called a Satchell Link by the way) is to do away with the need for a 5th link to do transverse location. Therefore a 5-link with converging trailing links would be unusual - not impossible, just unusual.


I'm think a Satchell link used with a Panhard rod would bind. The axle would be forced to move sideways by the Panhard rod when in bump or droop, but the Satchell link would resist this.