Cross Link Suspension - It's New - Comments and discussion invited

[jon coleman]

& Please more in depth videos of actual linkage in action, so i can get a clue on the set up

 

[bullnerd]

Awesome job Al!

That's a cool looking rig too! I really like the cage.

 

[Wicked Al]

Any coronavirus updates?

No.

Okay, fine, here is where we’re at. No new welding or fabbing of items. No new testing.

The performance we’ve seen so far has been fantastic. It proves the concept. Downside is the mechanical system is complex as it had to fit an existing frame and structure. There are forces going all kinds of directions that are less than ideal. Because of this, we will not test this system in a full out heavy hitting course (whoops at speed, big air etc) We have to build the next version of the system which is essentially four shocks with hydraulic lines. This will have the forces going where they were designed to go through the shock mounts and we will be able to do a full test and tune with it.

Given that we are self funded and supposed to be retired, progress is slow. We are in talks with a suspension company who is very interested in it but nothing solid yet or for a bit until the four shock solution has been built. I easily have 20+ different shock designs I need to go through to decide on the best prototype to build, the others will provide opportunity for continuous improvement as there is a lot of R&D that has to happen to get the dynamics dialed in, they all have different pros and cons.

Add to this my love of squirrels. Latest squirrel, I am designing an electric desert race ATV. 18” front travel, 20” rear travel, cross link suspension (all mechanical...six shocks), 100+HP and 100+ miles per charge. Hot swap batteries for longer desert races. It’s looking pretty sweet so far but I have a long way to go as it gets a new style drivetrain. I actually have a squirrel list. It goes from cross link suspension, eATV to eSXS to e Extreme Terrain Vehicle. Each item develops new tech that gets rolled into the next one. Should keep me busy for awhile, I need a shock company to license the tech from me so I can focus on the next project.

So that’s it. I was planning on going to several shows this year with the prototype RZR, but then COVID happened. I might still do the Sand Sports Super Show...maybe...if I get a sponsor. About a 50/50 chance I’ll be there, we’ll see.

Nutshell version. Silent but I’m still doing things, thanks for asking!

Alex

 

[Wicked Al]

& Please more in depth videos of actual linkage in action, so i can get a clue on the set up

Set up will be four shocks in standard locations with hydraulic lines going to the diagonal shocks. As soon as I get new shocks built, this whole system gets removed and replaced with the four shocks.

 

[Wicked Al]

Awesome job Al!

That's a cool looking rig too! I really like the cage.

Thanks!

I'm partial to it.

I'll be doing the same style on a KRX1000 we just picked up. But that has to wait a little longer as I have some special features I want to add to the cage to really set it apart and make adventure riders drool.

When I get around to designing the Extreme Terrain Vehicle, it will carry the same look and feel (though totally different vehicle type).

 

[jon coleman]

trying to find info on my new linkage monstrosity,early 90s linkage pre runner, pretty cool?

 

[Wicked Al]

Hmmmmmm.....very interesting. Not sure how all it's connected, but looks like fun!

 

[Wicked Al]

NOTICE!

I will be at the Offroad Expo/ Sand Sports Super Show in Scottsdale on the 17th and 18th of October with the RZR. Come on by and say Hi! TrakMotive exhibit, space V10.

 

[jon coleman]

im not sure either, im grabing it saturday, ill take better pictures, trying to get more info on builder, guy i showed pic to says Johnny Johnson, El Cajon , early 90s, its all good / hi end workmanship, and old guy i got it from says it hits bumps Really smooth

 

[Wicked Al]

im not sure either, im grabing it saturday, ill take better pictures, trying to get more info on builder, guy i showed pic to says Johnny Johnson, El Cajon , early 90s, its all good / hi end workmanship, and old guy i got it from says it hits bumps Really smooth

That will be very interesting to see how it all shakes out. I love to see stuff like this, different ways people come up with to solve a problem. I have a couple of different suspension concepts beyond the Cross Link but those will just have to wait.

Looking forward to the pics!

 

[Wicked Al]

So we went to the Offroad Expo is Scottsdale. On the way back we swung by Sand Hollow and did some rock crawling. This was really my first foray into it, lot of fun! The RZR did great, though I did break something in my linkage. Can't wait to upgrade with the new version so the forces go where they are supposed to. Things are moving closer to having a shock manufacturer pick up the IP! Keep fingers crossed and another month or two we'll see how it goes!

 

[michael.gonzalez]

Amazing! Have you pitched to Robby Gordon at all?

He is definitely a shock guru!

Also, can't wait to place my order for a set of 4 cross-link shocks!

 

[jon coleman]

get a regular utv to show the difference to the cross link utv , drive regular utv in the same rock section & camera angle to give a better perspective, cool as heck!!!

 

[Wicked Al]

Amazing! Have you pitched to Robby Gordon at all?

He is definitely a shock guru!

Also, can't wait to place my order for a set of 4 cross-link shocks!

They have too much on their plate to go after new tech right now. We'll get there.

Can't wait to have shocks to sell to you! Thanks for the confidence!

 

[Wicked Al]

get a regular utv to show the difference to the cross link utv , drive regular utv in the same rock section & camera angle to give a better perspective, cool as heck!!!

That would be ideal! If I would have stayed in Sand Hollow for the next couple of days for UTV Takeover, I'm sure I would have had some volunteers to video with.

This was "Milt's Mile" trail. There are some SxS videos of other vehicles doing it. The difference in drama is amazing. I'd love to put this system on my KRX 1000. That would be a rock crawling demon!

 

[jon coleman]

looks like All you gotta do to make a Gangster rock crawler is get longer wider A/ radius arms& taller skinnier tires& that thing would dance right over that stuff

 

[Bricoop]

Do you have scales? It would be interesting to see how the vehicle distributes forces verses a traditional system.

 

[Wicked Al]

End of year announcement! As you recall, my last update I mentioned we might have a deal with a major shock manufacturer? Well...guess what??? Yeah, no. The guy with a great relationship with them that was going to present the tech never did. So, we end 2020 with no big deal.

In other news, last week I iterated the design again. Now up to KCL (Kolltek Cross Link) 5.0. This addresses a few of the issues the other designs had with complexity of design, cost, volume of fluid flow, ease to install/remove etc. I think I can safely say the design is ready for production at a decent price point and no downsides once we do testing to fine tune it...and we find a shock company that wants to take it to market.

Here's to a wild 2021!

 

[jesusgatos]

Here's a link to an old thread discussing some similar concepts and technologies:

Hydraulic anti-sway systems

Has anybody here ever experimented with hydraulic anti-sway systems such as this one in a desert truck? I was thinking that using some smooth body shock housings and welding on some fittings to both ends you could make a pretty effective anti-sway system that connects opposite corners instead...

www.race-dezert.com

 

[Wicked Al]

Here's a link to an old thread discussing some similar concepts and technologies:

Hydraulic anti-sway systems

Has anybody here ever experimented with hydraulic anti-sway systems such as this one in a desert truck? I was thinking that using some smooth body shock housings and welding on some fittings to both ends you could make a pretty effective anti-sway system that connects opposite corners instead...

www.race-dezert.com

Thanks for the link! Yup! That's the KDSS system. After I came up with my design and started to do some searching to see what prior art there was, KDSS came up quite a bit. Some similarities and some significant differences.

Here is a pic of my new design...no detail pics yet until after I cough up some cash for my attorneys.