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Rear Steering

To: "land-speed@autox.team.net" <land-speed@autox.team.net>
Subject: Rear Steering
From: Finishline Coatings <lona@finishlinecoatings.com>
Date: Thu, 25 May 2000 12:14:53 -0700
Hi List:
O.K. guys.. I'll put my 2-bits in here. Rear Steer-no-no-no-no and then
again no..ha ha
Think about it..when you go into a corner which wheels get there first?
The front (most of the time). If you are steering with the rear wheels,
you have to start steering sooner than normal and your rear wheels will
take a wider track than your front wheels.  This is not a natural feel
or reaction.  Even if you have 10,000 HP to pull the rear of the car, it
will not go straight. You will have to steer it.  We have already heard 
about overcorrecting problems and the faster you go the more they are
multiplied. Also, caster works different on the rear than on the front. 
And it would take to long to explain it here, but it is way different.
Les Davenport says that the lakester can get 15 degrees off straight at
300 MPH so quick that even with rear wheel power it's hard to handle.
Just think what it would be like if you had no power to the rear  wheels
and were trying to steer with them!!
We all like new ideas and want to try to make something work that others
can't, but this is definitely a no-no. 
In 1997 there was a front wheel drive modified roadster, rear steer at
B-ville.  I watched the car try to make a couple of passes.  It had an
axle in back with about 20 degree caster in it.  I don't think they even
got a full pass on the car. We watched it from the starting line and the
car was all over the course,.
Just my humble opinion, but I wouldn't spend time trying to make it
work.
Russ  #902 M.R.
The Garbage truck motor man.

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