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63-411: The Kabinenroller platform was used for four microcars, the three-wheeled Messerschmitt KR175 (1953-1955), Messerschmitt KR200 (1955-1964) and Messerschmitt KR201, and the four-wheeled FMR Tg500 (1957-1961). The platform and all four cars using it were designed by Fritz Fend . The Kabinenroller was designed and developed by Fritz Fend for Messerschmitt AG. Fend had earlier designed and built

126-401: A propeller shaft or tailshaft ) which transmits the rotational force to a drive axle at the rear of the vehicle. The drive axle may be a live axle , but modern rear-wheel drive automobiles generally use a split axle with a differential. In this case, one half-axle or half-shaft connects the differential with the left rear wheel, a second half-shaft does the same with the right rear wheel; thus

189-538: A common means of public transportation in many countries in the world, and are an essential form of urban transport in many developing countries such as India and the Philippines . Early automotive pioneer Karl Benz developed a number of three-wheeled models. One of these, the Benz Patent Motorwagen , is regarded as the first purpose-built automobile. It was made in 1885. In 1896, John Henry Knight showed

252-429: A differential (kart racing). However, other go-karts have two rear drive wheels too. Some dump trucks and trailers may be configured with a lift axle (also known as an airlift axle or drop axle ), which may be mechanically raised or lowered. The axle is lowered to increase the weight capacity, or to distribute the weight of the cargo over more wheels, for example, to cross a weight-restricted bridge. When not needed,

315-474: A four-wheeled car, or a triangle for a trike) then the vehicle will tip and eventually fall over. This is true for any vehicle. With all vehicles it is critical that the vehicle should be engineered to slide before this point of instability is reached. This can be achieved in several ways: In the case of a three-wheeled ATV, tipping may be avoided by the rider leaning into turns. To improve stability some three-wheelers are designed to tilt while cornering like

378-422: A front engine driving the single rear wheel, similar to the rear engine driving the rear wheel. The wheel must support acceleration loads as well as lateral forces when in a turn, and loss of traction can be a challenge. A new tadpole configuration has been proposed with a rear engine driving the front wheels. This concept (Dragonfly Three Wheeler ) claims both stability and traction (two driven wheels), as well as

441-497: A modified KR200 with a tuned engine, revised gear ratios, redundant control cables, a one-off streamlined body, and stock suspension, damping, steering, and brakes, was run at the Hockenheimring for twenty-four hours. During the run, the vehicle set twenty-two closed-circuit speed records for three-wheeled vehicles with displacements up to 250 cc, including the 50-mile (80 km) record at 107 km/h (66.5 mph) and

504-438: A motorcycle and the rear axle similar to that of a car. Often such vehicles are owner-constructed using a portion of a rear-engine, rear-drive Volkswagen Beetle in combination with a motorcycle front end. Other trikes include All-terrain vehicles that are specially constructed for off-road use. Three-wheelers can have either one wheel at the back and two at the front (2F1R), (for example: Morgan Motor Company ) or one wheel at

567-491: A motorcyclist would do. The tilt may be controlled manually, mechanically or by computer. A tilting three-wheeler's body or wheels, or both, tilt in the direction of the turn. Such vehicles can corner safely even with a narrow track. Some tilting three-wheelers could be considered to be forms of feet forward motorcycles or cabin motorcycles or both. Three-wheeled battery powered designs include: Here are three notable examples of solar-powered three wheelers; two race cars,

630-583: A pedal powered Kabinenroller prototype named the 'Veloschmitt' at the Special Human Powered Vehicle Show in Germersheim . Strongly positive public and press reaction prompted Adlfinger to begin production of the 'Veloschmitt' in Ljubljana, Slovenia , but the project was later halted due to financial difficulties. In 2019, amid continued public support for the project, Adlfinger began financing

