Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 Balance point of the M3W

Mike Pinder was the original keyboardist replaced by Moraz in 1978. The album I was thinking of was "A Question of Balance"..... I have it on vinyl.

Hi Javier, I just lifted the car with a trolley jack using a plank of wood across the vehicle till I got it to the point where it balanced. I seem to remember it was 1,500mm in front of the rear wheel spindle but I can't remember if the fuel tanks were full or not - best to check your own vehicle - it only takes a minute. If you trailer is to be enclosed make sure it has plenty of ventilation or you will suffer corrosion after wet runs if things can't dry out quickly.

Good luck,
Phil

Thanks Phil!

Yes, it does make sense to have the balance point 1,5 m from the rear wheel. Calum (RedThree) said he measured the weights on each wheel some time ago, and all three had very similar weight so it means we can assume that our little rocket has 2/3 of its weight in the "nose".

So, with a wheelbase of 2337 mm, the balance point should be 1558 mm from the rear axle and 779 mm from the front axle. And this with some gas in the tanks, so the truth is that it might be even closer to the front when empty!

How much capacity have the tanks? This weight will be almost 100% work on the rear axle as the tanks are precisely around the rear tire. It will obviously affect to have the tanks full, but I’ll have to make a calculation to see really how much (and I’m lazy this evening LOL).

The good point is that I can have a nice tailor-made trailer with the two axles where I’ll indicate. Between 5000 and 6000 € VAT included with plenty of safety stuff, accessories, and including a removable fabric roof / cover, not larger than 1,9 m wide (all platform, the wheels underneath), 4,75 m total length (platform of 3,5 m), and a total height of 1,8 m with the roof / cover on. So it fits in the garage!

I love this video. So simple but visually effective! Just in case someone had doubts about the importance of the balance point of your trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXXM6mBAybU

Wonderful demonstration of trailer balance and its effects on the tow vehicle👍

Yes, brilliant - a lesson for us all!

While balance is indeed important the video is, however, making the point about having the load as near to the Axle as possible and not at the extremities. Any stevedore will tell you that when loading a ship you need all the weight amidships and as little weight as possible in bow and stern areas, otherwise the ship will pitch violently when in rough seas - same principal.

If you want a simple demo, take a light stick ( garden bamboo cane for example ) fix a weight at each end and then, holding it in the middle at arms length twist your wrist back and forth and feel the forces at play trying to prevent you from reversing the direction of swing. Now fix the weights in the middle of the stick and do the same thing - all very obvious really but not so easy to visualise when loading a trailer - or any other vehicle for that matter.

It don't mean a thing if it aint got that swing.

How many apostrophes are there in aint and where do you put 'em?

Phil

not sure where balance point is but when we took off on a hump backed bridge the front landed first!!!!!!

Applied physics, Skullmog - love it!

Having done my own research I fully concur with Skullmogs findings. 😋

Yes, but was that with full or empty fuel tanks??