An alternative method to buying an off the shelf tow dynamometer is to use an existing vehicle and modifying it into a tow dynamometer. J2807 of the SAE to tests can be easily simulated. Additionally, Mustang can refurbish/upgrade existing tow dynamometers and control systems. MAE’s engineers have performed this task many times and it’s very beneficial for the customer.
View our latest Tow Dynamometer Brochure (PDF)
- Lower overall system cost
- Specific customer vehicle selection
- Customer or local available vehicle spare parts
- Customer or local available vehicle maintenance knowledge
- Conversion can be performed at customer site
- MDTe-Series Push/Pull technology is available
- Custom paint, panels, decals, labeling, light kits, ballast weights
- Standard or modified controls for customer specific testing requirements
Available Standard Features
- Field-proven design and Gen-5 control technology
- DAC-32 based tow dynamometer control system
- Simulate pre-recorded road profile data
- Hill, mountain, slope, trailer weight, aero and rolling loss simulations
- Compensate for vehicle weight
- Programmable step testing
- Script testing
- Import/export Excel files
- High capacity generator
- Auto-shift technology to “Shift on the Fly” available
Standard Features
- Field-proven design and Gen-5 control technology
- DAC-32 based tow dynamometer control system
- Simulate pre-recorded road profile data
- Hill, mountain, slope, trailer weight, aero and rolling loss simulations
- Compensate for vehicle weight
- Programmable step testing
- Script testing
- Import/export Excel files
- High capacity generator
Tow Dynamometer Rental Options Available
Tow dynamometer purchasing, leasing and rental options are available. MAE can also assist with finding available test tracks, if needed. Contact a MAE sales representative for more information.
MDT & MDTe Tow Dynamometers
MAE Vehicle Conversion
If you need something special small or large contact MAE’s sales engineers. We have performed many vehicle conversions from large earth moving equipment to small scooters. MAE can perform this in MDT- Pull Only or into the MDTe- Push/Pull style of tow dynamometer. If you can dream it, we can build it. Contact our Sales Engineering Team at MAE.
This lower cost approach is achieved by MAE and the customer working together to meet the customer’s goals. MAE works in conjunction with the Customer to develop the tow dynamometer performance specification, then select an appropriate vehicle. In other cases, the customer has a vehicle in mind to use and MAE develops the tow dynamometer performance specification based on using the customer’s selected vehicle. In either case, MAE works with the customer to meet their goals.
A vehicle is selected to perform the transformation process, which allows the customer to select internal or locally available vehicles. This allows the customer to easily maintenance and support the tow dynamometer.
MAE then designs a ‘kit’ system to convert the vehicle into a tow dynamometer. The basic kit system will include:
- Powertrain components; wheels, axle(s), drivelines, gearbox, suspensions, brakes, etc
- Loading/motoring units; motors, eddy current PAU’s, water brakes, stall brakes
- Drawbar measurement system; manual, automated movement
- Speed measurement system; powertrain, doppler, 5th wheel, GPS
- Control System; generator based, alternator based, Gen-5 or PLC
- Covers, skins, etc. to protect and dress out the system
Ancillary Components:
- PTO testing
- Rear drawbar measurement system
- Inching systems
- Shift on-the-fly system
- Throttle controls
- Ballast weight system with optional crane for loading and unloading weights
- Fuel measurement systems
- Custom control software and data acquisition
MAE can perform the conversion at the customer’s site, at 3rd party facility, or at MAE’s facility.
Talk to us about this unique process and you will be amazed at what Mustang can do for your tow dynamometer needs.
These conversion systems are normally performed on trucks (light duty to heavy duty), tractors, and tracked vehicles, although MAE has also performed these conversions down to small scooter frames for low towing applications.
MAE can also adapt a customer’s hybrid vehocle powertrain system and convert it into a MDTe-Push/Pull Series tow dynamometer.
MAE Refurbishment/Upgrade Capabilities:
MAE can assist with component refurbishment/upgrade or total refurbishment/upgrade of any tow dynamometer. The complexity of the refurbishment/upgrade project will dictate the location of the work. MAE has performed many refurbishment projects at the customer’s site or local 3rd party facility instead of sending the equipment back to MAE’s facility.
When individual components or small sub-systems require refurbishment, upgrade, or repair many times they are sent back to MAE facility to reduce costs.
