Hi Michael Fisher,
I understand that you are facing an issue in modelling a nonlinear spring, dampener system.
To create a Simulink model with pulleys where the direction of forces matters, you can use the Simscape Multibody library. This library provides a comprehensive set of blocks for modeling mechanical systems, including pulleys and their associated forces.
You can add pulleys and External Force and torque to your model, by going to the Simulink Library Browser and navigating to the Simscape Multibody library. Specify the properties of each block, such as the radius and inertia of the pulleys, the lengths of the ropes or belts, and the initial conditions of the system to proceed further.
You can refer to the following documentation to know more about "pulley" and "externalforceandtorque".
