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Subject:Re: Vanagon total drag and mechanical losses
From:Per Lindgren
Date:Wed, 2 Dec 1998 12:32:13 -0800

Joshua Van Tol wrote:

> >Why not make your own fifth wheel? As you wrote, you can roll it 100
> >rotations and
> >get the accurate distance. Here is how I would do it: first, make a frame that
> >attaches to the car, then a fork with a pivot and a bicycle wheel, a hatch
> >strut
> >to give it an even pressure to the ground, and a bicycle speedometer. These
> >speedos can be programmed to fit the circumference of the wheel, by the exact
> >millimeter. The only drawback is that you would have to mount it close to the
> >driver or passenger seat, because the bike speedos don't have too much wire.
>
> If you wanna go to this much trouble, surely lengthening the cable wouldn't
> be too much trouble? They're just two wires in a heavy duty sheath to
> prevent abrasion.
>
> Joshua Van Tol -- jjvantol@lear.csp.ee.memphis.edu

The only worry about lengthening the cable is that it might screw up the magnetic
impulse from the sending unit

PerL
88 Syncro