Even if MAE did not manufacture your tow dynamometer, our engineering and service departments have worked on virtually every tow dynamometer type in the industry. There are a lot of common tow dynamometer components and MAE has access to most of the components. If your component is too old to repair or replace, MAE can source a new replacement and make the appropriate adaption (if required).
Common refurbishment solutions are:
- Mechanical PAU replacement or repair: bearings, pole shoes, rotors, coils, wires
- Driveline & U-joint replacement
- Fixing other manufacturers misaligned PAU, axle and driveline Systems
- Servicing, repairing, or replacing powertrain gearboxes and controls
- Servicing, repairing, or replacing axle gear and/or modifying axle ratios
- Modifying or changing wheel type and size based on test conditions
- Adding 5th wheels speed measurement systems for measuring surface speed.
- Replacement of drawbar load cells and/or measurement mounting system.
- Modify drawbar measurement system to remove parasitic stiction.
- Add drawbar calibration system to drawbar measurement system
- Upgrade/replace control system to GEN-5 or customer specific requirements.
- Add GPS on-road data recording with on-track playback, compensating for on-track grades.
- Repair/replace alternator & battery pack, power supply systems
- Up-grade alternator/battery pack systems to generator based power supply systems
- Add additional sensors to monitor the tow dynamometer powertrain system (temp, pressure, flow)
- Add additional test vehicle data acquisition and controls
- Add remote driver’s trace to test vehicle
Contact MAE if you are having issues with your MAE (or any manufacturer’s) tow dynamometer, sub-system and/or component. MAE can promptly and professionally perform virtually any service to fulfill your needs.
MAE can convert a customer selected vehicle into a tow dynamometer based on the customer’s specific loading and/or pushing requirements. Additionally, MAE can refurbish/upgrade existing tow dynamometers with new mechanical and electrical components. Contact a MAE sales representative for more information.
MDT – & MDTe- Tow Dynamometers
MAE can custom manufacture, convert or refurbish/upgrade a vehicle into either a standard MDT- Pull Only or a MDTe- Push/Pull tow dynamometer. This custom vehicle conversion approach allows our customer’s test engineers to select vehicles from multiple sources.
- Customer manufactured vehicles; New, used, damaged, prototype, scrapyard
- New or used locally available vehicles
- Custom designed vehicles and/or components
- High volume readily available vehicles
MAE can supply a conversion tow dynamometer that will fit your needs from ultra-light to extreme heavy duty. For more details on each of our specific product lines, follow any of the links below or simply contact MAE sales. We have configured our product line based on vehicle size and type but if you have an application outside of these parameters just call us and we can discuss your application.
Using advanced GEN-5 controls, air-cooled eddy current power absorbers and electric motors, Mustang’s tow dynamometers are capable of testing vehicles and simulating road profiles taken from pre-recorded data of road grades, hills and mountains without ever having to leave the safe and controlled confines of the test track. MAE’s advanced control system allows for grade control, speed control, drawbar control, manual control, polynomial drawbar control as a function of velocity, mountain climbing test as a function of distance, cycle testing as function of distance or time and engine speed control – to name a few.
Advances in the MDTe-Series allows all the standard control capabilities of the GEN-5 controller connected to the standard Pull Only MDT-Series and also provides for positive grade simulation with GPS road data gathering including grade, speed, acceleration, altitude and position monitoring. Using the GPS road data system during on-track playback allows the tow dynamometer to compensate in real time for irregularities in grade of the test track. MAE has figured out how to flatten your test track grade. This grade compensation is necessary when performing real world road simulation on full electric and/or hybrid vehicle on a test track. Check out the Resources / Download tab above and Download more information on the MDTe-Series Push/Pull Tow Dynamometers.
As the industry leader in tow dynamometer technology, MAE was the first company to offer a heavy-duty, Class 8, 5th wheel style tow dynamometer with Auto-Shift capability. MAE’s Auto-Shift technology allows you to “Shift on the Fly”! No need to stop and change gear ranges. Thus, during heavy draw bar testing at low speeds, to medium drawbar loading at medium speeds, and light drawbar loading at high speeds, the operator does not have to stop the tow dynamometerand shift gears to allow the tow dynamometer to achieve the next speed range.
