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Author: Subject: interesting article on car weight
bi22le

posted on 11/1/15 at 08:58 PM Reply With Quote
interesting article on car weight

Just read this on pistonheads. I was having the same discussion down the pub last night.

Just wondering if heavier kit cars benefit from this concept or it needs 100s kgs to make a difference. The article suggests where to 'spend' the weight which i also think is quite obvious.

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=31446


discuss!!

[Edited on 11/1/15 by bi22le]





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MikeRJ

posted on 11/1/15 at 09:36 PM Reply With Quote
That is a "state the bleeding obvious" news article, unfortunately becoming all too common on PistonHeads. I really think they've lost their way a bit.
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Badger_McLetcher

posted on 11/1/15 at 11:36 PM Reply With Quote
As above - bit obvious. Lightness is no good without structural rigidity, lack of sound proofing can make the engine noise intrusive, etc. etc.
The last bit can also slightly misleading - whilst extra weight does equal extra grip, it is not a 1:1 ratio, thus why heavy vehicles do not corner as well as light ones.





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Doctor Derek Doctors

posted on 12/1/15 at 08:26 AM Reply With Quote
What a load of rubbish that article is. Basically can be paraphrased to: "a good heavy car feels better than a rubbish light car." Well duhh, like saying a brand new Fiesta ST would feel nicer than a ruined old Lotus, of course it would.





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simonrh

posted on 12/1/15 at 03:04 PM Reply With Quote
Surely the last bit comparing grip in f1 to Road cars is just a mess?
Anything using significant aerodynamic down force is creating extra friction between tyres and road surface without adding extra physical mass? This means you don't have more mass to accelerate and brake but you also don't have more mass creating more centrifugal force ultimately trying to go straight on in a corner?

[Edited on 12/1/15 by simonrh]

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Badger_McLetcher

posted on 12/1/15 at 05:32 PM Reply With Quote
Yep, bit of an odd one that. Otherwise all performance cars would be two ton monsters with massive engines - American basically. And we all know how well those typically corner





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snapper

posted on 12/1/15 at 06:08 PM Reply With Quote
quote:

"where yoj put the wright is important, for instance Jaguar put the washer bottle in the rear"



What?, 4 Kg max on a 1577Kg car
Says everything about the standard of journalism





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bi22le

posted on 12/1/15 at 08:58 PM Reply With Quote
Glad I was not the only one. . . . .





Track days ARE the best thing since sliced bread, until I get a supercharger that is!

Please read my ring story:
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/13/viewthread.php?tid=139152&page=1

Me doing a sub 56sec lap around Brands Indy. I need a geo set up! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHksfvIGB3I

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coyoteboy

posted on 12/1/15 at 09:42 PM Reply With Quote
Nonsense article, comparing apples and oranges in 3 different points.






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plentywahalla

posted on 12/1/15 at 11:33 PM Reply With Quote
The article makes no reference to the most important issue of 'sprung' to 'unsprung' weight ratio.

There is some argument for increased weight and added stiffness to the improve the ratio and make the suspension work properly.

It is generally accepted that the ideal ratio is around 12%. That is difficult to achieve in a car weighing 400kgs as it means only about 12 kgs per corner unsprung weight. Some large diameter alloy wheels weigh that much on their own.

I have seen many examples of locosts with bike engines, carbon fibre panels, shell seats etc. all the sprung weight stripped to the bare minimum. But they then run on cast iron Sierra hubs, discs and brakes and 18" onepiece cast rims. One hint of a bump in the road and its wrapped round a tree!

Just my opinion ... Someone shoot me down.





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