Vehicle Testing

Test Tracks – Performance Testing

Comprehensive Third Party Proving Ground Testing

LINK can supply comprehensive third-party testing on numerous proving grounds across The United States. Our primary locations in the U.S. are Wittmann, Arizona; East Liberty, Ohio; and Ottawa Lake, Michigan. These locations include both a LINK and customer garage area to instrument vehicles, install data acquisition, set up customer parts, and perform pre and post tests. Each of these locations house our onsite engineering teams, who provide turnkey testing services, program management, and data analysis.

Each of the three proving ground sites delivers unique features to our customers. Separately, they provide hot and cold weather testing, different vehicle dynamics features, and suspension/ride courses and ovals with high-speed capability. Together, they prove our customers with complete 360-degree coverage for all of their testing needs and accommodate every vehicle type, from motorcycles to Class 8 Commercial Vehicles. If LINK does not offer a test surface or engineering capability, it simply does not exist.

Back to Vehicle Testing

Vehicle Performace Testing Capabilities:

Brake System Testing to FMVSS105 (light truck), 122, 135 (passenger car), 121(commercial vehicle), ECE R13H, R13, R78-1 and R90-02
Structural Durability
Vehicle Stability Control – FMVSS110 (passenger vehicle), ECE R13H and FMVSS136 (commercial vehicle)
Wheel and Tire – FMVSS110
Fuel Economy – SAE J2263, J1321
Vehicle NVH – SAE J986, Pass By Noise
ADAS – FCW (Forward Collision Warning), LDW (Lane Departure Warning), LKA (Lane Keep Assist), DBS (Dynamic Brake Support), and CIB (Crash Imminent Braking) systems currently performing testing according to NHTSA procedures.
Active Safety System Testing
Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC)
Cold Chamber Testing

Ottawa Lake, MI, Test Site

East Liberty, OH, Test Site

Wittmann, AZ, Test Site

Ottawa Lake, MI, Test Site

LINK Facility and Engineering Staff Onsite
All 3rd Party Brokering Through LINK
1.75-mile Oval
Vehicle Dynamics Area (VDA)
Ride & Handling Course
Off-Road Courses

East Liberty, OH, Test Site

LINK Facility and Engineering Staff Onsite
All 3rd Party Brokering Through LINK
7.5-mile Oval
Vehicle Dynamics Area (VDA)
Straightaway
Anti-Lock Brake (ABS) Testing Area (Low Mu)
Structural Durability Course
Ride & Handling Course
Sound Site

Wittmann, AZ, Test Site

LINK Facility and Engineering Staff Onsite
All 3rd Party Brokering Through LINK
2.2-mile Oval
Wet and Dry Vehicle Dynamics Area (VDA)
Straightaway
Lane Change
Suspension Tuning Course
Ride & Handling Course
Sound Site

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Type of Test	Test Highlights	Equipment Used	Example Procedures
Chemical Testing	Measurement of copper, asbestos and other elements in brake friction materials	ICP-OES / PLM	J2975
Materials Testing	Physical properties including quality control for friction, wear, compressive strain, shear strength, corrosion resistance, swell and growth	Chase Machine / Compressibility Machine/ Shear Machine / Corrosion Chamber / Environmental Chamber / Oven	J661, ISO 6310, ISO 6311, ISO 6312, ABNT NBR 9301, ABNT NBR 5505, ABNT NBR 5537, ASTM B117
Frequency Response	Component Frequency Response	Laser Vibrometer Test Stand	SAE J2933, J3001, J2598, L-4375
Structural Fatigue and Durability	Breaking strength, cyclic fatigue	Servo Hydraulics, Torque Flex	J2995, C419, C441, GMW18022
Caliper Fingerprinting	Caliper characteristics such as knockback, rollback, fluid displacement, deflection...	Caliper Test Bench / Brake Dynamometer	L-4177, PF.90257
Brake Drag and DTV	Residual drag, disc thickness variation, brake feel and vehicle fuel mileage	Off Brake Drag Stand / Brake Dynamometer	J2923, GMW14926, GMW14351, PF.90257, L-13080
Performance	Hydraulic, air and electric brakes, friction levels, stopping distance, corrosion, cleanability, brake torque variation, rotor cracking, regulation, stability control, coastdown	Brake Dynamometer, Model 4000 DAS	J2784, J2928 IS026867, GMW14985, PF.90210, PF.90244, L-405, FMVSS 121, FMVSS 122, FMVSS 105, FMVSS 135, FMVSS 126, FMVSS 136, ECE R13H, AMS
Wear	Rotor wear, drum wear, lining wear, DTV, durability, city traffic, suburban traffic	Brake Dynamometer, Model 4000 DAS	J2707, USCT, L-423, PF.90244, Los Angeles, Detroit, Phoenix, Birmingham, Marquette
NVH	Brake squeal during drag and decel events at different temperatures, pressure and torque levels	NVH Brake Dynamometer	J2521, L420, 1430, GMW17427, PF. 90244
Brake Emissions	Brake dust particle size, count, concentration and mass	Brake Dynamometer	WLTP, CARB, Duty cycle

