Riding truck cone suspension

[JonL]

A while ago one of the members of my MES gave me the bogies for a riding truck. It is just the bogies, they are tired and require a lot of rework. One of the easier items (so I thought) was renewing the rubber cones which act as suspension, in an Alex Moulton style. Does anyone have any idea if these are a commercial item or did the maker make them from scratch? I will probably stick with this system as I should imagine it works quite well, but I will need to replace the missing and perished rubber components. Thanks for any help you can give.

photos.app.goo.gl/vhkq8VmJcNd5XwGx7

[uuu]

I don't know if they are - but they remind me of chair feet - like these: Ebay item

No doubt they come in various sizes.

Wilf

[flyingfox]

Greetings, there are quite a large variety of rubber moulding available, you have just got to find them. In Norwich there is a good supplier, but I have been using rubber balls, which have much the same suspension properties as cones.
Regards
Brian

[JonL]

Maybe its not a very good photo, they appear to actually be moulded on to the spigots. They are shaped like half a squash ball.

I think as you say it may be a case of modifying to suit what is available.

Thanks all

[chrisb]

I got the rubber bump stops for my riding trolley suspension online from a company in Leicester www.avindustrialproducts.co.uk/

[Roger]

I've had a quick look through eBay and found these, but it's unlcear how large they are. You'd have to contact the seller.
I've searched for 'bump stops' and these came up when I refined that to 'bonnet bump stops'. Most bump stops seem to be for car suspension, so they're too big.

I also found these by searching 'universal bump stops', and these by searching 'M6 rubber stops', and more show if you search 'M6 buffer stops'.

So there are a few options, but if those aren't the right size, you could just make a simple mould and make them from Silicone Rubber. Since it's not a cosmetic item, you don't have to worry about bubbles in the mix.

Of course, if you had a 3D printer, you could probably print some from flexible filament...

[rrmrd66]

Hello Nobby

Why not use polyurethane?

My company use to deliver all types of PU bump stops for applications from mountain bikes to military vehicles made from Bayer Vulkollan.

This is the best PU available for this type of work and will far out last "rubber" compounds. Try your local bike shop!

Cheers

Malcolm

[durhambuilder]

Could you trim down Triumph Vitesse / GT6 etc bonnet stop cones?

[jon38r80]

Its hard to see from your photo just what the original component was with all the muck and crustyness, from your thumbnail as a compartor they look to be about 10mm high with 25 to 30mm between the plates either side. M and E fancoil anti vibration mountings might suit, there are a lot of different sizes, couldnt say whereto get them though, I got the ones I have from "tidying up" on construction sites.

[JonL]

Such excellent suggestions, thank you very much everyone. The solution is in sight.

[andyhigham]

Those rubbers in the bogies look like bogeys

[JonL]

May 24, 2020 18:13:41 GMT andyhigham said:

Those rubbers in the bogies look like bogeys

They didn't taste like bogeys if thats any help?

[Deeja]

Yes they are available commercially. I used rubber stoppers from my local foam (and other) rubber supplier. They are like test tube bungs and available in a number of sizes. Less than $1 each. Just cut them shorter if needs be.
I have used them as dual rate suspension where the coil spring has about 2-3mm of movement and then settles on the rubber. Works a treat.

I tried to attach photos to this message but denied as being too big (yet only 12K small!). See 1st 2 photos in www.smex.net.au/Reference/DualSpring02.php . I have used the same idea on bogies and put rubber bungs in the middle of the 4 springs on a scale bogie, so when lightly loaded the springs do their thing and when loaded settle on the rubber. (useful also when tieing rolling stock down for transport where the tieing down compresses the springs)