Appendix -1

A. The longitudinal location of

CG:

Then W = (Rf + Rr) eq. (4)

* Measure the car front axle weight
Wf = Rf, and the car rear axle weight
Wr = Rr, Fig. 3.
Use equation (4) to find the car weight W.
Take moment around point E.
ME = 0
Rf L W b = 0
Rf L= W b, then

Fig(x) free body diagram of longitudinal

position of cg

b = L (Rf/W) eq. (5)

Use eq. (5) to find the distance b.
Substitute the value of b in eq. (2) to get
the distance a.

From fig (x)

W is the car weight,
Rf is the ground reaction of the frontal axle
weight
Rr is ground reaction of the rear axle
weight
RR is ground reaction of the car right
wheels weight
RL is ground reaction of the car left wheels
weight
L is the car wheel base (distance between
the front and rear car wheels/axles)
T is the car track (distance between the
center of the wheels on the same axle)
a is the location of the CG behind the front
axle
b is the location of the CG in front of the
rear axle
x is the location of the CG away from the
right wheels
y is the location of the CG away from the
left wheels

B. The height above ground of

CG (h):
The weight of the rear axle (Wr1) will
be weighed while the front pair of
wheels are raised up quite a small
distance H (or h1) (as shown in figure.
y)

The summation of vertical forces in the y

direction is equal 0.
Fy = 0

L = a +b

eq. (1)

Rf1 + Rr1 W = 0

a=Lb

eq. (2)

Then: Rf1 = W Rr1

Fy = 0
W (Rf + Rr) = 0

eq. (3)

The summation of moments about any

point is equal 0, then:

Appendix -1
MA = 0
Rf 1 (L cos ) - W (AB) = 0
Rf 1 (L cos ) = W (AB) eq. (6)
From the figure:

h is the distance of CG above the ground,

Eq. (8)

C. The side location of CG:

W = WR + WL

AB = AC BC,

Taking moment about point C will get the

distance x

Where:

MC = 0,

AC = b cos , and

W.(x) RL . (T) = 0

BC = ED = (h-r) sin ,

x = (RL/W) T,

Then:

y=Tx

AB = AC BC = b cos (h-r) sin

Most cars except the front wheel drive are

symmetric in weight distribution in the
front view (RR = RL). So that the CG
position will be in the middle (x = y =
T/2). In most cars it is a fair approximation
to assume that. (Thecartech.com, 2016)

Substitute the value of AB form the above

equation in Eq. (6), then
Rf1 (L cos ) = W (b cos (h-r) sin )
Rf1 (L cos ) = W b cos W (h-r) sin

[p]

W (h-r) sin = W b cos Rf1 (L cos )

Thecartech.com. (2016). Finding the

Car Center of Gravity/Mass (CG/CM).
[online] Available at:
http://www.thecartech.com/subjects/
auto_eng/Center_of_Gravity.htm
[Accessed 27 Nov. 2016].

h r = [b L (Rf1/W)] cot eq. (7)

h = [b L (Rf1/W)] cot + r eq. (8)
where:
= sin-1 (H/L)
(h-r) is the distance of CG above the axle
plane, Eq. (7)