Student-built 4x4 articulated UTV waltzes through the mogul field

This video beautifully shows how the articulated oscillating bodies on our BUV allow for all four tires to stay on the ground even through extreme terrain. The vehicle is 4WD and uses a Yanmar 10 HP diesel engine, '89 Nissan pickup 5-spd. transmission, transfer case, and differential and a Dodge pickup differential. Using standard Japanese surplus components helps to keep the cost low. We also had a PTO-driven Hypro pump to fill and empty the barrel. I mentored two senior eng'g. students on this project, one of them being Caleb Shelburne who is driving in this event.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• BUV
• Basic
• Utility
• Vehicle
• third
• world
• developing
• countries
• simple
• inexpensive
• appropriate
• transportation
• diesel
• articulated
• oscillating
• steering
• IAT
• IBCD
• JBU
• John
• Brown
• University
• Institute
• Biblical
• Community
• Development
• UTV
• 4x4

[rutz08]

what did you guys place?

[approtechie]

@rutz08 We took second place in the Open Class.

[rutz08]

@approtechie nice, I joined BUV this year at the University of Missouri, I like your design

[approtechie]

@rutz08 We won't be there this year. Good luck!

[mlindsay527]

Awesome. Love the diesel. Looks like you could change the steering ratios to make it a bit more responsive, though.

[approtechie]

@mlindsay527 It really needs power steering and a damper. We designed it to be adjustable ratio and we tried various settings but had to settle for a compromise. Any quicker and the feedback was too much, slower gave better control but too slow a response. Part of the problem was the diff in the rear drives a little faster than the front, opposite of what we wanted but it's the only way they fit. That caused oversteering when going forward. Eventually we'll get it worked out.

[approtechie]

@coolpat71 sorry, no plans. This was a one-off unit for the national competition. We are continuing to use it daily at our training center where we teach many different technologies relating to development.

[coolpat71]

i was wondering if you have any plans on how to put it together ? would be great !!

[ammagato]

Mi piace, ricorda tanto i "Desert Rat" degli anni sessanta.

[Terratracks]

@approtechie  Indeed. Thanks for sharing.