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Backward Progress

It’s a little embarrassing. Cars go backward, tractors go backward, even motorized Rascals go backward.

For the last 15 years, the Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV) has not been able to go backward.

That could all change as we try to add a reverse gear to the BUV.

It’s not that we haven’t been able to add one in all this time, it’s that we have been trying to find the right one.

We have customers who actually like the fact that we don’t have reverse. People crash into things if they go backward. If you’ve never driven before, driving backward is a problem. From the standpoint of reducing accidents, this has been a big help to people who are learning to drive.

Another issue is durability.

Small transmissions with the appropriate gear ratios that are robust enough aren’t made here in the U.S. anymore. Thirty years ago, there were tons to choose from. Nowadays, the reverse-equipped transmissions are made in India and China, and we’re hard-pressed to find one that will withstand the rigors of Africa.

When it comes to Africa, we need transmissions that are extra tough and extra forgiving. It’s very hard to service a vehicle anyway, which is why we use the fewest number of moving parts possible, and use extra durable parts (like pickup truck brakes, rather than car or motorcycle brakes).

But having a gear system where a driver can shift gears opens up the possibilities for damage. Right now, the BUV uses a speed reducer gearbox, which gives the vehicle a lot of torque, but the driver doesn’t shift anything, which greatly reduces the possibility of damage.

We’re testing a robust reverse gear

Despite the lack of availability of the right kind of transmission, we’re still testing and working to find the right kind of reverse gear. And we may be close.

We’re getting ready to install a gearbox on a new unit, which we’ll take to the testing grounds near Zionsville, IN, as well as run it in this year’s BUV competition.

Next, we’ll hire a team of teenage boys to drive it and see if they can break it. The plan is to overload the test vehicle and have them drive it in a field of moguls, and see if they can break the gearbox.

If they break it, it’s back to the drawing board. If they don’t, then we can start installing the new gearbox on the vehicles in 2016.

The power of neutral

We’re also considering other possibilities the new gearbox brings, such as a neutral gear.

Not going anywhere can actually be beneficial, because the BUV can be used as a PTO (power take-off) source.

A PTO is a way to take power from a source, such as an engine, and use it to run an attached machine or implement, like a grain mill, corn sheller, thresher, or water pump. This changes the BUV from “just” a transportation vehicle, to a multi-purpose tool that can do several jobs.

We’ll keep you posted on the test results, and how we fare in our quest to go backward.

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BUV Design – Wooden Bed vs. Steel Bed

One of the main concerns we had in desiging and building the BUVs is maintenance. We have mentioned before that the Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV) is extremely durable with brakes and is simple with having a three input system (go, stop, and steer) but what about repairs?

Our overriding vision with the BUV is to build vehicles that are simple and durable. So in the even that something breaks, even the repairs themselves have to be simple.

For one thing, we wanted the BUV to have a bed that could be easily replaced. Since 2007, the BUVs built here in the United States have had wooden beds. Yes, it does receive a lot of wear and tear, but wood is also easy to find, easy to source, and easy to install. If a BUV driver lives in an area with all the materials around them, it’s easy to replace.

This does not mean that some sites don’t use a metal bed. BUV Tanzania uses metal beds in their design because the material is also easy to come by in their area, and there is a press brake in town.

When deciding the best way to build BUVs, we have to look at the things that are easier for the owners, not just easier for use. We design our units for what the owners will have to face if and when they repair their units. For countries in Africa where they have easy access to wood, then wood can be a good choice. For other countries, steel is the preferred material. It comes down to the owner or manufacturer as to which material is used in the BUV. 

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How Durable are the BUV Brakes?

I’m not an engineer but my thought is that truck brakes on a Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV) will last a really long time. After all, the BUV is 1/3 the weight of a truck and goes about 1⁄4 of the average speed, at 20 mph. It would seem that the BUV’s truck brakes would last ten times as long as a BUV in Africa than they do on a pickup truck in the USA. 
 
Here’s my rough math:
BUV brake load = 1/3 pickup weight x 1/4 average speed of pickup x applied 1/2 as often = 1/12 the load of the brakes on a first world pick up.
Or in plain English: a BUV is one-third the weight of a pickup truck, and goes one-fourth the average speed. If you apply the brakes half as often, you’ll put one-twelfth the load on those brakes as you would a pickup truck here in the United States. To me, that means the brakes will last a really, really long time.
 
I asked Will Austin how often he has to send out brake drums or brake hardware kits to our BUV owners around the world.
“Never,” he said. “Our oldest units now have 9 years of service in the field, and we’ve never had to replace the brakes.”

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Using the BUV as an Ambulance

Imagine you have to get to the hospital. It’s about ten miles down a dirt road and your options of getting there are being pushed in a wheelbarrow, or riding a motorcycle, clutching onto the driver. There are even times the sick person is sandwiched between two other people. One is driving, and the other is holding on to the driver, with the patient sandwiched between them, unconscious and unable to hold on.

Woody Collins of Congo Helping Hands

Woody Collins of Congo Helping Hands

There’s the option of a horse, but those are few and far between and an ox cart is so slow to pull, there’s a good chance the patient won’t make it to the hospital alive.

The Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV) makes the trip to the hospital easier and much faster. Since the BUV is built to go over rough terrain, the drive there doesn’t take long. The vehicle also has 60” leaf springs, so the extra suspension makes the ride much more comfortable.

Most Chinese 3-wheelers have very stiff springs which are half the length. Also, the BUV has a truck bed, so the injured person can lie down and remain as comfortable as possible on the trip to the hospital.

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The BUV’s Design Simplicity

One thing we worked hard to create on the Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV) is its simple structure. With three wheels, a truck bed, and a steel frame, the BUV can conquer many rural roads across Africa.
 
But why three wheels? Why not four like on an ATV or a truck?
 
It also allows for constant contact with the ground with virtually no frame twisting. By having one fork on the front end, the drivers can easily change any tire.
 
The three wheels also creates a more stable base. When an ATV gets into an accident, there is a tendency for the ATV to follow you. That is, if you flip the back-end of the ATV will follow. This is why there are many ATV injuries – the ATV often lands on top of the driver.
 
A motorcycle, on the other hand, will shoot away from you in the event of an accident, such as a slide. You can still be injured in the accident but it’s not usually caused by the bike itself.
 
The BUV has significant mass to help protect the driver in slow speed accidents. However, the driver also has the option to jump clear of the vehicle if he or she decides to, making the simple design helpful in the rural areas of Africa.

 

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