T 2 Dimensions

[powelly999]

Hi All

Well I've been looking at these kits for a long time now and I'm nearly there with either getting a kit or basic starter bits and incorporate some of the mods that I have seen on here. The one thing that I can't see in any of the posts are the overall dimensions of the Toylander 2. I ask because I just moved house and we have a side entrance that I would have to move the kit in and out to the drive and it needs to fit between the gate posts. The kits look narrow enough but I thought I'd better check first with the guys in the know!

Anyway, thanks in advance.

Andrew

[multisync]

Hi Andrew
You can get all the dimensions from the Toylander web site, http://www.toylander.com/, but I've copied the relavent info for you.
Measurements: (approximate; depending on careful cutting) Height (with windscreen folded): 30" ( 762 mm ) Length: 67" ( 1702 mm ) Width: 29"( 737 mm ).
Weight: Basic kit inc. packaging: 38kg. [ 83lbs ] Ready Cut panel set: 41kgs [ 90lbs ]
Basic car, without battery: 75 kg. [ 165lbs ] Twin motor model, without battery: 85 kg. [ 187lbs ]
New mobility battery 11kg.
Don't delay, get the kit or the plans and make a start, it's well worth making, it's a great toy and super play value for all ages.
My 5 grandchildren, from age 6 to 14, all love it, my daughters, aged 40 and 38, are both keen to get behind the wheel. It has given me hours of entertainment building (and driving), and my 94 year old father has had a drive too!
Best wishes
Walter , 

[powelly999]

Thanks guys for the info.
It should fit fine down the passage at the side of the house.
Now, next questions!

I'm looking at going down the route of getting a mobility scooter for the motor(s) and speed control etc but I'm not sure on how many motors to go for. How do the twin motor scooters allow for cornering with no differential, and does it affect the turning? Do the scooters with one motor have an axle with a differential unit built in?
Are most scooters chain drives or are the motors bolted to a gearbox and direct drive?
Which is the best?

Sorry for all the questions, but I have never really looked at mobility scooters before and obviously want the best i can get for the least amount of cash!

Hi Multisync, just noticed from another post your just down the road from me, I'm in Abergavenny!

Kind regards
Andrew
 

[multisync]

Hi Andrew
There are a couple of different setups on the mobility scooters. You need one with a sufficiently large drive unit, and hopefully sufficiently large batteries. They usually have a built in diff that enable one motor to drive both wheels. The motor, differential and axle is all one unit, with direct drive to the wheels. As you will be fitting larger wheels you will need a reduction drive via chains to maintain original speed and power. ( You need to remain with a max speed of 4 MPH)
They also have a disengage lever that separates the drive from the wheels to allow you to push the vehicle. On some models this actually separates the mechanical link between the diff and the motor.
On other models this lever simply takes the brake off mechanically and also operates a micro switch to prevent operation of the motor, in this setup, pushing the vehicle actually turns the motor.

As you are fairly local you are welcome to come and look at the finished model.
My wife actually uses a mobility scooter herself, and has one that is identical to the one that I stripped down, and another smaller one, so you can see them and see what you need to obtain as a basis for the model.
Incidently I now have an 8 mph model in readiness for my next project!
If you want to call around message me, my email address is on members page, and leave your phone number
Best Wishes
Walter

[multisync]

Hi Anthony
If you have your eye on a scooter locally, let us know what make / model as I, or someone else here, may be able to advise on suitability. Does it have 35 Ah batteries? That is the ideal size, and gives a clue that it will be of a suitable motor type. We have a scooter here with much smaller batteries and its useless as has only a very short duration before they are flat.
Don't be afraid to ask, we're all happy to assist, and please get in touch, Id love to meet a fellow builder.
Walter

[powelly999]

Hi again.

The make of the scooter I'm looking at is a Sterling Merrygo, three wheeler type with nearly new batteries. It says they hold the charge well and the scooter is good for 25 stone, so I was thinking that the power of the motor(s) should be OK. I haven't been for a look yet, this has all been done by email and the pics from the original advert.

If anyone knows if this model would be a suitable donor for the build it would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance
Andrew


PS. Walter, Don't have any spares for a Hirobo Shuttle 2 do you!

[multisync]

Hi Andrew
I'm not familiar with that mobility scooter so can't advise on suitability, I can't find it on the net to research it either.
Sterling make many different models, and there is a company in London called Merrygo who sell mobility aids, so perhaps they market a Sterling model under their own name.

Basically, sorry no helicopter spares for sale, but if you are really stuck I may be able to help you out.
I have 2 Shuttles myself, one I fly regularly, tho not very well!! and the other is my spare, just to keep me airborne when I crash No 1. Havn't crashed much lately, only because I havn't flown much lately.
I also have a Twister 3D for indoor flying this time of year.
I have a friend who usually helps me out with spares, as he keeps some in stock, and then I replenish his stock. It helps us get back in the air quickly if we crash. But I don't think he wants to sell any, he really keeps them for convenience sake.
Are you stuck for something?
Walter

[powelly999]

Hi Walter

Sorry for the delay in coming back to you, it's been a lovely weekend and there's so much to do around the outside of the house!
In 2007 I had a tail rotor drive belt break, not much altitude involved but I slammed it down to hard and the rotor blades caught the tail boom so need all the rear end, main shaft, fly bar etc. Didn't fix at the time as we were going to France for 3 weeks on holiday, well to cut a long story short, um, I was a little poorly over there and spent a  two weeks in  Montpelier ITU. Well eventually got home, and I've now got an implantable defibrillator fitted. Basically, the device can be affected by transmitters so I'm not allowed to fly it any more. I'll need to repair it, or sell the complete kit as it is, hence the Toylander project because I need to build things!.
The scooter I was on to has gone cold at the moment, so looking around again for something suitable.

