Investigating the Use and Performance of a Three-wheeler used in Inner City Transportation in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

The dominance of three-wheelers in inner city transportation cannot be overrated, because it is presumed to be safer compared to two-wheel drives. It is an intermediary between the motor cycles and taxis, as it is efficient for both passengers and goods transportation. However, as manufacturers introduce newer brands into the market, the impact relating to mechanical functioning is usually overlooked. This study was designed to evaluate the performance of the transmission system of the three-wheeler. In order to gather background information on the three-wheeler and its users, a questionnaire was administered to thirty (30) drivers. A Bajaj engine was selected because of the orientation of the output shaft and mounted on a test-rig equipped with a dynamometer. Output speed (OS), output torque (OT), fuel consumed and time taken under five loading conditions namely; No Load, 120W, 800W, 920W and 1600W corresponding to idle, downhill, level ground and overload/uphill conditions were recorded. However, it was discovered that 60% of the drivers were less than 40 years old, while the remaining 40% were adults. The output speed and torque for No-load and downhill, likewise medium load and level ground are similar, but the uphill was different. The results showed that Bajaj and TVS brands are used, Bajaj being the oldest. Also, there is significant variation in engine output with loading and terrain navigation with associated noise as load increases. The manual transmission fitted with the engine seems unable to properly transmit engine output from the shafts. A better transmission is therefore recommended. Keywords— Dynamometer, Output speed, output torque, three-wheeler