6.1.22 Geometrical Maneuverability of the Car
The geometric maneuverability of a car is understood as a set of its parameters that affect the ability to move freely in certain conditions. These parameters include the height of the vehicle's ground clearance, the angles of departure and approach, the ramp angle, the size of the overhangs. Road clearance or vehicle clearance is the height from the lowest point of the car body, assembly (for example, suspension parts) or assembly (for example, the crankcase) of the car to the ground The approach and departure angles are parameters that determine the ability of a car to climb a hill at a certain angle or descend it. The magnitude of these angles is directly related to another parameter, which is included in the concept of geometric maneuverability - the length of the front and rear overhangs. As a rule, in case if the overhangs are short, then the car can have large approach and departure angles, which helps it easily climb steep hills and descend from them. In turn, knowledge of the length of the overhangs is important in order to understand whether it is possible to park your car to a particular curb. Finally, one more parameter is the ramp angle, which depends on the length of the wheelbase and the height of the car body above the surface. In case if the wheelbase is long and the height is small, then the car will not be able to overcome the transition point from the vertical to the horizontal plane. In other words, the car, having climbed the mountain, will not be able to cross its peak and will "sit" on the bottom.
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