With the large number of noise / vibration problems posted on this site, I wish that they would fit some type of vibration sensing and analysis into cars.

If they can do it for helicopters, and rotating components on other transport, why not cars?

Every failure or potential failure must have a 'signature', and as modern cars have a large number of other sensors fitted and providing information centrally, then it should not be hard to take the guesswork out of the equation. FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 82k+ miles) (MY2015)
Metro in its 11th Year of (Extended) LR Warranty / Full LR Service History
(Expensive, but Trouble/Worry free - hopefully?)

Ian, google 'chassis ears'. (Now Sold). 2008 Freelander 2 (Nazca Sand) SE TD4 Auto. Statutory write off & on WOVR for hail damage but still road legal.
171037Km as of 09/05/22
Superchips Bluefin Flash
Nanocom Evo II (also sold)

Thanks Badger
I did look, I think this listening equipment has been mentioned before on forum.

What I was wishing for is a little more complicated set up, permanently installed in car like any other sensor, which automatically analyses the sound, and gives a prediction of failing parts before it all collapses. I am sure that a 'signature' derived from noise frequency and position (compared with other car sensor info) could be individually determined for most bits.

It would store a code ready for next service, or provide an immediate warning of imminent failure of bearings etc. Much like electrical and bus message failures are at the moment.


Or we could go back to employing Wheel Tappers (and of course Steam Trains) FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 82k+ miles) (MY2015)
Metro in its 11th Year of (Extended) LR Warranty / Full LR Service History
(Expensive, but Trouble/Worry free - hopefully?)

Last edited by IanMetro on 8th Oct 2018 5:51 pm. Edited 1 time in total

4 sensors would give you the coordinates to the sub-mm in any position. Then map that to the car so it could be displayed on the console with a nice graphic design, dodgy part & product part number to make life easier.

Simples! Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

Acoustic insulation ARB TPMS 3xARB air compressors After cooler Air tank On-board OCD pressure air/water cleaning Additional 50L fuel Carpet in doors ABE 2x1kg Waeco 28L modified fridge Battery 4x26ah Solar 120w Victron MPPT 100/20 DC-DC 18amps 175amp jumper plug Awning 6x255/60R18

Ian, I work in the aviation industry (at least I did for 50 odd years)! A set of sensors permanently mounted & either reporting to a central control or plug in option would up the cost of the vehicle by who knows what (going on aviation prices)

So although what you suggest is possible, I don't think it would justify the cost in relation to the problems.

Unlike helicopters which by design, are trying to self destruct everytime you start them & take a considerable amount of skill & time to prevent that happening  (Now Sold). 2008 Freelander 2 (Nazca Sand) SE TD4 Auto. Statutory write off & on WOVR for hail damage but still road legal.
171037Km as of 09/05/22
Superchips Bluefin Flash
Nanocom Evo II (also sold)

Badger51 wrote:

.....trying to self destruct everytime you start them & take a considerable amount of skill & time to prevent that happening

There are enough idiots like myself trying to self destruct our car on outback corrugated roads!


One destroyed tire, then bought TPMS in Broome.

Snapped roof rack bolt which I replaced in Esperance WA, when I finally worked out what had actually broken as I could not detect the problem while stationary. Hanging out window while on the move & other half steering the car over corrugated roads! While the car was stationary I could not get any sound from the car no matter how hard I pushed on the roof rack.

I do admit that there was up to 110 kg on the roof, 35 kg over capacity at times, but was always conscious of the issue as I do want to keep the car for the long term.

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Daly Waters NT, a retired 2014 rotary-wing aircraft:

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It would be quite handy to have up to this capacity for the outback!

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

 Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

Acoustic insulation ARB TPMS 3xARB air compressors After cooler Air tank On-board OCD pressure air/water cleaning Additional 50L fuel Carpet in doors ABE 2x1kg Waeco 28L modified fridge Battery 4x26ah Solar 120w Victron MPPT 100/20 DC-DC 18amps 175amp jumper plug Awning 6x255/60R18

That would make a cool trailer conversion  No Longer the owner of a 2013MY Fuji White GS

"Fiat Lux" a philosophy not a car

Badger51 wrote:

Unlike helicopters which by design, are trying to self destruct everytime you start them & take a considerable amount of skill & time to prevent that happening

Say what alex, it's a fact, with main rotor heads spinning at 400/500 rpm & tail rotors spinning at 2000/3000 rpm, we spend a lot of time getting the balance as low as possible to stop them self destructing. An out of balance rotor system can soon lead to component failure, which we certainly don't want. On most of the machines we try to get a balance figure of less than .2 IPS (inches per second). It's quite a complex process & can be very time consuming, even with modern digital equipment.  (Now Sold). 2008 Freelander 2 (Nazca Sand) SE TD4 Auto. Statutory write off & on WOVR for hail damage but still road legal.
171037Km as of 09/05/22
Superchips Bluefin Flash
Nanocom Evo II (also sold)

Thanks for the explanation.
But the components of a rotor system (i.e. the blades) have, normally, the same precise measured weight, length, width, thickness, etc., right?
So then, where/how can the system get out of balance? Which are the weak points?

If only it were that simple alex, every man & his dog would be able to do it.

I have attached a link that will explain far better than I can here.

https://www.rwas.com.au/blade-balancing.html

Nick (Now Sold). 2008 Freelander 2 (Nazca Sand) SE TD4 Auto. Statutory write off & on WOVR for hail damage but still road legal.
171037Km as of 09/05/22
Superchips Bluefin Flash
Nanocom Evo II (also sold)

In a previous life I supplied aluminium to a company who made centrifugal machines for medical testing.

The aluminum holders which spun at high speed could be out of balance from different batches of aluminium billet. It was a variation of the copper % alloying element in the aluminium but still within the alloy's specification which made some holders a touch lighter than others. It was not much, but it was enough weight to cause problems.

When the problem was solved the holders were only sold in batches of 4 for each machine from the one billet of aluminium. It also wasn't a simple issue of adding or subtracting a bit of weight on each holder. Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

Acoustic insulation ARB TPMS 3xARB air compressors After cooler Air tank On-board OCD pressure air/water cleaning Additional 50L fuel Carpet in doors ABE 2x1kg Waeco 28L modified fridge Battery 4x26ah Solar 120w Victron MPPT 100/20 DC-DC 18amps 175amp jumper plug Awning 6x255/60R18

Thank you very much again !

In a past life I had to collect a senior naval officer's teenage daughter by helicopter to take her to an event. I sat her in the right hand seat with strict instructions not to touch the cyclic (central control column). We were a bit late in arriving on site and her father knowing full well the reputation of youg men (I was young at the time) in his service was a little apprehensive and asked his daughter if she had a good flight and she answered "We flew over all the trees and houses and I had this great big thing between my legs".

I beat a hasty retreat. It was her first time in a helicopter


J