NHA TRANG UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING Assoc. Prof.

Nguyen Van Nhan

NHA TRANG - 2007

- 5 Chapter 1

OVERVIEW OF MOTOR VEHICLES

1.1. DEFINITIONS AND CLASSIFICATION
Motor Vehicles - conveyance used for transporting goods or passengers or fulfilling specific functions on land. Motor vehicles are supported by the ground, as contrasted with air craft and marine craft that in operation are supported by air or water. Automobile (US) = Car - Motor vehicle with (usu four) wheels for carrying passengers. Table 1-1. General classification of motor vehicles No 1 2 Classification Criteria Type of roads Running gear Types of Motor Vehicles Non-guided motor vehicles Guided motor vehicles Single-track vehicles Multi-track vehicles Motor vehicle with the caterpillar Passenger cars Buses Transport vehicles Specialized motor vehicles Combined vehicles Front - wheel drive (FWD) Rear - wheel drive (RWD) Four - wheel drive (4WD) Front engine Rear engine Mid-engine

Intended purpose

Drive layout

5 6 7 8 9

Body Suspension system Steering system Braking system -----------------------------

Assoc. Prof. Nguyn Vn Nhn

Theory of Motor Vehicles

- 6 1) Guided and non-guided motor vehicles - Guided motor vehicles are constrained to move along a fixed path (guideway), such as railway vehicles and tracked levitated vehicles. Non-guided motor vehicles can move, by choice, in various directions on the ground, such as road and off-road vehicles. The non-guided motor vehicles are the subject of this book. 2) Single - and multi - track vehicle Single-track motor vehicles - Motor vehicles with 2 wheels with or without sidecar. Multi-track motor vehicles - Motor vehicles with three or more wheels.
a)

Motorcycle - Any two-wheeled vehicle with or without sidecar, equipped with a propelling engine. Moped - Motor cycle with pedals and a petrol engine of low power (VE < 50 cm3 ). Scooter - Light motor cycle, usually with small wheels, a low seat and a metal shield protecting the driver's legs.
b)

c)

d)

Fig. 1-1. Single track motor vehicles a) Motorcycle, b) Moped, c) Scooter, d) Motorcycle with sidecar. Saloon-car (sedan) - motor car where the area for the driver and passengers is closed off from the luggage and engine areas. Hatchback - car with a large sloping back, hinged at the top, that opens like a door. Pick - up (also Pick-up truck) - small van or truck, open and with low sides, used by builders, farmers, etc.
Assoc. Prof. Nguyn Vn Nhn Theory of Motor Vehicles

- 7 Van - covered vehicle, with no side windows, for transporting goods or people. Lorry (US Truck) - large strong motor vehicle for transporting goods, soldiers, etc by road.
a) b)

c)

b)

e)

Fig. 1-2. Multi track motor vehicles a) Salon car, b) Hatchback car, c) Pick-up, d) Van, e) Lorry
Assoc. Prof. Nguyn Vn Nhn Theory of Motor Vehicles

- 8 3) Caterpillar tractor - Tractor fitted with the endless belt passing round the wheels of a tractor enabling it to travel over rough ground.

Fig. 1-3. Caterpillar tractors

Assoc. Prof. Nguyn Vn Nhn

Theory of Motor Vehicles

- 9 4) Passenger car - Motor vehicle intended for carrying max 9 passengers with luggage.
a) d)

b)

e)

c)

Fig. 1-4. Passenger cars a) Open convertible, b) Pontoon body, c) Headlights, rear wheels, spare wheel in body ; no bumpers, d) Van body K-shape (developed by Prof. Kamm), e) Headlights and all wheels in body ; clad floor

Assoc. Prof. Nguyn Vn Nhn

Theory of Motor Vehicles

- 10 5) Buses

a)

b)

c)

d)

Fig. 1-5. Buses a) Microbus, b) Tour bus, c) Articulated bus, d) Double-decker public bus

