Good to see the Pros post...

[mranlet]

Those sidekicks are awesome, I want to get me one! It's like your own personal non-evasive "wrap it up" box!!!

I totally forgot that Alex owns Uras... I mean Battle Version...

I also came across the article he wrote for Import Tuner like a year ago about the 86's setup. I agreed with everything except for where he said "the more you push on a tire the more it is able to push back" - the more load you have on a tire the more work it is able to do, yes, but the efficneicy of a tire is well less than 100%. According to this statement it would hold true that a heavier car would enable its tires to do a lot more work due to the increased load, but the amount of work that the tires are required to perform to maintain traction with the increased lateral load is greater than what they are able to do. Downforce is so good because it increases the tire's ability to perform work while not adding any to the workload.

...sorry for going on that tangent, but I just had to get it in there somewhere!

-MR

[nissanguy_24]

Originally posted by mranlet
Those sidekicks are awesome, I want to get me one! It's like your own personal non-evasive "wrap it up" box!!!

I totally forgot that Alex owns Uras... I mean Battle Version...

I also came across the article he wrote for Import Tuner like a year ago about the 86's setup. I agreed with everything except for where he said "the more you push on a tire the more it is able to push back" - the more load you have on a tire the more work it is able to do, yes, but the efficneicy of a tire is well less than 100%. According to this statement it would hold true that a heavier car would enable its tires to do a lot more work due to the increased load, but the amount of work that the tires are required to perform to maintain traction with the increased lateral load is greater than what they are able to do. Downforce is so good because it increases the tire's ability to perform work while not adding any to the workload.

...sorry for going on that tangent, but I just had to get it in there somewhere!

-MR

You have a good point. If you notice heavier cars. Your Supras your Corvettes and stuff, tend to have pretty good skidpad numbers. but there slalom numbers are lower then lighter cars, your tuned miatas, and other cars with decent speed and not much weight. I have often theorized this is because the added weight increases the grip of the tires. Like pushing down hard on one of those flat eracers then trying to slide it across a table. dont push down on it at all and it slides pretty easier. More weight means more friction. This is proven in drag racing where RWD cars have more bite under acceleration then FWD cars.

However all that extra weight means it cant change direction very rapidly because of interia, Its easy to get 3500 lbs cornering with good tires, its hard to suddenly change the direction of corning.

And thats basicly what a slalom course does. I personally beleive the Slalom course to be one of the more extensive test of a cars performance on a tight course. Acceleration, top speed, grip and manuverbility are all tested..

anyways i think we are getting way off topic lol.. not good after my post about nocking this crap off..

[mranlet]

Muhahaha - you just continue to fall into my traps...

"High Performance Handling Handbook" by Don Alexander will teach anyone all about tires and suspension for a mere $18 at Borders.

-MR