Three wheeled cars

[Cockney_si]

We've all heard rumours about 3 wheeled cars are unstable and they turn over, but how fast do you have to be going to roll a 3 wheeler, say a Reliant Robin round abend to roll it over? Surely this is bad to develop a car that'll roll over on a bend?

Any owners out there that can say they can't roll theirs over?

[andy-hughes]

I would think it's less to do with speed than with cambers, road conditions, gradients, and so on - which can cause any vehicle to roll over if the conditions are right - or should that be 'wrong'?

A friend at school had one of the infamous Bond Bugs that Reliant made in the 1970's, and he flipped that over turning into the school gates, not foing that fast as I recall - but I remember they were notriously unstable anyway - I would suggest that Robins are made of sterner stuff.

[funkymoped]

got to say the robin is very unstable !!!

friend of mine tipped one ever on a bridge. traveling within the 30 mph speed limit.

the bridge in question went to the left as you crest it. my pal knew the road and bridge condition.

the three wheel set up is unstable (in my opinion) because, when you turn into a corner with any vehicle, the weight of the car moves to the front outside wheel.

so, if you turn left, the weight moves to the front right wheel. like wise if you turn right the weight moves to the front left wheel.

obviously if there is no wheel on the corner, as with the robin, the tendancy is for the front corner to dip, and the rear wheel to lift !!

add the drivers weight to the equasion (sitting to the right hand side of the car) you can imagine how easy it is to upset the ballance.

had the robin been built with two wheels at the front and one at the rear, it would have been far more stable....

i have been a passenger in a robin (plastic pig) and wouldnt spend my hard earned cash on one. EVER !

[sddsddean]

Mate of mine had one and he said the weirdest thing was driving in snow. As there are two ruts in the snow, you end up going down the road sideways!!

[Toureman]

It does not matter how fast you are going it's how fast you turn the steering wheel!

[marcus577]

Ever seen the Mr Bean comic clips the you will see Robin Car roll over at low speeds

[kepla]

The reliant in Mr Bean was specially 'rigged' to fall-over like that ! If you're going to drive a Reliant or Bond then it is up to you to learn how to drive within its limits and not be stupid. Probably the best ever three-wheeler was the Morgan - two wheels at the front and a driven wheel at the rear. There was nothing unstable about them on corners - provided you knew how to drive them - they were raced. It amazes me how so many people these days blame problems with their bad driving on the vehicle. There is no rule which states that all vehicles should handle the same - it is up to the driver to find out te limits of the vehicle and stick within them. It is an old-fashioned principle called 'taking responsibility for your own actions'. Bond Bug ? Love 'em ! one of the best design of vehicles ever. Anyone got one they will sell me ?

[Gilly]

My husband has driven reliants for 16 years last sunday, he hit a slick of diesel .....about 40 metres of it that had leaked from a lorry , skidded, lost the car and turned the car over, funny thing was that the rear wheel hit the kerb and righted itself. He was travelling at about 15 miles an hours as he was just coming off a roundabout. Its the first time that he has ever rolled it