693-413: A protruding hub to which the axle shaft flange is bolted. The semi-floating axle setup is commonly used on half-ton and lighter 4×4 trucks in the rear. This setup allows the axle shaft to be the means of propulsion, and also support the weight of the vehicle. The main difference between the full- and semi-floating axle setups is the number of bearings. The semi-floating axle features only one bearing, while

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756-509: A series of unpowered and powered invalid carriages , leading up to his Fend Flitzer . Fend noticed that able-bodied people were buying Flitzers for use as personal transport. That led him to believe that a mass-produced two-seat version of the Flitzer would have a ready market. A search for a manufacturer interested in the project led him to Messerschmitt, which had him develop the project for production at their Regensburg factory. The Kabinenroller

819-460: A shaft that rotates with the wheel, being either bolted or splined in fixed relation to it, is called an axle or axle shaft . However, in looser usage, an entire assembly including the surrounding axle housing (typically a casting ) is also called an axle . An even broader (somewhat figurative) sense of the word refers to every pair of parallel wheels on opposite sides of a vehicle, regardless of their mechanical connection to each other and to

882-400: A single unit called a transaxle . The drive axle is a split axle with a differential and universal joints between the two half axles. Each half axle connects to the wheel by use of a constant velocity (CV) joint which allows the wheel assembly to move freely vertically as well as to pivot when making turns. In rear-wheel drive cars and trucks, the engine turns a driveshaft (also called

945-453: A solid, "live-axle" suspension system, the rotating inner axle cores (or half-shafts) serve to transmit driving torque to the wheels at each end, while the rigid outer tube maintains the position of the wheels at fixed angles relative to the axle, and controls the angle of the axle and wheels assembly to the vehicle body. The solid axles (housings) in this system must also bear the weight of the vehicle plus any cargo. A non-driving axle, such as

1008-424: A state-by-state basis. Some states require drivers of three wheeled vehicles to have a motorcycle license and register the vehicle as a motorcycle. Some states, including Virginia, Kansas, and Indiana, classify some three wheeled vehicles as autocycles. Virginia defines an autocycle as "a three-wheeled motor vehicle that has a steering wheel and seating that does not require the operator to straddle or sit astride and

1071-460: A teardrop shape is often used. A teardrop is wide and round at the front, tapering at the back. The three-wheel configuration allows the two front wheels to create the wide round surface of the vehicle. The single rear wheel allows the vehicle to taper at the back. Examples include the Aptera (solar electric vehicle) and Myers Motors NmG . Having one wheel in front and two in the rear for power reduces

1134-428: A three-wheeled vehicle with an enclosed passenger compartment or partially enclosed seat is considered an automobile. Halfshaft An axle or axletree is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear . On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to the vehicle, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In the former case, bearings or bushings are provided at

1197-485: A tri-car at The Great Exhibition . In 1897, Edward Butler made the Butler Petrol Cycle, another three-wheeled car. A Conti 6  hp Tri-car competed in (but did not complete) a 1907 Peking to Paris race sponsored by a French newspaper, Le Matin . A configuration of two wheels in the front and one wheel at the back presents two advantages: it has improved aerodynamics , and that it readily enables

1260-427: A turn at all. Several manufacturers offer computer-controlled airlifts so that the dead axles are automatically lowered when the main axle reaches its weight limit. The dead axles can still be lifted by the press of a button if needed, for better maneuverability. Lift axles were in use in the early 1940s. Initially, the axle was lifted by a mechanical device. Soon hydraulics replaced the mechanical lift system. One of

1323-473: A unique driving experience. With two wheels in the front (the "tadpole" form or "reverse trike") the vehicle is far more stable in braking turns, but remains more prone to overturning in normal turns compared to an equivalent four-wheeled vehicle, unless the center of mass is lower and/or further forward. Motorcycle-derived designs suffer from most of the weight being toward the rear of the vehicle. For lower wind resistance (which increases fuel efficiency ),

