CarBEN EV5 Full Sized Prototype Construction - 5 Seat Electric Car From Scratch

[Galane]

Have you considered torsion suspension spindles made for trailers? They're an outer tube holding an inner piece in an elastomer, with a trailing arm back to the wheel hub.

They have provisions to mount brakes, dunno if any have shock absorber mounts. There are also types built into a beam with a trailing spindle at each end, some companies will build custom widths.

There are a few ways of adjusting ride height, most commonly by setting the rotation of the mounting so that the height won't be too low with the vehicle at maximum load.

[palmer_md]

Been mentioned in posts 405 and 457 just to name a few...this thread is getting pretty long.

[NeilBlanchard]

I thought about it - and then they sold out. I could have fit ~128 Leaf modules into the floor bays - which would be about 56kWh. For less than $11K; it would have been sweet! And maybe more deals like this will surface in the next couple of years; I hope so anyway.

[palmer_md]

I bought one just because it was a good deal, and I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it just yet. I might build a range extension trailer that has the pack along with a DC/DC converter to pass the power to my main pack.

[NeilBlanchard]

I'm starting the planning for renovating and adding on to my garage:



This is the plan sketch - the existing garage is the 11'-2" x 18'-4" rectangle in the upper right. The main doors need to be replaced.

The new area (in yellow) is 24' x 18' on the outside. I hope to put solar PV panels on the roof over the new area, as this faces south. The existing wall between the existing and the new area would go away, of course.

The CNC machine could sit along the 18' wall on the west end. I have three large doublehung windows that will likely get installed in the south wall (at the bottom of the plan), and an entry door would be near the garage doors. Another might exit the back out into the covered storage area, for yard equipment that is now jammed into the garage.

[freebeard]

Julian Edgar did a multi-part series on building a home workshop. I didn't find a list of each installment, but here's #1:

AutoSpeed - Building a Home Workshop, Part 1

The original roof is a hip and the new one is gabled. Are you going to be able to use more than the two outer walls of the original structure?

[CFECO]

Depending on $, Sips panels are the "best and fastest" type of construction to build with, once the footing is ready, you can be dried in, in one day. If money is paramount, Versatube steel carports also can be erected in one day, and sided and insulated with spray foam on the inside. There are some nice pole barn structures available too, but the central columns may be a problem, and I don't know how "Gestapo Like" your local building codes are. Good luck though!

[NeilBlanchard]

We have an easy going building department, last I checked. I'm going to keep it basic: 2x4 walls and I'll work out the ceiling and rafters in the section drawing. Probably CMU frost wall (similar to existing) and a slab, or possibly pavers for the floor. Long ago I dug a tranche and put in two conduits (3/4" and 1/2") with the intention of putting in a power circuit and a telephone/data wire. If I put some solar PV panels out there, I may need a second power circuit.

I'll have to check if I can also fit the Saab 900 in there (with the CNC and the work table(s) pushed to the corners). If it needs a little more room to get that in there, better change the plan!

I hope to eventually insulate it, and be able to extend the work year and the fiberglass 'season'. And the bicycles and yard tools etc. need to be stored, too.

[ConnClark]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Julian Edgar did a multi-part series on building a home workshop. I didn't find a list of each installment, but here's #1:

AutoSpeed - Building a Home Workshop, Part 1

The original roof is a hip and the new one is gabled. Are you going to be able to use more than the two outer walls of the original structure?

Unfortunately Julian forgot two important steps, getting a beer fridge and selecting a calender with pretty girls on it.

[NeilBlanchard]

CarBEN EV5 sat safely away in my little garage through the winter, and finally have a sunny warm day - and some time to start repair work.



Large piece on left side of hatch door.



One piece glued to another, and it was partly dried before I had top move it inside, because of a strong rain shower. Hopefully, I'll have more time tomorrow. :-)



It is sitting in front of the splintered remains of the framing of the shelter...