Any way, I've got a ten year old plaguing me to take him to see one of these, so i might be taking you up on your offer sooner than I thought!

Regards
Andrew 

[markh15]

Hi Andrew,
While I was watching my grandson drive his car around in the garden today, I had a thought about the methods of powering these little cars.

I noticed that with the Scooter drive system, if one of the wheels looses traction on uneven ground, due to the differential, it will simply sit and spin the offending wheel (I have the bald patches in my lawn to prove it).

If (as you asked in a previous post), you should fit two independant motors, then I feel that this wouldn't be a problem, as the other motor would still be able to drive forward.

The only way to solve this minor problem, would be to fit a 'Swinging Axle' assembly with a pair of trailing arms (like Brian), to stop the axle 'Twisting' slightly on the single pivot point.

I now realise that I should have employed this method for my front axle, as my lawn is not the flattest surface, and Harvey sometimes gets stuck (with one wheel spinning) when he drives over the slightly raised manhole cover that the local council has seen fit to place at the top of my driveway!!

So unless your lawn / driveway / garden is as smooth as a snooker table (if it is you won't be wanting the children 'wheelspinning' bald spots on it), I would heed my advice, and look into a swinging axle!

Happy Building,
Regards,
Mark.

[multisync]

Hi guys
Mark mentioned a swing axle, to avoid loss of traction, were you thinking of this for the REAR axle? I have a swing front axle, as suggested in the plans, but I assume that you realise, that you can't have swing axles at both front and rear, unless you have suspension springs as well. If you were thinking of rear, why not do it  at the front instead? Or am I reading too much into a simple comment?
Best wishes
Walter

[multisync]

Hi again
By the way, I think that a swing axle, (at the front), is an absolute must. It makes the vehicle act like it only has three wheels, and therefore they are always in contact with the ground.
Walter

[dale]

Hi again
By the way, I think that a swing axle, (at the front), is an absolute must. It makes the vehicle act like it only has three wheels, and therefore they are always in contact with the ground.
Walter

Is this a custom setup?, or are you referring to the suspension axle option in the build manual?  I was wondering how much articulation the latter provides, as on uneven ground the T1 with fixed front axle cocks a front wheel in the air with ease!  With regard to the rear axle, again this is fixed, but with two independant motors, we still have drive if one wheel slips.

[multisync]

Hi all
There are 3 options in the build manual for the front axle.
First is the "standard" setup on page 28, the axle is fixed.
Second is the swing axle, top of page 29, and page 45, this is what I have done, and is an ideal and simple solution to the problem of one wheel lifting on rough ground. As Mark says it does create it's own problems, as you have to be careful that the wheel does not foul the body when on full lock and full swing. But this is easily solved by fitting steering stops, and/or removing some of the offending woodwork slightly.
Third is the Suspension option, bottom of page 29, I felt this was a bit complex for me to fabricate and decided on option two. The suspension axle drawing is no longer included but are available on requestI hope this clarifies the confusion that I have created!
Best Wishes
Walter

[multisync]

Hi again
By the way , you don't need a great deal of "swing" movement to overcome the wheel lifting problem. It's surprising how little will keep all the wheels on terra firma.
I have just supported the body clear of the ground, and measured the total movement, from full down to full up, measured at the tip of the stub axle. It's 1 3/4 inches, or 45 mm for you youngsters.
Measured at the edge of the inner wing, where the bump stops are shown on the drawing, there is less than an inch of movement, but this is ample.
Walter

[powelly999]

Hi all
Thanks for all your thoughts and information.

I'm looking at using the complete front and rear suspension set-up with the springs and shocks from one of the larger type scooters. I've met a guy that deals with ex-contract hire scooters and we looked at one that he has on Ebay at the moment. He can do me most of the scooter, say less body work and seat, but including batteries 35-50 Ah, for a very good price. It was the rear set up that made me want to use the idea with the trailing arm and axle with the shocks. It also had the disc brakes on the inside of the wheel hub flanges and thought it looked a really neat set up as I remembered a comment from an earlier post about a chain snapping or coming off, and the motor mounted brakes being non effective..
The front was a double wish bone affair with small shocks and springs with the 'turret' for the top spring mounting welded to the chassis as well. I was thinking of maybe cutting the whole assembly off the cross member and somehow mount each side individually if the width of the scooter cross member was a substantially different width.
The rear  was a trailing axle affair which looked as if it could be mounted to either a vertical bulk head or an under boot mounted cross member.

All this and I haven't even got the build manual yet!

Well I know you guys can tell me all the pit falls I'm letting myself in for as I'm sure you've had the same, and better ideas!
As for it not being a series two Toylander, a new series three?

Thanks Guys
Andrew