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1386-475: A wheel on the left side of the vehicle to a wheel on the right side. The axis of rotation fixed by the axle is common to both wheels. Such a design can keep the wheel positions steady under heavy stress, and can therefore support heavy loads. Straight axles are used on trains (that is, locomotives and railway wagons), for the rear axles of commercial trucks, and on heavy-duty off-road vehicles. The axle can optionally be protected and further reinforced by enclosing

1449-406: Is a vehicle with three wheels . Some are motorized tricycles , which may be legally classed as motorcycles , while others are tricycles without a motor , some of which are human-powered vehicles and animal-powered vehicles . Many three-wheelers which exist in the form of motorcycle-based machines are often called trikes and often have the front single wheel and mechanics similar to that of

1512-500: Is a single bearing at the end of the axle housing that carries the load from the axle and that the axle rotates through. To be "semi-floating" the axle shafts must be able to "float" in the housing, bearings and seals, and not subject to axial "thrust" and/or bearing preload. Needle bearings and separate lip seals are used in semi-floating axles with axle retained in the housing at their inner ends typically with circlips which are 3¾-round hardened washers that slide into grooves machined at

1575-410: Is its pair of rear wheels. These were driven by halfshafts with universal joints at both ends and a sliding spline allowing the length of the shaft to vary, accommodating changes in camber angle . The wheels were suspended by control arms and coil springs with concentric hydraulic shock absorbers . The rear track was 1,044 mm (41.1 in) The tubular subframe to which the rear suspension

1638-445: Is known as " carbon steel ". The primary differences between the two are that chrome-moly steel is significantly more resistant to bending or breaking, and is very difficult to weld with tools normally found outside a professional welding shop. An axle that is driven by the engine or prime mover is called a drive axle . Modern front-wheel drive cars typically combine the transmission (gearbox and differential) and front axle into

1701-484: Is manufactured to comply with federal safety requirements for motorcycles." Indiana defines it as "a three (3) wheeled motor vehicle in which the operator and passenger ride in a completely or partially enclosed seating area that is equipped with:(1) a rollcage or roll hoops; (2) safety belts for each occupant; and (3) antilock brakes;and is designed to be controlled with a steering wheel and pedals." In other jurisdictions, such as British Columbia , Canada, and Connecticut,

1764-748: The Guinness World Record , on 20 August 2014. It took the record from another three-wheeler, Sunswift IV , designed and built at the University of New South Wales in Australia, by a margin of almost 3 km/h. The Aptera solar electric vehicle uses a tadpole layout and is being designed to have a top speed of over 100 mph. The Aptera uses 42 KW in-wheel electric motors and can be ordered with two ( front-wheel drive ) or three ( all-wheel drive ) motors. The Aptera's roof and dashboard, and optionally its hood and hatch, are fitted with solar panels, with

1827-595: The U.S , the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines and regulates three-wheeled vehicles as motorcycles . However, in 2015 a bill was introduced in Congress that would prevent some three wheeled vehicles from being classified as motorcycles in the United States, instead creating a new classification for "autocycles". Driver's license and registration requirements vary on

1890-636: The Infinium and the Sky Ace TIGA, and a vehicle planned for production, the Aptera. The Infinium, built by the University of Michigan Solar Car Team , came in 3rd place in the 2009 World Solar Challenge held in Australia, and won the 2010 American Solar Challenge . Ashiya University 's Sky Ace TIGA achieved 91.332 kilometres per hour (56.751 mph) at Shimojishima Airport , in Miyakojima, Okinawa, Japan, to win

1953-513: The UK for tax advantages, or in the US to take advantage of lower safety regulations, being classed as motorcycles. As a result of their light construction and potential better streamlining, three-wheeled cars are usually less expensive to operate. Some inexpensive three-wheelers have been designed specifically to improve mobility for disabled people. Three-wheeler transport vehicles known as auto rickshaws are

