Just wondering if someone can help me with a question. I am in the process of making a rotisserie for a Torana hatchback and I need to know at what height is the centre of gravity approximately for a bare shell hatchback, a good reference point would be the bumper bar as that is my attachment point i.e the centre of gravity is ???mm above the top of the rear bar. I would guess at about 200mm above the rear bar.
Cheers
Rotisserie
Started by
_Bruce Burnout_
, Nov 11 2008 11:47 AM
46 replies to this topic
#2
_lx-304_
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Posted 11 November 2008 - 12:04 PM
i would say it roughly at the bumper,as the top of the car is lighter than the bootom,so the higher you go with the mount the heavier the car is to turn.the centre point of rotisserie has to be at least half the width of the car plus at least 250mm for clearance.
dave
dave
#3
myss427
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Posted 11 November 2008 - 12:30 PM
I'm in the process of rebuilding two hatchbacks at the moment, both on rotisseries. Mine is at bumper level, it will turn almost to 90 degress. My friends rotisserie is about 200mm higher, goes close to doing a full circle. Both are the same to rotate but mine which is lower is at a better working height when level.
#4
_304Lx_
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Posted 11 November 2008 - 05:54 PM
I cant remember how high off the ground i made mine but i found that about 50mm above the centre line of the tail lights and head lights nailed the centre of gravity on my hatchback. Spins full 360 degrees without having the roof or floorpan of the car heavier.
#5
Ruts
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Posted 11 November 2008 - 05:55 PM
I built one which allows me to spin the car 360 degrees with one hand. I'll post some pics if you like but mine is for a sedan. The CofG was the bar bracket bolt on points.
Ruts.
Ruts.
#7
Ruts
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Posted 13 November 2008 - 08:31 PM
Ok as promised here are some pics of the rotisserie that I built to suit my sedans. As can be seen it is made adjustable in the middle so that in the future if I wanted to put something else on it it can extended or shortended. The steel that it is made of are the acro pops that they use to hold up the big concrete slabs when making new factories. What I found out was when they bend they throw them away so a mate of mine got me a couple which I used to make the rotisserie.
To make an easy head unit what you do is go to your local wreckers and cut the rear axle tubes and brakes off a front front wheel drive magna sedan. Get yourself two rims and two handbrake handles. As can be seen int he pictures the unit spins on the axle ends. When I get the car in the position I want I just pull the handbrakes on at either end. The car in the picture spins 360 degrees and I can hold it on any angle I want. As you can also see the head units are in line with the bar brackets but I have set the brackets off set, don't ask me why it just happened like that and I fluked the C of G. Hope this helps and feel free to ask any questions. By the way from the floor to the centre of the axle tube is 1400mm (with the wheels attched)
Ruts
To make an easy head unit what you do is go to your local wreckers and cut the rear axle tubes and brakes off a front front wheel drive magna sedan. Get yourself two rims and two handbrake handles. As can be seen int he pictures the unit spins on the axle ends. When I get the car in the position I want I just pull the handbrakes on at either end. The car in the picture spins 360 degrees and I can hold it on any angle I want. As you can also see the head units are in line with the bar brackets but I have set the brackets off set, don't ask me why it just happened like that and I fluked the C of G. Hope this helps and feel free to ask any questions. By the way from the floor to the centre of the axle tube is 1400mm (with the wheels attched)
Ruts
#8
_studricho_
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Posted 15 November 2008 - 07:45 AM
Very clever design with using the hand brake caliper from the magna...Looks simple and affective.
#9
_Barman_
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Posted 16 November 2008 - 09:20 AM
I used an engine stand at the rear, 2x 3/8 bolts onto the bumper brackets.
and i hung the front from engine lifting frame, then i put a 205litre drum and a chassis stand under it, all very cheap and worked very well.
and i hung the front from engine lifting frame, then i put a 205litre drum and a chassis stand under it, all very cheap and worked very well.
#10
_Yella SLuR_
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Posted 13 January 2009 - 08:55 PM
Thanks for the link.
Rotisserie is coming along nicely. Using a flywheel, and the drive gear out of a starter motor, which is giving me 15:1 ratio, with the starter motor gear on a hand wound handle (fits very neatly on 12mm solid bar). The advantage of this is that I can hook up a starter motor and battery to it at car shows, and the car can do 360's all day, without any damage to the tyres.
Looking interesting. Just have to weld together the stand for the other end in the morning.
Today was spent adding 200mm to the pick-up points, and the other half setting up the flywheel/stater motor gear setup. Pics tomorrow on my variation on the theme.
Rotisserie is coming along nicely. Using a flywheel, and the drive gear out of a starter motor, which is giving me 15:1 ratio, with the starter motor gear on a hand wound handle (fits very neatly on 12mm solid bar). The advantage of this is that I can hook up a starter motor and battery to it at car shows, and the car can do 360's all day, without any damage to the tyres.
Looking interesting. Just have to weld together the stand for the other end in the morning.
Today was spent adding 200mm to the pick-up points, and the other half setting up the flywheel/stater motor gear setup. Pics tomorrow on my variation on the theme.
Edited by Yella SLuR, 13 January 2009 - 08:56 PM.
#12
_LX-5000_
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Posted 13 January 2009 - 09:42 PM
and this.
towbars on toranas can be useful!!!!
towbars on toranas can be useful!!!!
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Edited by LX-5000, 13 January 2009 - 09:44 PM.
