handling issue
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Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Farmingdale, NJ
Originally Posted by 3312DC' date='Mar 22 2007, 09:27 PM
I vote the track was contaminated.
(thats what I blame my problems on, because the way I set up the car and drive is perfect... all the time)
(thats what I blame my problems on, because the way I set up the car and drive is perfect... all the time)
If you go back and look very closely, you'll see an oil patch that was not there on the other laps. And you guys wasted 3 pages talking about dampening rates 
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From: Louisville, KY
Originally Posted by mikegarrison' date='Mar 22 2007, 12:08 PM
What doesn't make sense is that who cares now long it takes to compress the spring to the minimum length? I don't believe that the weight transfer due to body angle of the car is very significant. I suppose I could be wrong.
What you are talking about is a situation where the spring is extremely overdamped by the shock. That can cause problems, but I don't think that's what's going on in my case.
What you are talking about is a situation where the spring is extremely overdamped by the shock. That can cause problems, but I don't think that's what's going on in my case.
Obviously I was exaggerating to make it more undestandable and easier to see. You never want your spring to coil to its "minimum length".
However, little amounts of weight "load" can make a tremendous difference in traction when you are driving at the knife's edge of adhesion.
If you've ever tuned you shocks to perfection, and could tell the difference between a click to high or a click to low, then you would understand what I mean.
At the track, all you are doing with your shocks is managing weight transfer. How much and how fast. Just a little click can make a big difference. But again, you don't race, so 3 tenth of a second doesn't really matter in your case.
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From: Louisville, KY
Originally Posted by rlaifatt' date='Mar 22 2007, 08:59 AM
Could you reference some of this information (esp. the stuff on angles), or is it all from what seems logical to you?
No, I don't have a reference for it. But I can tell you that all that is just high-school trigonometry and physics. I guess you can get trigonometry and physics books from Barnes and Nobles or visit your local library. Or alternatively, you can go back to high-school.
But, just let me say this (I'll try to put it as simple as I can):
The more pitch or roll (less compression), the bigger the angle (between the road and the vector force of the car). Which means, more downward force and less lateral force. Therefore, more traction for acceleration.
The less pitch or roll (more compression), the narrower the angle (between the road and the vector force of the car). Which means more lateral force and less downward force. Therefore, less traction for acceleration.
Problem is that, if you have too much pitch (or roll), you start loosing traction on the other two tires, and your traction curve starts to drop.
Just read the chapters about VECTORS once you get the books. Or, alternatively, you can do a google search. You can find everything on the Internet nowadays
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Encinitas (San Diego), CA
Originally Posted by Naka' date='Mar 22 2007, 06:37 AM
The angles have a lot to do with it. Like when two people are carring a piece of furniture upstairs. The one on the bottom carries significantly more weight than the one above. The steeper the angle, the more weight the bottom support will bear. Meaning, the more the car leans, the more weight is transfered.