Trailers Used For Measuring Vehicular Response To Road Roughness
Trailers Used For Measuring Vehicular Response To Road Roughness
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
1
E 1215 – 93 (2003)
4.3.1 The vehicle and trailer shall comply with all appli- points of minimum radius on each bead seat and locating the
cable state and federal laws, including those related to hitch low-point intermediately between those points in proportion to
connections and lighting of towed vehicles. their relative magnitudes.
4.3.2 Reasonable precautions shall be taken beyond those 5.1.2.2 Tires—The tires shall be size P215/75R15, or
imposed by laws and regulations to ensure maximum safety of equivalent, or Specification E 1136, and shall meet the GM
operating personnel and other traffic. TPC Specification.3 Before operation, set the tire inflation
pressure at the tire manufacturer’s maximum recommended
5. Design Requirements pressure for size and type of tire used at ambient temperature.
5.1 Chassis—The chassis shall consist of a rigid frame 5.1.2.3 Optional Alternative—If the equipment given in
suspension, two wheels mounted on a rigid axle, and a tow 4.2.1 is used, the dial indicators are placed close to the tires to
hitch. measure axle-to-road displacement. The tire pressure is ad-
5.1.1 Suspension System—The trailer frame shall be sus- justed to give a 1⁄16 in. (1.6 mm) vertical displacement when
pended on the axle by a system that includes the following 200 lbf (890 N) is used rather than the manufacturer’s
components: maximum recommended pressure.
5.1.1.1 Horizontal Linkages— shall separately constrain the 5.1.2.4 Tire-Wheel Assembly—The tires shall be mounted
axle in the longitudinal and lateral directions while allowing on the wheels so that the painted dot indicating peak tire runout
free vertical excursion. reaches the low-point mark on the wheel. The tire-wheel
5.1.1.2 Springs—Two coil springs connecting the axle and assemblies shall be balanced within 8.0 in./oz (0.58 cm/kg).
frame, shall be mounted vertically over the centerline of the 5.1.2.5 Wheel Track—The lateral distance between the cen-
axle. The force constant of each spring shall be 200 6 20 ter planes of the two tires shall be 68 6 5 in. (1.73 6 0.13 m).
lbf/in. (3506 35 N/mm or m). The springs shall be equidistant 5.1.3 Tow Hitch—A ball-type hitch receptacle shall be
from the longitudinal centerline of the trailer at a distance not mounted at the forward end of the frame on the longitudinal
less than 15 in. (0.38 m). centerline of the trailer.
5.1.1.3 Shock Absorbers—Two shock absorbers, mounted NOTE 1—The towing vehicle must have power enough to pull the trailer
vertically from the axle to the trailer frame, shall be equidistant at whatever uniform velocity is specified, even up 6 % grades, and must
from the longitudinal centerline of the trailer. The ratios of the be in good operating condition, particularly its shock absorbers.
shock absorbers damping value over 1⁄2 the sprung mass 5.1.3.1 Wheelbase—The trailer shall be designed so that the
(2C/MS) shall be in the range of 5.5 to 13 s−1 with a mean value longitudinal distance between the center of the ball-hitch and
of 8 s−1.4 The performance requirement for the damping rate of the centerline of the axle shall be 120 6 1 in. (3.05 6 0.03 m).
the suspension system in 4.1 may be used as an alternative to 5.1.4 Total Mass—The mass of the fully assembled trailer
this requirement. shall be 1660 6 50 lbm (753 6 23 kg), and it shall be
5.1.2 Axle and Wheels—The trailer shall have a two-wheel distributed so that the ground load at each of the wheels will be
rigid axle in accordance with the following requirements: 780 6 20 lbf (3470 6 89 N), and the hitch load shall be 100
5.1.2.1 Wheels—The wheels shall be 15 by 6 in. rims. 6 10 lbf (445 6 44 N). The center of percussion in the vertical
Radial run-out at the bead seats of the wheels when installed on plane shall be located as near to the axle as possible.
the axle shall be less than 0.01 in. (0.25 mm) peak-to-peak. The 5.1.5 Unsprung Mass—The total mass of the axle, wheels,
rim shall be marked to indicate the “low-point’’ for matching and tires, together with that of the suspension system, shall be
with the tire. The low-point is established by determining the 320 6 30 lbm (145 6 14 kg).
5.1.6 Sprung Mass—shall normally be 1340 lbm (608 kg).
4 NOTE 2—The ratio of the unsprung mass to the sprung mass (Mu/Ms) is
Supporting data have been filed at ASTM International Headquarters and may
be obtained by requesting Research Report RR: E-17-1002. higher than many automobiles.
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