Assoc. Prof. Nguyn Vn Nhn

Theory of Motor Vehicles

- 11 Buses are used to transport people. The capacity of buses is more than 9 passengers and luggage. Buses fall into one of the following 4 categories, depending upon the intended use. Microbus - The capacity of microbuses is approx. 25 passengers. Microbus bodies are mounted on light-duty truck chassis or are derived from multi-purpose vehicles of the delivery truck class. City buses ( Urban buses ) : are designed and equipped for driving regularly scheduled in-city and suburban routes. Due to short intervals between stops in local traffic, facilitation of rapid passenger turnover by means of low steps, wide doors and as low a vehicle floor as possible, is particularly important. Overland buses ( Urban coach ) : The design of overland buses represents a compromise between the city bus and the tour bus. Standing room is available in the aisle for short trips, and the vehicle is equipped with small compartments for luggage. Tour buses ( Long-distance coach ) : are designed to provide a comfortable ride over long distances. Tour buses have large luggage compartments from front to rear below the floor. 6) Transport Vehicles Transport vehicles are further classified according to the type of body, load capacity, and cross-country ability. According to the type of body: General-purpose cargo trucks : with an open drop-sided body used for carrying bulk and packaged goods. Special-purpose trucks : with bodies adapted for a certain kind of work, e.g. dump trucks with tiltable bodies used to carry viscous and bulk materials, or with bodies specially adapted for transporting peat, cement, mixed fodder, grain, cotton, cattle, gasoline, milk, etc. According to the load capacity : Extra-light duty trucks : up to 0,75 t , built on the chassis of passenger cars and used for deliveries of light loads in the communication and communal services and in trade. Light-duty vehicles : from 0,75 to 2,5 t , that work in trade, at industrial enterprises and in agriculture, hauling light loads. They also serves as cargo taxis. Medium-duty trucks : from 2,5 to 5,0 t , mostly carrying loads for organizations and enterprises with a moderate cargo traffic.

Assoc. Prof. Nguyn Vn Nhn

Theory of Motor Vehicles

- 12 Heavy-duty trucks : from 5,0 t to 10,0 t , used on hard surface roads for carrying building materials, fuel, and products manufactured by large industrial enterprises. Extra-heavy-duty vehicles : above 10,0 t , for work in ore and coal mines and at big construction projects with a large amount of steady cargo traffic. As a rule, these vehicles are diverted from public highways.

a)

b)

c)

d)

Fig. 1-6. Transport Vehicles a) Flatbed truck, b) Off-road deep-bed dump truck c) Dump truck, d) Tractor- trailer rig
Assoc. Prof. Nguyn Vn Nhn Theory of Motor Vehicles

- 13 Buses and transport vehicles are placed in category of commercial vehicles which are used for the economical transportation of persons and goods. It is important that a commercial vehicles have a favorable ratio of usable space to overall vehicle volume and of useful load to laden vehicle weight. Legal weight and dimension regulations determine the limits of cargo volume and laden weight. The development of commercial vehicles has tended toward a high degree of specialization in terms of type of use ( local traffic, overland traffic , construction - site traffic , special applications) and type of transport ( transport of goods, transport of persons, specialized transport ). Laden weights range from 2 t to 35 t for individual road vehicles, while the length of the commercial vehicle wheelbase varies from 2 to 6,5 m. Road trains and tractor-trailer rigs usually have a max laden weight of 38 t to 45 t, although heavy transport vehicles can weigh over 150 t in exceptional cases. 7) Motor vehicles for specific purpose

Fig. 1-7. Motor vehicles for specific purpose

Assoc. Prof. Nguyn Vn Nhn Theory of Motor Vehicles

- 14 8) Combined vehicles Passenger car combination : Passenger car + Trailer Mobile home combination : Passenger car + Mobile home Passenger road train : Automotive omnibus + Trailer Road train : Motor truck + Truck trailer Drawbar tractor combination : Tractor vehicle + Trailer Articulated road train : Truck tractor + Semitrailer Platform road train : Road train with platform which lies on both the pulling and pulled vehicles.

Fig. 1-8. Combined vehicles

Assoc. Prof. Nguyn Vn Nhn Theory of Motor Vehicles

- 15 9) Vehicle Classification in accordance with the Directive of the European Community ( 71/320/EEC ) and ECE Regulation No 13 with regard to Brake Equipment Category L - Motor vehicles with fewer than 4 wheels, motorized twowheeled and three-wheeled vehicles. Category L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 Design Displacement Two-wheeled 50 cm3 Three-wheeled 50 cm3 Two-wheeled > 50 cm3 Three-wheeled asymmetrical to > 50 cm3 longitudinal vehicle axis Three-wheeled symmetrical to > 50 cm3 1 t laden weight longitudinal vehicle axis Max speed 40 km/h 40 km/h > 40 km/h > 40 km/h

Category M - Passenger vehicles with at least 4 wheels or with 3 wheels and an overall weight > 1 t. Category M1 M1 (a) M1 (b) M2 M3 3 or 5 doors Primarily goods transport ; mobile home Bus Bus Design Driver's seat + passenger seats 9 Folding seats for goods transport > 4 > 9 > 9 Laden weight < 3,5 t < 3,5 t < 3,5 t < 5t > 5t

Class N - Goods transport vehicles with at least 4 wheels or with 3 wheels and a laden weight > 1 t. Category O - Trailers and Semitrailers Category O1 only single-axle trailers O2 O3 O4 Laden weight 0,75 t 3,5 t 3,5 t < O3 10 t > 10 t

Assoc. Prof. Nguyn Vn Nhn

Theory of Motor Vehicles