4 and 7 Post Shaker Rig

Development beyond the dyno. The car as a system.

Chassis shaker rigs are much like a dyno for the entire vehicle. They are more advanced in that they can test any kind of input and measure the forces and effects across the entire vehicle. Located in Hendersonville NC the Ohlins USA Vehicle Dynamics Simulator allows anyone with any suspension setup, Ohlins or otherwise, to utilize the test rig.

Think about using up tires, engine time etc when considering cost vs track testing. Often, like with a dyno, you can determine issues like friction and binding that would be otherwise impossible to find on track days. Safe low wear testing in a climate controlled room makes deep winter or peak summer testing more viable.

A 4-post utilizes a hydraulic actuator under each tire with a load cell. This allows the chassis dynamics to be investigated in a controlled environment much like a dyno. The rig day rate is around $4k plus some initial setup time and our day rate.

A 7-post rig takes the 4-post and adds 3 actuators connected to the chassis directly to simulate inertia and aerodynamic forces. The day rate is around $7k plus setup time and our day rate. The 7-post requires preparation of the car to accept actuator mounting and typically requires more thorough homework prior and just leading up to the test. This is more advanced testing and can be a very bad day if unprepared. We suggest starting with a 4-post test and learning all there is to gain from this before moving to the 7-post at a later time.

Can you benefit from shaker testing?

Inertia Lab aims to make this type of testing more accessible to the serious racer and car builder. Looking to develop a new suspension setup or vehicle package for your company? This is a definite method to ensure competition cannot follow your lead. National championship, hill climb and time attack vehicles are clear candidates for benefiting here as well. While professional teams obviously benefit, they usually have their own engineers and now you can as well.

How do we book shaker time?

We need to schedule a time up front to discuss your needs at which point we can determine what kind of testing to start with. We will then reach out to Ohlins to determine when they have availability, so it is best to reach out early. Once your payment is processed the date is booked at Ohlins. Ohlins has a no refund policy for cancellations, so you better plan to be there! Arriving the day prior to setup is generally necessary and depending on tested we can stay 1-2days.

If you don't have an Ohlins suspension you are still able to to utilize this testing! It will require some analysis and work with us prior to make sure we are in the ball park and that we have the necessary tools available in case a setup change is required. If you have Ohlins suspension it is easy and all the tools etc are available.