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2016-485: The automobile turns, improving traction and extending tire life. A tandem axle is a group of two or more axles situated close together. Truck designs use such a configuration to provide a greater weight capacity than a single axle. Semi-trailers usually have a tandem axle at the rear. Axles are typically made from SAE grade 41xx steel or SAE grade 10xx steel. SAE grade 41xx steel is commonly known as " chrome-molybdenum steel " (or "chrome-moly") while SAE grade 10xx steel

2079-400: The axle is lifted off the ground to save wear on the tires and axle, and to increase traction in the remaining wheels, and to decrease fuel consumption. Lifting an axle also alleviates lateral scrubbing of the additional axle in very tight turns, allowing the vehicle to turn more readily. In some situations, the removal of pressure from the additional axle is necessary for the vehicle to complete

2142-458: The axles by the function of the suspension system. This is typical of the independent suspensions found on most newer cars, and even SUVs, and on the front of many light trucks. An exception to this rule is the independent (rear) swing axle suspension, wherein the half-axles are also load-bearing suspension arms. Independent drive-trains still need differentials (or diffs), but without fixed axle-housing tubes attached. The diff may be attached to

2205-426: The bearings, housings, and only a short section of the shaft itself, that also carries all radial loads. The full-floating design is typically used in most ¾- and 1-ton light trucks, medium-duty trucks, and heavy-duty trucks. The overall assembly can carry more weight than a semi-floating or non-floating axle assembly because the hubs have two bearings riding on a fixed spindle. A full-floating axle can be identified by

2268-511: The body to be long and narrow, with a low frontal area. This also allowed the body to taper like an aircraft fuselage, within a practical length. Front suspension of the Kr 200 Kabinenroller (the Kr175 had a different arrangement with rubber cones) was by a transverse lower arm sprung by a torsional 3-element rubber spring at the inside end. Front suspension travel was limited by rubber buffers. Rear suspension

2331-406: The cost of the steering mechanism but greatly decreases lateral stability when cornering while braking. When the single wheel is in the front (the "delta" form, as in a child's pedal tricycle ), the vehicle is inherently unstable in a braking turn, as the combined tipping forces at the center of mass from turning and braking can rapidly extend beyond the triangle formed by the contact patches of

2394-456: The early manufacturers was Zetterbergs, located in Östervåla, Sweden. Their brand was Zeta-lyften. The liftable tandem drive axle was invented in 1957 by the Finnish truck manufacturer Vanajan Autotehdas , a company sharing history with Sisu Auto . A full-floating axle carries the vehicle's weight on the axle casing, not the half-shafts; they serve only to transmit torque from the differential to

2457-401: The engine and the rear suspension. The engine cover was hinged to the monocoque structure. The fuel tank was in the top of the engine cover and fed the carburettor by gravity. The monocoque tub, with the bulkhead at the back, a nose section at the front, and an access hatch system overhead, formed a passenger compartment for a driver and a passenger sitting in tandem . The base plate on which

2520-602: The front and two at the back (1F2R) (such as the Reliant Robin ). Due to better safety when braking, an increasingly popular form is the front-steering "tadpole" or "reverse trike" sometimes with front drive but usually with rear drive. A variant on the 'one at the front' layout was the Scott Sociable , which resembled a four-wheeler with a front wheel missing. Three-wheelers, including some cyclecars , bubble cars and microcars , are built for economic and legal reasons: in

2583-408: The front beam axle in heavy-duty trucks and some two-wheel drive light trucks and vans, will have no shaft, and serves only as a suspension and steering component. Conversely, many front-wheel drive cars have a one-piece rear beam axle. In other types of suspension systems, the axles serve only to transmit driving torque to the wheels: the position and angle of the wheel hubs is made independent from

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2646-491: The full compliment being designed to add a range of up to 40 miles per day and 11,000 miles per year in the sunniest climates. First customer availability is planned for before the end of 2024. The world's first full-size self-propelled land vehicle was a three-wheeler. French Army Captain Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot 's 1770 fardier à vapeur (steam dray), a steam tricycle with a top speed of around 3 km/h (2 mph),

