Dakar car question.
Submitted: Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 21:11
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Member - Lionel A (WA)
Hi all, just watching a bit on the Dakar race.
Noticed some of the cars had tubes running from their wheel centers to somewhere in the car.
Concidering some of the terrain they were travelling the tubes appeared very vunerable to damage.
What are these tubes supposed to do ?
Cheers.....Lionel.
Reply By: Rangiephil - Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 21:16
Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 21:16
Add or subtract air.
Regards Philip A
AnswerID:
344982
Follow Up By: Member - Lionel A (WA) - Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 21:27
Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 21:27
Thanks RP, all from the comfort of the cab.
Now we're talking, would'nt mind that on my car.
The last time I knelt down to deflate my tyres the missus handed me a can of WD40. I said "whats that for" her reply "yer knees"...lol.
Cheers......Lionel.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 21:53
Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 21:53
Lionel,
Took this photo of a Hummer, near
Darwin.
Image Could Not Be Found
Bob.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Stuart W (NSW) - Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 22:17
Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 at 22:17
Yeah I noticed that on Robbie Gordons Hummer.He must have a good compressor because his tyres were huge. Long live the Dakar.
Stuart.
FollowupID:
612980
Reply By: Ozhumvee - Monday, Jan 19, 2009 at 08:19
Monday, Jan 19, 2009 at 08:19
Yes the Central Tyre Inflation System Image Could Not Be Found it is a wonderful feature, the ability to raise and lower tyre pressure on the go to suit the conditions is priceless.
I've also isolated the other three and kept the air pressure up to the one with a leak to keep it up till I reached
camp and the repair gear.
My Humvee wasn't fitted with it (very few military Humvees are, only the Yank equivalent of the SAS vehicles have it) and I had to scrounge most of the bits, drill the spindles and fit all the air system but as I said it is a very usefull accessory.
I made these steel plates to protect the air lines as the standard protectors are only sheet metal and aren't strong enough.
Image Could Not Be Found
Surprisingly the 75 x 420 x 5mm plus the bolts and tubes spacers don't affect wheel balance but actually help, the truck has never run smoother.
AnswerID:
345016
Reply By: Ted (Cairns) - Monday, Jan 19, 2009 at 09:45
Monday, Jan 19, 2009 at 09:45
Lionel
Have a look here:
Air CTI Australia They distribute central tire inflation systems. Also on youtube there are some interesting movies as to what these systems can do in trucks e.g.
TireBoss
Cheers
Ted
AnswerID:
345029
Reply By: Geoff (Newcastle, NSW) - Monday, Jan 19, 2009 at 14:09
Monday, Jan 19, 2009 at 14:09
Hi Lionel,
As others have said, tyre inflation/deflation on the fly.
Interesting technical aspect of the Dakar, only two wheel drive vehicles are permitted to run the system.
The co-driver gets punted out with a gauge if the four wheel drive competitors need to adjust pressure for the terrain.
Before someone comes along and says "Yes but Robbie
Gordon's Humvee has them on the back wheels"
Yes he does, but an odd part of Robby
Gordon's Humvee is that it is two wheel drive!
That and its 7.3 litre petrol V8.
Geoff
AnswerID:
345063
Reply By: Member - Lionel A (WA) - Monday, Jan 19, 2009 at 15:35
Monday, Jan 19, 2009 at 15:35
Thanks everyone, will look further into this system.
Cheers....Lionel.
AnswerID:
345074