Search found 32 matches

by robert
November 7th, 2010, 3:24 pm
Forum: Tech Tips, Rules, and Safety
Topic: Rear Roll Resistance Never Needed
Replies: 114
Views: 532977

Re: Rear Roll Resistance Never Needed

Brian H You suggest “everything you might want to accomplish with car balance can be achieved with modifications to the front end.” However, this thread seemed focused on the rear end. Are you speaking of legal modifications? Could you expand on the options available to improve front lateral grip? O...
by robert
April 25th, 2010, 9:51 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Soft Suspensions
Replies: 74
Views: 31838

Re: Soft Suspensions

John, It seems to me that the nice thing about force based thinking is that one need not consider instant centers out in left field. A lateral force at the contact patch is transmitted to the frame though any path available . . . springs, push rods, pull rods,, shocks, suspension links, even tie rod...
by robert
April 18th, 2010, 11:34 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Soft Suspensions
Replies: 74
Views: 31838

Re: Soft Suspensions

Brian M. I agree with asking questions . . . I screw up by trying to explain myself. I suspect questions get more responses as well. A car with high unsprung weight has less sprung weight, and requires less spring to support it? Maybe the inertia of that unsprung stuff needs more damping? Perhaps hi...
by robert
April 17th, 2010, 4:11 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Soft Suspensions
Replies: 74
Views: 31838

Re: Soft Suspensions

"Robert, the roll axis is completely mechanical and not a predicted thing. Yes, it can move around, but perfectly predictable When I say mechanical roll center, I am talking about something like a watts link that mechanically locks the roll center at a specific point on a solid axle. For examp...
by robert
April 17th, 2010, 4:05 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Soft Suspensions
Replies: 74
Views: 31838

Re: Soft Suspensions

How stiff does the front end of a Vee become in a corner when the anti-roll bar is working? It must get quite stiff in order to resist 100% of the roll force. So if it does indeed get quite stiff, why not start out stiffer, and us a softer roll bar? Why suffer the toe changes and increased ride heig...
by robert
April 16th, 2010, 6:42 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Soft Suspensions
Replies: 74
Views: 31838

Re: Soft Suspensions

Bruce, as you suggest in your post . . . . CG height and track width, are the primary factors in load transfer. So, if a car leaned inward, would it reduce load transfer? It seems well understood that "normal" roll has negligible affect on load transfer, so I doubt load transfer is reduced...
by robert
April 16th, 2010, 10:48 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Soft Suspensions
Replies: 74
Views: 31838

Re: Soft Suspensions

Some comments were made about the CG below the roll center, suggesting the car would try to roll in the opposite direction. No matter the roll center (axis) location, it is not a mechanical thing. A roll axis is a predicted thing, and often not too accurately predicted. The axis about which a car ro...
by robert
April 12th, 2010, 2:06 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Soft Suspensions
Replies: 74
Views: 31838

Re: Soft Suspensions

By the way . . . Everything Brian M. says, or has likely ever said, is valid, and is based on his actual experience. Hard to argue with that . . . Although roll needs to be addressed, I think stiffer springs might be a better solution than the stiffest bar one can legally install. As I describe in m...
by robert
April 12th, 2010, 1:52 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Soft Suspensions
Replies: 74
Views: 31838

Re: Soft Suspensions

A nice soft front spring allows (requires?) one to run a very stiff anti-roll bar. The very stiff anti-roll bar resists roll by shoving upward on the inside wheel . . . transfers some inside spring rate to the outside. Or . . . as the outside suspension compresses, the anti-roll bar tries to compres...
by robert
April 2nd, 2010, 10:57 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Soft Suspensions
Replies: 74
Views: 31838