#13
_Yella SLuR_
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Posted 14 January 2009 - 01:38 PM
My contribution. Thanks again to fellow forumers for the heads up on offset distance.
^ No wheels, cause sloped floor, so it won't be going nowhere.
^ detail of the flywheel & starter motor throw-out gear.
^ No wheels, cause sloped floor, so it won't be going nowhere.
^ detail of the flywheel & starter motor throw-out gear.
#14
_torana_umunga74_
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Posted 14 January 2009 - 03:38 PM
that bar isnt big enough for my money maybe an entirely stripped shell but even then.. just looks like it could curve with the weight, maybe not buckle but it may twist with a car spinning on it, i'd love to be wrong but. i like the wheel and handle design though.
#15
_@milco@_
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Posted 14 January 2009 - 05:57 PM
yeah i would not put my car on the last one........ sorry mate i just like a bit of overkill when i build a structure...
#16
_Yella SLuR_
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Posted 14 January 2009 - 07:13 PM
See how we go, a boxed SHS is the most efficient section. It is a bare shell, I'll see how it goes and report back. We'll see how we go and see if it needs strengthening or not.
#17
_torana_umunga74_
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Posted 14 January 2009 - 08:35 PM
id get somethin under it incase.. thing is steel can fatigue even under paint and you wont notice, say u take it off again to tweak it it might not hold again. i would cut that vertical bit out and but a bigger thicker piece in, everthing else would be ok.See how we go, a boxed SHS is the most efficient section. It is a bare shell, I'll see how it goes and report back. We'll see how we go and see if it needs strengthening or not.
#18
_Yella SLuR_
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Posted 14 January 2009 - 11:49 PM
I have done a trial fit, and I need to tweek it a bit anyway. Post height of 1200mm is way too high, going to reduce it by 300mm, and whack in a heavier vertical post (I'm assuming that is the one peeps think isn't beefy enough) while I'm at it. Things are faster the second time around aren't they?
I like the minimalist approach.
I like the minimalist approach.
Edited by Yella SLuR, 14 January 2009 - 11:52 PM.
#19
racean69
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Posted 15 January 2009 - 08:16 AM
whack in a heavier vertical post (I'm assuming that is the one peeps think isn't beefy enough)
#20
_Yella SLuR_
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Posted 15 January 2009 - 08:32 PM
Fixed. Took most of the day, but cut in some 75x75x3mm posts. Also reduced it by 250mm, so posts are now 950mm high. I'm working under a 2.1m high carport, so hopefully height is OK. Looks right so far.
Thanks for the heads-up/feedback.
Thanks for the heads-up/feedback.
#21
_torana_umunga74_
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Posted 15 January 2009 - 09:28 PM
thats the trick mate now you can put a damn truck on it. i had a valiant ute which was 4440 pounds... that'd strain yer rotisseries.
goodluck mate!
goodluck mate!
#22
_Yella SLuR_
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Posted 15 January 2009 - 11:41 PM
Thanks, lets hope the welds are all good. Pretty sure they are, but you never know. Your comments were most appreciated. I didn't realise the shells were still so heavy, even with everything removed.
All the nuts are removed on the front end, so it's just a matter of punch out the bolts, jack it up (yup, the jack reaches the magic point) and she should be good. Brackets are mounted already, so she should be all good to go. Did a dry run of how I'm going to do it tonight, but will wait till morning and daylight just in case need to do some quick fixes.
EDIT: Wasn't interested in doing it a third time, so I settled on 75 x 75, then just asked them for the thickest wall size, which was 3mm. Prolly a bit of overkill, but easier than doing it again, or being squashed.
All the nuts are removed on the front end, so it's just a matter of punch out the bolts, jack it up (yup, the jack reaches the magic point) and she should be good. Brackets are mounted already, so she should be all good to go. Did a dry run of how I'm going to do it tonight, but will wait till morning and daylight just in case need to do some quick fixes.
EDIT: Wasn't interested in doing it a third time, so I settled on 75 x 75, then just asked them for the thickest wall size, which was 3mm. Prolly a bit of overkill, but easier than doing it again, or being squashed.
Edited by Yella SLuR, 15 January 2009 - 11:47 PM.
#23
_Yella SLuR_
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Posted 16 January 2009 - 11:11 AM
Oh well, after prepping the car for the lift last night, I got it on the stands and got it fully sideways this morning. 
Car rotates fully within 1.8m x 1.8m space, with 50mm from the body to the support leg at the closest. So answering my question, optimal rotisserie for Torries is 950mm posts, with 200mm offset (allows you to use the jack to get it onto the rotisserie).
Thanks again guys, works a treat, including the handle.
Car rotates fully within 1.8m x 1.8m space, with 50mm from the body to the support leg at the closest. So answering my question, optimal rotisserie for Torries is 950mm posts, with 200mm offset (allows you to use the jack to get it onto the rotisserie).
Thanks again guys, works a treat, including the handle.
#24
_Herne_
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Posted 16 January 2009 - 11:23 AM
First one I have seen with that flywheel and handle setup, novel idea Pat.
Nice bit of engineering.
Cheers
Herne
Nice bit of engineering.
Cheers
Herne
#25
_Yella SLuR_
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Posted 16 January 2009 - 11:33 AM
^ mmm that was where the teething problems lay, but all fixed now. Gear needed a bit more than a couple of spot welds!!!! Thanks, just needed something simple.
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