Wheel tethers.
Discussion
The tethers aren't actually connected to the wheels, they're connected the hub - Wheels can still go flying if the wheel nut isn't attached properly, or if the tyre isn't attached to the rim.
They are usually run from the hub, through the front suspension fairings/covers and attached to the chassis
They are usually run from the hub, through the front suspension fairings/covers and attached to the chassis
mw88 said:
The tethers aren't actually connected to the wheels, they're connected the hub - Wheels can still go flying if the wheel nut isn't attached properly, or if the tyre isn't attached to the rim.
They are usually run from the hub, through the front suspension fairings/covers and attached to the chassis
Thanks for that!They are usually run from the hub, through the front suspension fairings/covers and attached to the chassis
kambites said:
A plastic with the commercial name of Zylon, and a scientific name I can neither remember nor spell.
Poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole)Quite astonishing stuff, used for everything from bulletproof vests to tennis racquets to space parachutes. 1.6 times higher tensile strength than Kevlar.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zylon
It’s always amazed me how the wheel tethers work, the forces in an accident are astonishing yet the things almost never fail - and when they do, it’s usually the attachments at either end, rather than the actual Zylon rope that breaks.
Rahal rear left wheel wasn't fitted correctly, the pitman was still trying to tighten it up when he was released.
Indycar has had wheel tethers since 1999. After Justin' Wilson death in 2015 the following year they added tethers to the front nose/wing, side pods and rear wings as well.
Indycar has had wheel tethers since 1999. After Justin' Wilson death in 2015 the following year they added tethers to the front nose/wing, side pods and rear wings as well.
Sandpit Steve said:
Poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole)
Quite astonishing stuff, used for everything from bulletproof vests to tennis racquets to space parachutes. 1.6 times higher tensile strength than Kevlar.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zylon
It’s always amazed me how the wheel tethers work, the forces in an accident are astonishing yet the things almost never fail - and when they do, it’s usually the attachments at either end, rather than the actual Zylon rope that breaks.
1.6 times the strength, but about 13 times the price last time we looked at it at work! Not the sort of thing you use unless you absolutely must have the strength.Quite astonishing stuff, used for everything from bulletproof vests to tennis racquets to space parachutes. 1.6 times higher tensile strength than Kevlar.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zylon
It’s always amazed me how the wheel tethers work, the forces in an accident are astonishing yet the things almost never fail - and when they do, it’s usually the attachments at either end, rather than the actual Zylon rope that breaks.
Very tough stuff though, used on the helmet visor protection strips as well.
Ian974 said:
Sandpit Steve said:
Poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole)
Quite astonishing stuff, used for everything from bulletproof vests to tennis racquets to space parachutes. 1.6 times higher tensile strength than Kevlar.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zylon
It’s always amazed me how the wheel tethers work, the forces in an accident are astonishing yet the things almost never fail - and when they do, it’s usually the attachments at either end, rather than the actual Zylon rope that breaks.
1.6 times the strength, but about 13 times the price last time we looked at it at work! Not the sort of thing you use unless you absolutely must have the strength.Quite astonishing stuff, used for everything from bulletproof vests to tennis racquets to space parachutes. 1.6 times higher tensile strength than Kevlar.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zylon
It’s always amazed me how the wheel tethers work, the forces in an accident are astonishing yet the things almost never fail - and when they do, it’s usually the attachments at either end, rather than the actual Zylon rope that breaks.
Very tough stuff though, used on the helmet visor protection strips as well.
LeoSayer said:
It always amazes me how good a job the tethers do and yet occasionally a wheel comes loose in a relatively low speed impact such as Schumacher's recently.
I'm not sure of that particular accident, but I think it that tends to happen when the wheel catches on something. The tethers are designed to be strong enough to take any force likely to be generated by the weight of the wheel and upright, but if the wheel catches on something immobile, they are not strong enough to stop the entire weight of the car and nor would you want them to be because that could result in the driver experiencing dangerously high levels of deceleration in a glancing impact if the wheel happened to wrap itself around something. LeoSayer said:
It always amazes me how good a job the tethers do and yet occasionally a wheel comes loose in a relatively low speed impact such as Schumacher's recently.
The tether connects the hub to a part of the suspension. If that part of the suspension gets ripped off (as it looks like in the image) then it will take the hub (and wheel) with it.Chair Bear did a vid about this on youtube a little while back, may be worth a watch.
https://youtu.be/R4gKZNi71U8
https://youtu.be/R4gKZNi71U8
The tether is connected to the upright, not the hub.
One end on the upright, the other on a chassis point. (gearbox case is the chassis)
The wheel is held to the hub by the nut and a locking mechanism that prevents the wheel coming off if the nut comes loose, when the gun is applied to the nut, the gun socket disengages the locking mechanism to allow the nut to come off, when you pull the socket off the locking mechanism re-engages.
The Hub assembly rotates, that is what the wheel is attached to, the hub is located in the wheel bearing and cant come out of it, the bearing is in the upright and cant come out, so when you tether the upright, the whole wheel/hub/bearing and upright assembly stays with the car, unless the force is enough to break the tether or its mountings.
One end on the upright, the other on a chassis point. (gearbox case is the chassis)
The wheel is held to the hub by the nut and a locking mechanism that prevents the wheel coming off if the nut comes loose, when the gun is applied to the nut, the gun socket disengages the locking mechanism to allow the nut to come off, when you pull the socket off the locking mechanism re-engages.
The Hub assembly rotates, that is what the wheel is attached to, the hub is located in the wheel bearing and cant come out of it, the bearing is in the upright and cant come out, so when you tether the upright, the whole wheel/hub/bearing and upright assembly stays with the car, unless the force is enough to break the tether or its mountings.
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