4 Bars versus- radius rods ?

[KPoole9008]

What is the advantage [or is there one] of a 4 bars over a radius rods on a front straight axle ?

 

[bobscogin]

What is the advantage [or is there one] of a 4 bars over a radius rods on a front straight axle ?

From a theoretical or practical viewpoint? Theoretically, the 4 bar allows suspension travel that keeps the kingpins in the same plane end to end when only one end of the axle is moved and thus doesn't twist it. Radius rods or "hairpins" don't, and can place a lot of stress on the mounting points. Does it matter?. Probably not as much in actuality as the math would demonstrate. Convention has always held that an I beam axle, because it twist more easily than a tube axle, should be the choice for non-4 bar systems, and a 4 bar system should be used with a tube axle. All this is arguable, and has been argued for years, but that's the basic reasoning behind it.

Bob

 

[LKE]

bobscogin is exactly right. The fourbar is a better design, technically. The four bar vs hairpin debate is like the panhard vs watts link debate. One is technically better than the other, but in real world usage, they both work fine. My last car had a four bar, the new one I am biulding has radius bars. I like the look of a hairpin style radius bar more, so that is what I built.

 

[KPoole9008]

Thanks folks. I am new to the T Bucket world. I have been building Trikes for years. They have only one wheel up front. A whole lot simpler.