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Real Ian's message

To: autox@autox.team.net
Subject: Real Ian's message
From: ttarleto@ix.netcom.com
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 22:42:18 -0500 (CDT)
Ian  ,
    Your weight question is a good one , I setup formula cars on a platen 
several times a week so I can tell you what will happen for different 
setups.Your crossweight is right on. It is 50% and that will keep your car 
going  with no inclination to turn left or right. If that is what you want, 
you got it! However you will not corner with equal speed left and right. 
Your car will corner left better than right because you have more weight on 
the right side. Huummmm, Equal right and left side weight would be the best, 
but, as you found out, to get equal side weights, you need to move weight 
from the heavy side to the light side, changing ride height will not work. 
You need to move somthing like the battery, or driver.Ok , lets just leave 
the crossweight as is at 50%, and live with the 52.5% left side weight( 
after all , all door slammers are heavy on the left side) , but when you 
brake hard the right ft wheel will lockup very easy account the light 
weight. Huummmm.. You can set the front wheel weights equal by changing the 
ride height ( if its more than 51% the car will be really unlevel) and live 
with the wedge? Your rear would be about 80lb off,and the car would always 
try to turn left. In left hand turns the car would push , as the weight 
transfer would be more at the ft end of the car, and in right hand turns the 
rearend would be loose.Man! this is getting complicated. Let's see, if there 
were more left hand turns, wedge might be good. If there was a lot of 180% 
turns at the end of long straights, equal ft weight would be nice. If there 
were lots of tight offsets equal crossweight would be best. I know !a 
formula car would be best. Can you sit in the center console? All smart-ness 
aside , it's best to set crossweight equal, unless the right and left side 
weights are within 20lb of each other. 
      Good luck, any questions drop me an email.   
                   Tom Tarleton


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