2709-504: The full-floating assembly has bearings on both the inside and outside of the wheel hub. The other difference is axle removal. To remove the semi-floating axle, the wheel must be removed first; if such an axle breaks, the wheel is most likely to come off the vehicle. The semi-floating design is found under most ½-ton and lighter trucks, as well as in SUVs and rear-wheel-drive passenger cars, usually being smaller or less expensive models. A benefit of

2772-465: The hatch was hinged was riveted to the right side of the monocoque tub and the nose section. The hatch was made of a steel sheet base with a glass windshield, a plexiglas bubble canopy, and a framed set of sliding windows on either side of the canopy. In Germany the Kabinenroller got the nickname "Schneewittchensarg" (Snow White's coffin) because of the plexiglas canopy. The tandem seating allowed

2835-461: The inner end of the shafts and retained in/by recesses in the differential carrier side gears which are themselves retained by the differential pinion gear (or "spider gear") shaft. A true semi-floating axle assembly places no side loads on the axle housing tubes or axle shafts. Axles that are pressed into ball or tapered roller bearings, which are in turn retained in the axle housings with flanges, bolts, and nuts do not "float" and place axial loads on

2898-444: The length of the axle in a housing. In split-axle designs, the wheel on each side is attached to a separate shaft. Modern passenger cars have split-drive axles. In some designs, this allows independent suspension of the left and right wheels, and therefore a smoother ride. Even when the suspension is not independent, split axles permit the use of a differential, allowing the left and right drive wheels to be driven at different speeds as

2961-460: The mounting points where the axle is supported. In the latter case, a bearing or bushing sits inside a central hole in the wheel to allow the wheel or gear to rotate around the axle. Sometimes, especially on bicycles, the latter type of axle is referred to as a spindle . On cars and trucks, several senses of the word axle occur in casual usage, referring to the shaft itself, its housing, or simply any transverse pair of wheels. Strictly speaking,

3024-635: The project himself, this time building 125cc petrol and electric versions of the Messerschmitt, alongside the pedal-powered version. The new Kabinenroller, named the KR202, featured a fibreglass body mounted on a steel and aluminium honeycomb chassis and used the powertrain from a petrol powered or electric scooter , depending on the version. Production commenced in Spain in 2021, with order books being opened later that year. Three wheeled car A three-wheeler

3087-487: The record car persuaded Fend to design a sports car based on the Kabinenroller platform. The FMR Tg500 was introduced in 1958, two years after Fahrzeug- und Maschinenbau Gmbh, Regensburg (FMR) took over production of the Kabinenroller from Messerschmitt. The Tg500 used the Kabinenroller's unit body, front bodywork, front suspension, and steering system, but the rear subframe and bodywork were completely different. The Tg500's most noticeable difference from other Kabinenrollern

3150-413: The track rods controlling the front wheels, resulting in approximately one-third of a turn from the left extreme to the right extreme ("lock to lock"). The handlebar-shaped steering control would be operated with small, controlled inputs by swivelling the steering bar about its axis from the horizontal (straight-ahead) position instead of rotating it as with a conventional steering wheel. The performance of

3213-408: The twenty-four-hour record at 103 km/h (64 mph). The Kabinenroller was based on a central monocoque tub made from pressed steel sheet and tubular steel. The earlier Kr175 had triangular form of steel reinforced floor. The tub tapered upward from front to rear with a bulkhead at the back . The bulkhead supported a tubular steel subframe and acted as the firewall . The subframe supported

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3276-458: The two half-axles and the differential constitute the rear axle. The front drive axle is providing the force to drive the truck. In fact, only one wheel of that axle is actually moving the truck and trailer down the road. Some simple vehicle designs, such as leisure go-karts, may have a single driven wheel where the drive axle is a split axle with only one of the two shafts driven by the engine, or else have both wheels connected to one shaft without

