ba-autox
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Atwater questions

To: "John F. Kelly Jr." <76067.1750@compuserve.com>, <ba-autox@autox.team.net>,
Subject: Re: Atwater questions
From: "James Creasy" <james@thevenom.net>
Date: Fri, 16 May 2003 09:29:40 -0700
as john says, the LSD itself will cause more understeer... the inside wheel
is getting more torque which tends to straighten the car.  a similar effect
occurs under braking with ABS, along with very similar arguments.  i really
only noticed it in a miata once, where the ABS would cause the car to
straighten under braking.  (horrible feeling :-))

 james

----- Original Message -----
From: "John F. Kelly Jr." <76067.1750@compuserve.com>
> -------------------- Begin Original Message --------------------
>
> Message text written by "John J. Stimson-III"
>
> "The LSD increases the freedom to adjust the car's handling balance
> without inducing wheelspin.  A car with no LSD needs a stiffer front
> swaybar to avoid wheelspin than a car with LSD, and the stiffer front
> swaybar may create an undesirable amount of understeer.  Without the
> LSD, you have to decide which area to give up.  With the LSD, you may
> not have to."
>
>
> -------------------- End Original Message --------------------
>
> Let's get on with the discussion.
> My point is the contact patch on any given wheel and tire combo is only so
> big.
> How much power can you send to that wheel when the magic LSD does its
> limiting thing?
> I sincerely doubt it amounts to double of what was there before.
>         It is my contention the ultimate goal is to have BOTH wheels
> driving forward and also to have the FRONT wheels (on a rear-drive car)
> aimed dead ahead (as much as possible) to prevent drag in that area.
>         (A front driver also needs to be aimed straight ahead to provide
> maximum power on        (the ground without understeer. It is a delicate
> balance, to be sure.)
> Bear in mind an LSD that locks up causes a distinct amount of understeer.
> The sharper the turn the more understeer you're liable to get.
> That's why an open rear end allows a car to make sharper turns.
>         But the key point is putting power to the ground. That's why
fixing
> the spinning wheel problem must be solved first before spending any money
> on an LSD.
>         Of course after installing the LSD you are liable to be confronted
> with an understeer problem in turns that wasn't there before.
>         So move slowly in making adjustments.
>
> --John Kelly

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>