Personal development extends beyond the 8 hour work-day at WSM. Engineer Chris Clouser invested nearly 1000 hours of his personal time developing and building this exotic HPV. The skills he developed during this project will be invaluable in serving WSM customers.

Engineers at WSM are encouraged to pursue personal projects in order to enhance both theoretical and practical skills. Many of the parts on this vehicle were made by Chris in WSM's in-house prototype facility. Few companies remain where the engineers are able to spend time in the shop. We feel that it essential that our engineers be able to exhibit a practical side to their design abilities in order produce an easier-to-manufacture and more reliable product.

This extreme machine is a recumbent, four-wheel drive, four-wheel steering, independent suspension mountain bike. The vehicle weighs about 50 lb depending on accessories. It has anywhere from 6 to 13 inches of travel depending on shocks and mounting configuration. It is a working prototype which exhibits the function of several innovative new concepts. Several aspects of this vehicle are still under development.

Equal length A-arms were chosen for their ability to perfectly control camber throughout the entire range of travel at 0 degrees of roll (body roll being minimized by rider technique). Bump steer has been accounted for, and the steering is a near perfect Ackerman. Caster, camber, and toe is fully adjustable as is the seating.

A single large disc brake is used to stop all four wheels. Power is transferred through the drive train to all four wheels. This design will prohibit the rear wheels from locking up before the front under hard braking.

Still to be addressed is the design of a limited-slip differential. Currently, tight turning is difficult and puts a large amount of stress on the drive train since the axles are locked.
 
 

Here is the computer model.

Here is the machine.

A view of the suspension, some steering, and some drive train.

Some of the drive train and the disc brake.

More drive train, suspension and steering.