Rubber technic pieces?

[PunkTacoNYC]

Lego 45803, 45568

Are these strange looking beams and lift-arms actually flexible? Could their flexibility feasibly be used in a torsion type of suspension?

And to be sure, they are compatible with modern lego pins and axles, right?

 

Edited January 6, 2020 by PunkTacoNYC

[TechnicRCRacer]

I don’t have any, but I believe they are only very slightly flexible. They are compatible with normal pins I believe and you would have to be creative to use them in a torsion suspension, but it seems possible.

[Alasdair Ryan]

I don't think you could use those,but we do have these rubber connecters which would work.

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?id=42646#T=C

[Thirdwigg]

I have not tired 45803 and 45568 but the flexible rubber connector do not work for a torsion type suspension as the axle does not receive much resistance. In fact you can turn an axle around in the connector with a moderate amount of force.

[Erik Leppen]

Maybe though, you can use the 2L rubber connector as some kind of micro spring in a mini-scale build in some kind of way.

Not sure it's good for the part though.

[PunkTacoNYC]

1 hour ago, Alasdair Ryan said:

I don't think you could use those,but we do have these rubber connecters which would work.

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?id=42646#T=C

Thanks for the suggestion but these are a bit too flexible and also too small. Does anyone actually have these parts and can vouch for just how flexible they are?

[HorcikDesigns]

They are not very flexible. I had once 45803 anr the feel was like an liftarm. On the other hand, that wierd gray connectors used with these elements in the RC Racers cars, were flexible much more. 

[PunkTacoNYC]

8 minutes ago, HorcikDesigns said:

They are not very flexible. I had once 45803 anr the feel was like an liftarm. On the other hand, that wierd gray connectors used with these elements in the RC Racers cars, were flexible much more. 

Which gray connectors?

[Aerolight]

the same as the grey steering links (the ones with ball connections) much softer than normal technic - I have some I have twisted to 90 permanently by twisting well over 300 degrees. Although normal lego axles work well for torsion bars of a reasonable scale if that is the application 

[KevinMD]

1 hour ago, PunkTacoNYC said:

Which gray connectors?

I assume he means 45573 and 45574

[andythenorth]

The spike connectors 45573 and 45574 are absolutely usable as a form of solid suspension.  

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=45573&name=Technic, Spike Connector Flexible with Four Holes, Raised Center&category=[Technic, Connector]#T=C&C=85

I used them in a walking beam suspension, as the pivot points for the walking beams. 

Downsides for that use

• they tend to drift laterally, which could be solved with side-control linkages (like sway / panhard rods)
• they don't offer any real benefit over a simple pivot with a pin or axle

[PunkTacoNYC]

22 hours ago, andythenorth said:

The spike connectors 45573 and 45574 are absolutely usable as a form of solid suspension.  

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=45573&name=Technic, Spike Connector Flexible with Four Holes, Raised Center&category=[Technic, Connector]#T=C&C=85

I used them in a walking beam suspension, as the pivot points for the walking beams. 

Downsides for that use

• they tend to drift laterally, which could be solved with side-control linkages (like sway / panhard rods)
• they don't offer any real benefit over a simple pivot with a pin or axle

This is helpful. I assume the benefit they would offer over a simple pivot would be that they would more or less return to center due to their elasticity.

[andythenorth]

13 hours ago, PunkTacoNYC said:

This is helpful. I assume the benefit they would offer over a simple pivot would be that they would more or less return to center due to their elasticity.

Correct, they will move when a load is applied, but they won't flop around freely like a simple pivot.  

I don't know if they're really strong enough for a torsion bar / trailing arm type suspension, didn't try that