Variable Length Linkage - swivelling

grabcad

I modelled a late 2013, early 2014 model and gave it some minor touch-ups before uploading to GrabCAD, but I'm not entirely satisfied with it as it stands. If I were to rebuild it today, I would do things very differently, making significant improvements over the initial version's somewhat sloppy and disorganized modelling. Although I wasn't happy with this older design, I decided to go ahead and share it on GrabCAD anyway. The conceptual model depicts a linkage system where the distance between its endpoints stays roughly consistent within one plane while varying in another. I had envisioned using this type of mechanism in wheeled vehicle steering systems as an efficient replacement for traditional tie rod ends. One of its primary goals is to minimize "bump steering" – an unwanted consequence when navigating rough terrain, especially when combined with my innovative 'Vehicle Suspension Concept', which it was originally intended to pair with to optimize overall performance.