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Anti- or Pro-dive !?

To: british-cars@autox.team.net, racefab@pms076.pms.ford.com
Subject: Anti- or Pro-dive !?
From: drabik@solaris.gatech.edu (Timothy J. Drabik)
Date: Tue, 18 May 93 09:12:30 EDT
Fellow enthusiasts:

I am looking at re-engineering the suspension on a Spitfire (as part of
"Operation Sow's Ear"), and noticed that the inboard front wishbone mounts
are oriented OPPOSITELY to the way usually used to obtain anti-dive.
That is, in side view, the two inboard mounts for either wishbone lie on a
line that slopes downward toward the rear of the car.

In my understanding, this line should slope upward toward the rear so that
the moment of the CG about the "pitching center" is lower.

What is going on?  Is there another parameter whose optimization overrode
the importance of dive behavior when the design was done?

Incidentally, the lines for the top and bottom inboard pickups appear to
be parallel.

What I'm wondering is whether there would be any harm in running them
exactly horizontally, or introducing some anti-dive by tilting them upwards
toward the rear.

Where is Kas Kastner when you need him?

                        Regards,
                        Tim


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