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Post by Vodka Racing on Sept 23, 2009 11:00:30 GMT -7
I've never read anyone talking about it. And naturally you'd think it's better to have the weight balanced side to side than not. I'd like to have some idea of how important to have your weight balanced on the center line of the car. If your weight is not balanced, how is the car affected:
Will it introduce the wiggles?
Will it make the car want to drift to one side; the lighter side or the heavier side?
How far off center can your weight be before the effect is noticable?
Thanks!
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Post by W Racing on Sept 23, 2009 23:00:41 GMT -7
 In the picture we see in orange the standard COM for a PDDR car (3 wheels) The red lines are lines of instability. If your car balances on one of these lines the nose will have zero weight on it. or, in the case of the diagonal line, the car will ride on two wheels... (the two wheels connected by the line) The weight on each side of the car is equal. So the side with the DFW (Dominant Front Wheel)has less weight on the rear wheel. In fact if the DFW has 0.6 ounces on it then the Left Rear Wheel has 2.5 ounces and the right rear wheel has 1.9 ounces on it. 2.5=0.6 + 1.9 The thought of offsetting the weight towards the DFW is to equal out the load on the rear wheel bores creating an eqaual Cofecient of friction on each bore.... In practice it does not result in a faster car. Also offsetting the weight towards the raised wheel can have ill effects. ;D |
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Post by W Racing on Sept 23, 2009 23:34:58 GMT -7
On long tracks (Over 100 feet)
Folks like to center the COM on the car...
This will make a three wheeler unstable...
For this case offsetting the weight to the DFW is your only choice or dropping the fourth wheel down on the ground...
For PDDR tracks they are not as long.
As the COM gets closer to the rear axle the less weight on the DFW and the less imbalance between the two rears...
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Post by Vodka Racing on Sept 23, 2009 23:40:38 GMT -7
 Are you saying keep the COM within the triangle? And since it takes a lot to move the COM outside the triangle, it's alright if a tungston round is off the mark by 1/4". For example, the blue dots in the image represent tungston beads. Instead of placing them on the center line near the COM, they were placed as shown. Not to worry as their placement is not likely to shift the COM outside of the triangle. |
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Post by W Racing on Sept 23, 2009 23:57:38 GMT -7
If you were 1/4" off towards the DFW probably OK. Hard to say.
There is a thread called Weight and it was started by Fat Boy. There may be some additional clarification in that thread...
I like to have mine dead on. However CoalCar is 1/16 towards the raised wheel and that is not good....
No way to correct... without rebuilding for me...
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Post by ACME Racing on Sept 24, 2009 12:28:29 GMT -7
The thing that I want to know is - How are you guys putting those lines on your pictures?!
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Post by W Racing on Sept 24, 2009 12:55:37 GMT -7
 ;D ;D ;D Just joking I am sure photo shop could do it. I used Microsoft Expression Design
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Post by ACME Racing on Sept 24, 2009 13:06:27 GMT -7
Thanks. Two programs I don't have! LOL
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Post by W Racing on Sept 24, 2009 13:38:04 GMT -7
There is a 30 day free download on expression design
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Post by W Racing on Sept 24, 2009 14:07:20 GMT -7
Vodka
The dotted line needs to go from thr right rear to the DFW
I like to add all the weight tight together I do not like to spread it out
The more concentrated the weight the faster it rotates through the transition, uses less energy
Looks like COM may be greater than 3/4 which is giving up speed. Hard to tell...
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Post by Vodka Racing on Sept 24, 2009 16:38:26 GMT -7
What do you think of I-beam cars and cars with squared out mid sections? To me, looks like wing style cars do better.
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Post by W Racing on Sept 24, 2009 16:59:41 GMT -7
I am moving towards solid cars that look like diving boards
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Post by SRC Racing on Sept 24, 2009 20:20:36 GMT -7
hey ACME,, i was wondering that same thing,,,i busted out laughing when i read your question,, i do good just to type on this thing,,
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Post by W Racing on Sept 24, 2009 21:15:31 GMT -7
Here is the updated picture. I will add it to the origonal post as well... |
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