Centurion ground clearance

[David Skeldon]

Hi,
The Cent ground clearance is listed as 1 foot 8 inchs.Does any one know if the height is measured from the underside of the Hull or the under the suspension units?


David

[Fabrice Le Roux]

David,
Think it is to the hull.

FWIW I have scaled a x-section drawing to 1/6th and have the following measurements from the plan. From contact point of track cleats (ie on hard surface) to hull plate under engine bay: 92mm, to lower edge of suspension unit 62mm. 92mm equates to roughly 1'10" full size and 62mm to 1' 2 1/2".

The difference will remain fixed but the two inch discrepancy may just reflect empty versus loaded configurations. But then again the drawing may have been taken from the Bovvy sectioned Cent, which is sitting on a frame.

On the subject of ride height, I have noticed the suspension damper arms at different angles on different vehicles. My take is that they were horizontal on a stowed combat ready vehicle, but most of the museum vehicles have no ammo/fuel etc so the arms angle down as the vehicles ride higher.

Do you have any figures for the suspension travel?

cheers, Fabrice

[David Skeldon]

Hi,
Thanks for the reply.I am struggling to get my Cent to sit that low.Thats why i need to know where the clearance is measured from.


David

[Fabrice Le Roux]

David,

I take it your model is wheels-on and you are dummy loading the anticipated weight of the bridge and launch gear plus batts etc?

Mark must have the the calcs for the springs so I can only suggest you put it to him.
It would be handy to have some target deflections amd arcs/range of travel for the suspension, real and de facto from the model. Using de-rated springs for a lighter vehicle is possible but repeated bottoming is just going to shock-load some other component!

With so many of us contempating quite heavily modified vehicles a baseline specification would be handy.

cheers, Fabrice

[David Skeldon]

Hi,
Even with the springs out it does not seem to like sitting at the ride height.


David

[Fabrice Le Roux]

David,
Care to post a photo?
What do you reckon the max and min kit ride heights are based on the possible deflection of the swing arms? As each suspension unit shares a double spring then the maximum travel of each pair of roadwheels is either limited by the compressiblity of the spring or by the swing arms contacting the suspension housing. The originals have large rubber bump stops so the latter condition was expected.

TM Cent suspension sectioned

Hope this rather large pic might explain the structure to those who have not seen it in the flesh.
It would be handy to come up with a comparision of the dynamics of full size units with what can be created by setting the kit suspension up optimally.
I recall Tiger builders discussing this topic at length...
cheers Fabrice

[Fabrice Le Roux]

David,
Seems the way it is, is the way it is, and the way it is, is for a reason .

Anyway, everyone is going to ogling what is on top of your model rather than how much daylight is underneath!

cheers, Fabrice

[Fabrice Le Roux]

David,
Came across a good still of an early Mk going over a knife edge.

Max and min travel demonstrated

From the photo I estimate that each road wheel has potential maximum travel of 10-12 inches only (250-300mm, barely half that of the Panther). 40-50mm in 1/6th. Looking at the posted video of the prototype, it looks very similar. Thank you Mark. Slo-moing any footage of the model would give a better impression of mass, but the dynamics are pretty good.
Cheers Fabrice

[Simon Peck]

Another for the mix.

[Fabrice Le Roux]

Cracker of a pic, Simon. Thanks for sharing.
cheers, Fabrice