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The List and Suspension and TC

To: "rtmack" <RTMACK@pop3.concentric.net>
Subject: The List and Suspension and TC
From: "Keith Turk" <kturk@ala.net>
Date: Sat, 1 Dec 2001 14:10:09 -0600
Wow.... one of the best conversations the list has ever had...   Most points
and counter points being handled relatively well....  Except PORK PIE.....
and that's only cause he still ain't mentioned how he became Pork Pie....
( or I missed it )

The faster you go the stiffer the suspension needs to be... according to
Dick Anderson.... ( Carrera Shocks )  Lighter suspension components also
help a lot as well as stiffer shocks.

As for the Traction control.... I think what Dave discribed as a traction
warning light is possible with this Edlebrock Quick data system.  at least
the wheel speed sensors are avalible.   if it is possible I sure don't see
anything wrong with having that light in the car to tell you that traction
at any given point is a problem....  and I can see the advantage of knowing
that it's happening.... ( back to the Kenny Roberts going slow to go fast
comments )

Keith ( ya all have at it... I'm enjoying this whole conversation...)


----- Original Message -----
From: "rtmack" <RTMACK@pop3.concentric.net>
To: "Louise Ann Noeth" <lanoeth@earthlink.net>
Cc: "Landspeed" <land-speed@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, December 01, 2001 7:39 PM
Subject: Re: TC thought


> Geez, Louise, that's the most interesting technical question on the list
right
> now!
>
> (Our friends in the 77 car being one prominent exception), I think
suspension in
> general is way underutilized by cars in the 250mph-plus category.  Yeah, I
know--
> it's just one more set of variables to have to deal with.  But my
inspection of
> the course after Speed Week indicated that many of the vehicles were
loosing
> traction at the expansion crack "dips", because their wheels were loosing
contact
> with the surface.  The "starting line" side of the "dip" would show tire
tracks
> that appeared to be laboring somewhat successfully-- then there would be a
few
> feet where the tracks would dissappear (the tires apparently flying over
the
> dip!)-- then they would appear again on the other side of the crack,
really
> tearing up the salt (spinning, I feel sure!)  It would be nice if we could
keep
> the tires in better contact.  Suspension is an obvious consideration.
>
> As for "active" suspension-- all the reading that I have done on it
indicates that
> the purpose is to keep the ride height (distance between the belly and the
ground)
> in as narrow a distance range as possible-- and the vehicle level
(horizontal)
> from side-to-side.  In other words-- a wheel can deflect (or rebound) a
couple of
> inches, but the sill & belly remain 1.55" (or whatever) from the ground.
This is
> important to the road racers because they use "ground effects"-- the flow
of air
> under the car creates a suction that helps them get those incredible
cornering
> speeds.  And the "ground effects" are extremely sensitive to the height of
the
> belly/sill above the racing surface.
>
> So my feeling is-- if any LSR builder decides it might be an advantage to
create
> (all, or part-of) the tire loading from ground effects, then for sure
active
> suspension would be worth a consider.  Heck of a development project, I
would
> think.
>
> I think Pork Pie is over-estimating the magnitude of the problem (caused
by the
> "undulations") for TC.  Dave Dahlgren and I have both explained ways to
address
> that in other responses to this thread.  Suspension is, I believe,
unnecessary for
> a successfully-functioning LSR  TC.
>
> Interesting idea, though!
>
> Russ Mack
>
>
>
> Louise Ann Noeth wrote:
>
> > OK, engineer types and racer stars, posit this for me . . .
> >
> > If traction control algorithms has inherent problems due to the
undulations
> > and hardness of the salt surface, then would the problem be helped by
adding
> > an active suspension system to the mix?
> >
> > And Jack, I can hear you already crabbing about the money, but my
thoughts are
> > merely theoretical, not chumming for an agenda, so don't beat me up.
> >
> > Be Vigilant,
> >
> > "LandSpeed" Louise Ann Noeth
> >
> > LandSpeed Productions
> > Telling Stories with Words and Pictures
> > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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