3339-486: The use of a small lightweight motorcycle powerplant and rear wheel. This approach was used by the Messerschmitt KR200 and BMW Isetta . Alternatively, a more conventional front-engine, front wheel drive layout as is common in four-wheeled cars can be used, with subsequent advantages for transversal stability (the center of mass is further to the front) and traction (two driven wheels instead of one). Some vehicles have

3402-413: The vehicle frame or body, and/or be integrated with the transmission (or gearbox) in a combined transaxle unit. The axle (half-)shafts then transmit driving torque to the wheels, usually via constant-velocity joints . Like a full floating axle system, the drive shafts in a front-wheel-drive independent suspension system do not support any vehicle weight. A straight axle is a single rigid shaft connecting

3465-456: The vehicle frame or body. Thus, transverse pairs of wheels in an independent suspension may be called an axle in some contexts. This very loose definition of "axle" is often used in assessing toll roads or vehicle taxes , and is taken as a rough proxy for the overall weight-bearing capacity of a vehicle, and its potential for causing wear or damage to roadway surfaces. Axles are an integral component of most practical wheeled vehicles. In

3528-446: The vehicle stationary, the line will be vertical. As the vehicle accelerates, that imaginary line tilts backward, remaining anchored to the centre of mass the point at which the line intersects the ground moves backward. As you brake it moves forward, with cornering it moves sideward. Should the point at which this line intersects the ground move outside of the boundary formed by connecting the tyre contact patches together (a rectangle for

3591-400: The wheels. They "float" inside an assembly that carries the vehicle's weight. Thus the only stress it must endure is torque (not lateral bending force). Full-floating axle shafts are retained by a flange bolted to the hub , while the hub and bearings are retained on the spindle by a large nut. In contrast, a semi-floating design carries the weight of the vehicle on the axle shaft itself; there

3654-400: The wheels. This type, if not tipped, also has a greater tendency to spin out ("swap ends") when handled roughly. The disadvantage of a three-wheel configuration is that lateral stability is lower than with a four-wheeled vehicle. With any vehicle, an imaginary line can be projected from the vehicles centre of mass to the ground, representing the force exerted on the vehicle by its mass. With

3717-500: Was attached also held the drivetrain, which consisted of a transversely-mounted FMR 500 L straight-twin two-stroke engine and an unsynchronized four-speed transaxle with a reverse gear. The Tg500 had a front track of 1,110 mm (43.7 in), up from the KR200's 1,080 mm (42.5 in). It also used larger tires, 4.40 x 10 to the KR200's 4.40 x 8, and four-wheel hydraulic brakes. In 2014, German engineer Achim Adlfinger revealed

3780-403: Was by a trailing arm similar to a single-sided motorcycle swingarm which also formed the enclosure for the chain drive to the rear wheel. The trailing arm was suspended by another torsional rubber spring. Hydraulic dampers were added to the design with the introduction of the KR200 in 1955; also the front track was increased at that time. The shaft of the steering control was connected directly to

3843-516: Was designed and developed for production in 1952 and 1953. Production of the original version, the KR175, began in February 1953. 70 modifications had been made to the design by June 1953. The KR200 was developed on the Kabinenroller platform and replaced the KR175 in 1955. Based on the same frame and an evolution of the original suspension, the KR200 had a large number of detail changes. On 29–30 August 1955,

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3906-584: Was intended for hauling artillery . Another of the earliest preserved examples is the Long steam tricycle , built by George A. Long around 1880 and patented in 1883, now on display at the Smithsonian Institution . The Whike is a recumbent tricycle with a sail, made in the Netherlands. Due to the incidence of injuries and deaths related to their use, a 10-year ban, entirely voluntary for manufacturers,

3969-535: Was placed on the sale of new three-wheeled all-terrain vehicles in the United States in January 1988. More injuries were sustained by riders by not applying a proper riding technique, and lack of wearing proper safety gear such as helmets and riding boots. In a search conducted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, it was determined that "no inherent flaw was found in the three wheel design". In

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