Trailer Style Tow Dynamometers
The trailer style connection is the traditional style of tow dynamometer to vehicle hard connection. The trailer style tow dynamometer is configured to be towed behind a vehicle with a rigid connection via a ball, clevis, pintle hook or 5th wheel connection between the test vehicle and the trailer tow dynamometer. The trailer tow dynamometer is more economical in price and only requires a single operator. The disadvantage is that a separate vehicle is required to move the unit from garage to site or site to site.
Mobile Style Tow Dynamometers
The mobile style is a self-propelled towing dynamometer. Designed from an existing motorized vehicle chassis or a custom designed and manufacture chassis. This unique mobile configuration allows the tow dynamometer to be self-powered with an engine or electric motor for use in transportation between the garage and test site. Additionally, Mustang can take over the accelerator pedal of the vehicle’s engine or motor to be used in load biasing as required. In many cases, we convert existing vehicles (customer supplied, new or used). Mustang also designs and fabricates custom mobile dynamometer vehicles for extreme applications or to meet customer specifications. Mobil style dynamometers can be direct coupled or cable/strap connected to the test vehicle via a drawbar load cell.
In certain military applications, we are required to test other vehicle parameters in addition to drawbar force. We perform test vehicle mounted winch testing by attaching the winch to the tow dynamometer via the load cell and put the tow dynamometer into an inching loading mode. The winch then slowly pulls the tow dynamometer at controlled load as the winch winds up. Other military vehicle testing applications is tank or off-road vehicle brake testing. The tow dynamometer is attached to a vehicle and the vehicle is placed in neutral. The tow dynamometer begins to pull the vehicle at a constant low speed, then the vehicle’s brakes are applied and we measure the applied brake force from the test vehicle.
Tow Dynamometer Controls and Software
“Load Control” and “Speed Control”. When the tow dynamometer is in “Load Control” mode, the driver of the test vehicle controls the speed via control of the throttle. Conversely, when the tow dynamometer is in “Speed Control” mode, the driver controls the load via control of the throttle. The Gen-5 tow dynamometer control system is a member of Mustang’s latest generation of embedded microcontroller based electronic systems. All control and monitoring functions are performed by an embedded digital 32-bit microcontroller. All calibrations can be performed using the connected display device, tablet, or laptop with calibration values stored in the microcontroller onboard non-volatile FLASH memory. Testing values such as load or speed set points can be entered by the operator in exact unit values. In keeping with our previous system design features, the new control system is configured to supply analog output signals proportional to system speed and loading force, using operator supplied output scaling values. Mustang’s Gen-5 control system operates at 1,000 Hz and provides fast and stable load & speed control to the tow dynamometer. The GEN-5 controller is based on an Ethernet interface thus allowing for wireless wi-fi interface between the control client, laptop or tablet, or a direct Ethernet connection. The GEN-5 control system also has additional analog signal interface capacities to echo information to a customer supplied data acquisition system.
Mustang “Road to Track” reproduction software allows the operator to record on-road data and precisely reproduce the on-road data on the test track. The on-road vehicle’s configuration is recorded and the driven on-road data is recorded using an integrated GPS in-vehicle data acquisition system. The acquired data is processed and saved for future messaging and reproduction. The in-vehicle data can easily be modified and/or spliced together to make seamless long track data files from multiple shorter road data runs or can be configured to perform multiple cycles of the same data. The in-vehicle data acquisition system is also used in the test vehicle during replay to remove the loading effects of the actual track grade acting on the test vehicle during playback. Optional wind sensors can also be integrated into the control system to further modify the playback for variability due to differences in the wind.
MAE’s tow dynamometers are designed to meet all SAE J2807 Propulsion System Performance Requirements, combination vehicle acceleration and gradeability for automotive and commercial vehicles
Some of the benefits from Mustang’s tow dyno capabilities:
- Surface Vehicle Recommended Practice
- Tow-Vehicle Gross Combination Weight Rating and Trailer Weight Rating
- Level Road Acceleration
- Launch on Grade
- Highway Gradeability
- 12% grade, forward reverse
- Tow Vehicle Trailer Rating
- GCWR (Gross Combination Weight Rating)
- TWR (Trailer Weight Rating)
- TVTW (Tow Vehicle Total Weight)
- GVWR
- Launch on Grade
- Flat-Out Acceleration
- Total Control
- Braking Performance
- Davis Dam