Different methods of Rover Suspension

[PhylumCnidaria]

So, we all know that rover wheels are extremely fragile, and unless you have some way to dampen your impacts, you won't be getting anywhere in a hurry.

At first I was thinking about using thermometer hinges to create a complex and high-part-count Rocker-Bogie suspension system, or perhaps using landing gear to dampen the falls rovers take at high speed.

Then a revelation hit me. I was launching a new ISRU module to Minmus (which never got there, I'll explain why) that involved a massive stack of batteries. To put simply what happened, as I was reaching the point that the first stage burned out, the whole battery assembly bent over like a slinky and exploded.

 

At first I thought it was a failure, until I went back to rover building. I also went to a similar thread and saw people using stack decouplers to act as springs. They worked well enough, but if you accidentally pressed space.... well.... yeah.

The batteries, while more fragile than the decouplers, they did the same job, provided more bounce, and don't accidentally detach!  (that is unless you crash)

 

Here's a test rover I built. Also uses the wibbly wobbly connection points on I-beams to keep all four wheels on the ground... most of the time.

 

 

Here's the .CRAFT file.

uhh... how do you insert craft files again?

Either way, how have you guys tackled the suspension issue in 1.0.5?

[selfish_meme]

Mostly with Spider engines, several on each wheel and a strut between wheels opposite, thats what I copied off @RevanCorana anyway, the argument rages about who invented, don't go there, @Vagani did something similar earlier. @Azimech struts wheels together on a side.

The other important bit is not flipping, and the lighter it is the easier it is to flip, to reduce the occurrence of this put a jet engine in it with the nozzle facing up, there is no need to run it, just having it there puts the CG well below the ground making it much harder to flip.

Edited February 7, 2016 by selfish_meme

[PhylumCnidaria]

I heard about that, but the wheelbase on this particular rover is really wide, and the CoG is really low.

The fuselage of it is hollow too, so it also has a low COG inherently.

[Majorjim!]

Just now, selfish_meme said:

Mostly with Spider engines, several on each wheel and a strut between wheels opposite, thats what I copied off @RevanCorana anyway, the argument rages about who invented, don't go there, @Vagani did something similar earlier. @Azimech struts wheels together on a side.

The other important bit is not flipping, and the lighter it is the easier it is to flip, to reduce the occurrence of this put a jet engine in it with the nozzle facing up, there is no need to run it, just having it there puts the CG well below the ground making it much harder to flip.

There is no argument, @Vagani invented the spider engine suspension. @RevanCorana posted his after seeing mine which was a copy of @Vagani original design. And lol, adding a strut does not count.

 The op should use the @Vagani spider engine hinge.

[PhylumCnidaria]

Enlighten me, how would one make a suspension with a spider engine hinge, and what exactly is it?

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

8 minutes ago, PhylumCnidaria said:

Enlighten me, how would one make a suspension with a spider engine hinge, and what exactly is it?

You just stack those radial spider engines out from the frame and then attach the wheels to it.  It's not like a @Majorjim spider/thermometer hinge or a @sgt_flyer spider/cubic strut hinge, both using spider colliders to link two separate vehicles.  It just uses the springiness of the engines.  

I think, even if @Vagani didn't invent it, @Vagani is the master, using ant engines to simulate the springiness of a frame and suspension.  And he was doing it before the editor gizmos.  All of my suspensions are copies of @Vagani suspensions, with my only addition being the use of fuel lines, which may not even improve it much.  I haven't taken apart an @Azimech, @Majorjim, or @RevanCorana suspension.

However, this kind of thing does get developed independently.

[PhylumCnidaria]

But that also brings up the problem...

What if you have extra fuel on your craft and you accidentally press space?

[Azimech]

Cycle through the images and you'll see a couple of .gif anims with this stock off-road racer of mine. Note: this kind of suspension does not work with KJR!

 

10 minutes ago, PhylumCnidaria said:

But that also brings up the problem...

What if you have extra fuel on your craft and you accidentally press space?

You set all those spider engines with the thrust limiter set to 0.

And when using decouplers: just disable them in the editor.

[PhylumCnidaria]

Then the staging is a lot harder to do.

Also, you don't need external batteries cause they're in your suspension!

[Vagani]

Staging can easily be fixed by adding empty stages

[PhylumCnidaria]

Alright... Alright.

Vagani himself has responded, So I might as well stop arguing.

Instead, I've copyrighted the term "Battery Suspension," so if anyone says it, they have to hand me 50% of their profits.

Edited February 9, 2016 by PhylumCnidaria

[Heckspress]

Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension

wait what am I doing

[The Optimist]

On 2/7/2016 at 5:13 PM, PhylumCnidaria said:

At first I thought it was a failure, until I went back to rover building. I also went to a similar thread and saw people using stack decouplers to act as springs. They worked well enough, but if you accidentally pressed space.... well.... yeah.

The batteries, while more fragile than the decouplers, they did the same job, provided more bounce, and don't accidentally detach!  (that is unless you crash)

I think if you right-click on the decouplers, you can disable their staging.

EDIT: I've been ninja'd 

Edited February 9, 2016 by The Optimist

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

1 hour ago, Heckspress said:

Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension Battery Suspension

wait what am I doing

Now it's stopped sounding like a word,

[drewscriver]

So spider engines are the bendiest part?  Do they pivot at the point of connection, or is it more of a shift to the side?  I'm trying to put together as compact a hinge that I can, while still being able to pivot through a large angle without using multiple craft.

[Bubbadevlin]

23 minutes ago, drewscriver said:

So spider engines are the bendiest part?  Do they pivot at the point of connection, or is it more of a shift to the side?  I'm trying to put together as compact a hinge that I can, while still being able to pivot through a large angle without using multiple craft.

Ha ha, that is exactly what i used for my Binary SSTO

They are possible with the spider engines, and very doable 

[drewscriver]

Thanks.  I was able to get the hinge working as I'd hoped with the spiders.  Unfortunately, it turns out that there are multiple other showstoppers.  Ah well, I appreciate your answer!