Regarding torsion bar suspension

[SteelBird]

This question seems a bit amateur but I'm a bit confused how torsion bars work in rc tanks. According to the photo, the right side torsion bars are a bit forward compared to the left side ones. So, if the suspension arms are the same length (which I believe they are), are the roads wheels of both sides not consistent?

[MichaelC]

Steel, the offset is compensated by the opposing mount swing arms like so:

2dt3gwz.jpg (18.78 KiB) Viewed 5011 times

One the top the swing arms goes from the hull mount towards the back of the tank and on the bottome it goes towards the front of the tank.

[jackalope]

I think more then likely the arms facing opposite directions is due to the torsion bars themselves and no room to mount them so the arms would be able to swing the same direction.

[SteelBird]

Ah, I see it. What about real tanks? Do they work the same way?

[MichaelC]

Actually that's how real tanks works with torsion bar suspension as like Shaun says, there is no room to mount them direct across from each other. What you see on some Heng Long tanks is wrong, for example some of the German tanks (Tigers, Panthers) are torsion bar in real life, but Heng Long basically use individual springs instead so you don't see them. If you flip over your PanTiger the swing arms line up perfectly since it is not torsion bar.

Heng Long's T34 for example is correct since in real life it is a christie type suspension which is individual springs.

[jarndice]

On the old Renault R16 car,
The rear suspension was primarily Torsion Bar and indeed one of the rear wheels was further back than the opposite wheel, as it was a front wheel drive car it did not matter.
It allowed a low and flat floor throughout the vehicle and as the R16 was a 5 door wagon it made a lot of sense, and if it hadn't of fallen apart faster than cardboard in a rainstorm it would have been a decent car.
A classic case of the Engineers being over ruled by the accountants.
shaun.

[jackalope]

Dodge cars used torsion bars for the front suspension too.

[ALPHA]

LOL....The most common vehicle that has torsion bar suspension in my mind is the Volkswagen Beetle ...it was a relatively light car...so the beams could be positioned parallel to each other....it's more expensive cousin also still run them...The cousin would be the Porsche

Tank wise ...Modern tanks still use the system...and what MichaelC said is totally correct...Toy wise....I don't like the "round" bar system...they are usually not user friendly...Think Tamiya has the best design utilizing them ..with "flat" leaf torsion springs...With that said...I also think Tamiya's work...because you build the tank from kit form...which differs a great deal than those pre made My Taigen PIII was a bloody terror to adjust ...and there have been others who weren't happy with what was in their KVs

ALPHA

[SteelBird]

This seems not the case you describe: all the suspension arms are in one direction but their positions are consistent with the other side.

[ALPHA]

Sorry SteelB...the suspension arms are still offset...take a good look...they are not parallel to each other (straight across)...the right side is one step forward from the left...With that said though...Not sure what brand chassis that is...but the adjustability looks darn good


ALPHA