The tyVehicleStrut helper creates a purely visual strut/shock/linkage part that can compress/stretch and/or rotate between two other vehicle parts as they move relative to each other - useful for visible suspension struts, hydraulic pistons, or similar linkages. It has no effect on vehicle physics.
tyVehicleStrut helpers are created from a tyVehicle helper’s “Create vehicle part…” menu, not from the Create panel.
You can set the same vehicle part as both the base and end helper, in order to rigidly attach the strut to that vehicle part.
Length/width/height/radius: the dimensions of the strut, depending on its shape mode.
Anchor: when enabled, the end position of the strut will be defined by the anchor distance relative to the base position, rather than the explicit height value.
Pressing the “transform” button will temporarily sever the parent/child relationship between the helper and its children (ex: meshes parented to it), allowing you to move/rotate/scale the helper without affecting its children. This allows you to do things like reposition the helper without moving its children with it. Depressing the “transform” button will restore the prior parent/child relationship.
The “fit…” menu has options which allow you to match the position/orientation/scale of the helper to its child meshes.
The “flip” button will flip the transform of the helper along its dominant axis, without affecting its children.
Free: the strut can rotate freely in any direction, like a ball joint.
Hinge: the strut only rotates around a single axis, specified by the axis dropdown.
Stretchable: when enabled, the strut is allowed to lengthen beyond its rest length as its base and end helpers move further apart.
Compressible: when enabled, the strut is allowed to shorten below its rest length as its base and end helpers move closer together.