Practical 04-wheel frequency vibrations

AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING LABORATORY

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING, SLIIT

ME4220 - Automobile Engineering Practical No. 04

SUBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF WHEEL FREQUENCY

VIBRATIONS

Learning Outcomes At the end of the module, the student will be able to:

LO Quantify the significance of various components of

1: an engine for its performance.

LO Appraise the functionalities of powertrain

2: components and design features for the best
performance of the vehicle.

LO Appreciate the functionalities of the various

3: subsystems in the vehicle for its safe, robust and
efficient operation.

LO Appreciate the vehicle ride and handling attributes

4: and complex interactions among them.

LO Investigate the vehicle behavior under various

5: driving conditions

Objective:
Learn how the balancing of wheels is influenced on a vehicle vibration

Introduction:
Wheel Balancing
The purpose of wheel balancing is to undo the wheel vibrations, or at least to reduce them to
an acceptable limit, thus avoiding all consequent troubles and damage such as:

• Tire wear
• Early bearing wear
• Damage to shock absorbers and other steering parts

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• Loosening of the vehicle body and screw bolts

• Detachment or peeling of electric wires
• Reduce wheel frequency vibrations.
• Reduced comfort for passengers

Wheel balancing is achieved by applying some masses with suitable weights on the wheel in
such a way as to avoid vibration.

The centrifugal force is due to the unbalance mass. If p is the unbalance weight and its mass
is given by m = p/g (g = acceleration due to gravity)

The centrifugal force is then:

2 P 2
F=rm ω =r ω (1)
g

Figure 1: Wheel alignment and weight placements

Wheel balancing is necessary in the following circumstances:

 After each tire is changed

 After 20,000 km running, either in the case of a new vehicle or in the case of a new
tire
 For a sports car, after 5000 km and every 10,000 km

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 When a tire is refitted after the repair or every time vibration effects are noted

Task:
1. Attach 60g on each front wheel
2. Set the tyre pressure to 28psi to Left and 32psi for Right (front wheels only)
3. Drive and feel the vibration in vehicle body, steering, dashboard panels, floor & etc.
4. Remove 60g and balance it fully on the wheel balancing machine.
5. Set the inflated pressure level to 32psi on both wheels.
6. Drive and feel the vibration

For the assessment,

You can drive the car and feel the vibration in;

 Vehicle body
 Steering wheel
 Dashboard panels and floor

Fill out the following table based on your experience during the experiment.

Note : Subjective rating (1- very high to 8 – very low)

With attach 60g on After balance it on wheel

Comments
each front wheel balancing machine

Vehicle Body

Steering Wheel

Dashboard
panels & floor

Experiment report
A report to be prepared discussing the following points.

 Explain the mechanism of wheel frequency vibrations with respect to suspension

geometry.
 Explain the resons why there will be a wheel eccentricity and imbalance in a usual
passenger car.

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Marking Rubric

Sections of the Percentage

Competencies and level of learning
Report points
- Spelling, grammar and formatting is good
- Proper page numbering and captions for figures and
Organisation and
tables 10
Language
- Correct front page format with all the necessary
details.
- Detailed introduction explains the background of the
Introduction,
report.
Theory and 10
- Explanation of the theory behind the experiment and
Apparatus
the apparatus
- Understad the purpose of wheel balancing and its
importace
Analysis,
- Explain the reasons why there will be a wheel
synthesis and 50
eccentricity and imbalance in a usual passenger car
Calculations
- Perceive physical sense of weel imbalance of a
traveling vehicle
- Discuss the mechanism of wheel frequency vibrations
Discussion and with respect to suspention geometry
30
conclusions - Discussion about the vibration refinement methods
availabe other than wheel balancing.

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Laboratory Seal:

Instructor Signature:

Student Name:

Student Group:

Date:

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