Design Optimization of Rear Tandem Axles Connecting Linkage for Heavy Trucks - A Case Study

A case study of the application of optimization techniques to the design of rear-axles-connecting-linkage of heavy trucks with only two rear axles has been presented. The rear axles are made to move in tandem by designing a linkage connecting the two at each of its ends. The linkage locations are determined by the inter-axle-drive shaft, which is a telescopic tube. The drive-shaft is mounted with U-Joints on the two rear axles and follows the bumps and rebounds of the roads with minimal rotation about the lateral axis. Optimization techniques were applied to a planar ADAMS Model to minimize the drive shaft rotation.