anyone have cool vehicle ideas that would be awesome to see?

[91stranger]

So I have a few images in my head that I would think would make an awesome vehicle. My first thought is an articulating 4x4 truck. How awesome would that be in an off road scenario. My next idea would be a Jeep car. Something with the front end look of a wrangler but with the body style of a car. Other ideas are independent jacks on each corner of vehicle for when changing a flat tire or doing repairs you could jack the whole vehicle or one tire up without having to worry about having tools with you. Another would be just better storage for trucks. There is so much wasted space on a truck bed and the underside of a truck. Anyone else have some ideas?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Problem with articulation is it will mess with the balance and it would really suck to blow a hose while on a trail.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Well, articulated rigs have been done, ive seen them in off road mags, and they are bad ass. So are the ones that can pivot side to side with the front and rear independent of each other for crawling.

The jeep idea, never seen.

Ford put tool boxes on the bedside of 67-79 trucks on certain trims (my 77 camper special has one, but ive seen other trims as well). Ram has been puttin toolboxes in the bedsides now on certain trucks for a few years. Seems like toyota has been to.

The independant jacks are also a neat idea, could also be used to get yourself out of a hole with a few wood blocks.

Personally, id like to see a car run on compressed air. Im by no means smart enough to do it, but i see no reason it couldnt be done, use air pressure to push a piston, with compressors mounted on the wheels to keep the tank charged.

As for trucks, imo, you cant get cooler then an old school (70s style truck, ford, chevy, dodge, dont matter), done up with all the gawdy cool period striping, with the black bed mounted rollbar with a couple KC daylighters on it, with a 4 in lift, 35 bfg mudders mounted on wagon spoke 15s, with a good stout big block, and a 4sp trans, with a period correct CB radio hangin off the dash.

 

[fastpakr]

Personally, id like to see a car run on compressed air. Im by no means smart enough to do it, but i see no reason it couldnt be done, use air pressure to push a piston, with compressors mounted on the wheels to keep the tank charged.

What's driving the compressors on the wheels?

 

[rusty ol ranger]

What's driving the compressors on the wheels?

The wheel itself as it spins. Put a gear on an axleshaft , rotor, whatever that would spin the compressor.


Setup a governor system like whats on a semi to cut the air pressure at a certain PSI.

I mean, i think it would work, but im just a backwoods redneck that cant even diagnose EFI Problems

 

[fastpakr]

Something has to continue to create the energy going into the system.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

What's driving the compressors on the wheels?

You start on top of a hill. Compressors charge it coasting down the hill which then gets you up the next hill. Avoid flat areas.

I have toyed with the thought of a PTO compressor on my Ranger. Mount an air tank where the spare used to be. Could use it to fill tires or run tools. I haven't looked too hard at how to do it though.

 

[fastpakr]

The hill idea should work fine as long as you can get to the top of the first one, and each is a little shorter than the last (like a roller coaster).

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Something has to continue to create the energy going into the system.

I know that.

What i was saying is, have a compressor on each wheel, (pry back wheels) that pumps air into a tank under pressure, that tank pressure is then used to feed some sort of "engine" that then turns the air pressure into twist, which turns a trans/driveline like a normal vehicle, then the wheels rotate which spin the compressors....and so on.

 

[fastpakr]

Right - but what's actually adding energy to the system to keep the whole process running? You can't just loop the whole system and create perpetual motion.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Right - but what's actually adding energy to the system to keep the whole process running? You can't just loop the whole system and create perpetual motion.

Not clear what other energy is needed?

I mean, youd pry have to externally charge the tank to get it rolling after an extended parking period...

The air compressors draw in outside air and compress it juat like a air compressor in your shop. If the wheel is driving the compressor, and the compressor ia charging the tank, and the tank is running the "engine" which spins the drive to keep the wheels rolling, which in turn makes more air pressure....

The engine which is using air pressure to drive, lets just say a piston, is creating the outside energy to spin the tires/compressor in order to create more pressure to feed the engine...

 

[fastpakr]

You're describing a perpetual motion system. Every time you move the vehicle forward, you are expending energy. You can recapture some through regenerative braking, but nowhere near all.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

You're describing a perpetual motion system. Every time you move the vehicle forward, you are expending energy. You can recapture some through regenerative braking, but nowhere near all.

Yes, but if the vehicle is moving then the wheels are spinning, which means the compressor is spinning, if you are stopped then (assuming no leaks) the air system should hold enough pressure to get you going again.

Now, im sure it would take some huge ass compressors to keep up with demand, and it may not work well in stop and go.

I dont know man, im not an engineer. I think i know what your getting at, but its not really perpetual if the tank is storing the pressure...right?

 

[adsm08]

I want to permanently close the hatch of my B2, extend the frame, and put a pickup bed on the back.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

See, something like this. Ok corny example, but why couldnt you apply a compressor (in theory) to the prop of that plane to keep the system charged?

Same concept im getting at.