Type of Test	Test Highlights	Equipment Used	Example Procedures
Wheel Bearing	Water intrusion and durability when exposed to mud and salt	Bearing Test Stand	LINK Hub and Bearing, GMW16306, GMW16310
	Passenger car, sport/performance and open bed vehicle wheel bearing spalling	Bearing Test Stand	GMW16311, GMW16308, GMW16309
	Brinelling resistance validates long-term reliability/durability	Bearing Test Stand	GMW16305
	Rotary fatigue life	Rotary Fatigue Machine	GMW16325
Wheel Hub	Rotary bending fatigue life characteristics	Rotary Fatigue Machine	GMW14249
Hub/Bearing	Evaluate hub and bearing performance, durability, seals and NVH when exposed to extreme environmental effects such as temperature and mud/salt solution	Bearing Test Stand/Rotary Fatigue	TIP-000037A, LINK Hub and Bearing, SAE J1095, LINK Impact
Hub Fatigue	Hub fatigue using biaxial loading	Biaxial Test Stand	SAE J2562

Type of Test	Test Highlights	Equipment Used	Example Procedures
Chemical	Evaluates filiform corrosion on painted aluminum wheels and painted aluminum trim	ICP-OES	ASTM E3061
Wheel Corrosion and Coatings	Evaluates filiform corrosion, tape adhesion, degree of rusting on painted aluminum wheels and painted aluminum trim	Corrosion Chamber	SAE J2635, ASTM B368, ISO 9227, ISO 2409, ASTM D3599, ABNT NBR 11003, ASTM D610, ASTM D1654
Wheel Fatigue	Load simulation test of aluminum alloy wheels	Biaxial	BMW QV36026, SAE J2562, FORD L-307, GMW14340
	Dynamic Cornering Fatigue and Dynamic Radial Fatigue - Steel wheels	Eccentric Mass and Radial	ABNT NBR 6750
	Rotational fatigue, Radial load fatigue and biaxial load fatigue of steel and aluminum wheels	Eccentric Mass, Radial and Biaxial	ABNT NBR 6751
	Dynamic Cornering Fatigue and Dynamic Radial Fatigue and Impact resistance of temporary use and normal highway use aluminum wheels	Eccentric Mass, Radial and Drop Test	ABNT NBR 6752
	Wheel Radial Fatigue	Radial	GMW14909
Wheel Impact	Wheel Inboard Rim Flange Vertical Impact	Drop Test	GMW15321
	Wheel radial impact	Drop Test	CETP 04.04-L300
	Wheel Lateral Impact	Drop Test	GMW14910, SAE J175
Wheel Stiffness	Frequency Response Function (FRF)	Frequency Response	GMW14876
Wheel Stiffness	Deformation of the wheel	Servo Hydraulics	J2315
Center cap heat resistance	Center Cap deformation under elevated temperature conditions	Bench Test	Brake Heat Center Cap

Type of Test	Test Highlights	Equipment Used	Example Procedures
Parking Forces	Allows proper sizing of power steering components	Force and Motion	LINK Parking Forces
Tire Footprint	Determines the contact patch geometry	Force and Motion	Tire Footprint
Tire Modeling	Determine tire inertia which is then used Ftire and other models and simulations	Inertia Machine	LINK Tire Inertial Properties
	On-center parking effort test for Ftire input	Force and Motion	SWP
	Determine static stiffness (X, Y, Z, Alpha) for Ftire input	Static Stiffness Machine	SAE Static Stiffness
	Determine how the tire envelopes an obstacle	Cleat Machine	J2731
	Measure the forces and moments generated at a high frequency response spindle when the tire impacts a cleat	Cleat Machine	J2730
Braking and Cornering Performance	Determine the straight line braking performance of a tire	Force and Motion	J2673
	Determine the free rolling cornering properties of a tire	Force and Motion	SAE TIME, J1987, SWP
	Measure the combined cornering and braking performance of a tire	Force and Motion	J2675
Tire Stiffness	Measure rolling vertical stiffness of a tire at speed		Rolling Vertical Stiffness
Rolling Resistance	Measure tire rolling resistance using a drum	Force and Motion, Rolling Resistance	J1269, J2452
Tire Wear	Assess tire wear in the lab	Force and Motion	LINK Wear Test
Tire NVH	Test tire sizzle, cornering noise, pass-by noise, steering wheel dither, freeze crack impacts, high speed uniformity and imbalance sensitivity	Force and Motion, Dynamometer, Model 4000 DAS	Noise, Vibration, Harshness

Test Tracks – Performance Testing

Comprehensive Third Party Proving Ground Testing

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Brakes

Hubs/Bearings

Wheels

Tires