Re: Soft Suspensions

Harding has it pretty much spot on, for the reasons he states. And . . . it probably is more applicable to a V than cars with more suitable suspensions. Suspension travel on a vee causes unwanted wheel alignment issues. If only for that reason, limiting travel should prove beneficial. A soft car rea...
by robert
November 24th, 2009, 12:25 pm
Forum: Parts
Topic: trans, and motor
Replies: 0
Views: 940

trans, and motor

This is a long box with 1.26 third gear. The sub frame and remote shock layout could be used on a Vee. The motor is FST spec. I have mentioned that we are moving out of the country. I have sold down to the motor, trans, 4 wheels, and a front beam. This is a brand new, test run only, motor. Built by ...
by robert
November 5th, 2009, 6:54 pm
Forum: Miscellaneous
Topic: front shocks
Replies: 0
Views: 1092

front shocks

a pair of carrera adjustable ( Advanced Racing Suspensions) shocks. Very little use . . . never crashed . . . still straight $150 takes them, plus $10 shipping to US http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s51/borulom/shocks.jpg Robert Haspel --- 281-346-0422 ---- borulom@mac (put a dot here) com ...
by robert
October 19th, 2009, 11:43 am
Forum: Tech Tips, Rules, and Safety
Topic: engine and tranny dimentions
Replies: 2
Views: 1771

Re: engine and tranny dimentions

I'm not sure your actual needs, but this is how I came up with drawings for various components when designing. Having all the pieces on hand is a necessity in my mind . . . . as I seem always to need measurements I did not anticipate. Grab your camera or VW manual. Photograph or scan what you want. ...
by robert
April 22nd, 2009, 7:45 am
Forum: Tech Tips, Rules, and Safety
Topic: Adding Ballist
Replies: 13
Views: 6495

Re: Adding Ballist

Brian H.



Will your "aero" car employ 50/50 or similar weight distribution?

When you say aero, are you meaning slippery, or will it be an attempt to gain downforce at the front in place of moving weight forward.
by robert
April 21st, 2009, 7:38 am
Forum: Tech Tips, Rules, and Safety
Topic: Adding Ballist
Replies: 13
Views: 6495

Re: Adding Ballist

Brian (harding)

How did your effort to move weight forward (50/50 distribution) work out?
by robert
April 9th, 2009, 8:31 am
Forum: Tech Tips, Rules, and Safety
Topic: Bustin' loose
Replies: 5
Views: 2664

Re: Bustin' loose

I'm surprised no one mentioned removing rusted fasteners by drawing them out with a "magic pencil" . . . 8)

They're not cheap, but I have several available.
by robert
March 11th, 2009, 7:43 am
Forum: Tech Tips, Rules, and Safety
Topic: Need more input on the FV manifold rules
Replies: 56
Views: 33109

Re: Need more input on the FV manifold rules

The manifold situation is on par with the mess on Wall Street. Both resulting from years of poor regulation. Were I to buy a high dollar manifold, I'd demand the maker state its legality, and at the very least, return my money if the manifold failed tech. I'd want a lot more than the cost of the man...
by robert
March 2nd, 2009, 4:28 pm
Forum: Novice Area
Topic: Zero Roll damping theory??
Replies: 11
Views: 5736

Re: Zero Roll damping theory??

Johnny, Your wider tires (I assume), greater power, and I guess use of lower gears than just 3rd and 4th, suggests to me that your car may want a set up a bit different than a Vee, or FST. Rather than ask what might happen with your car's shock adjustments, why not simply test them for yourself? My ...
by robert
February 19th, 2009, 1:13 pm
Forum: Tech Tips, Rules, and Safety
Topic: Zero Roll corner weights
Replies: 12
Views: 7558

Re: Zero Roll corner weights

Johnny, Something sounds weird here. Next time you are motivated to scale your car you might try the following. If corner weights change, there is roll resistance at the rear, rather than zero roll resistance. With your car on the scales, what effect has steering the wheels either direction on corne...
by robert
February 11th, 2009, 6:15 pm
Forum: Tech Tips, Rules, and Safety
Topic: Zero Roll corner weights
Replies: 12
Views: 7558

Re: Zero Roll corner weights

If one side of a front spring sags, it basically puts a tilt in the frame, but corner weights should not change. With zero roll, unless something in the rear spring system binds, static corner weights won't change due to anything except weight distribution. JGB, The spring and rockers are free to fl...
by robert
February 8th, 2009, 9:21 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Cutting patterns in metal
Replies: 16
Views: 5905

Re: Cutting patterns in metal

veefan, Any tips for cutting aluminum sheets (.063) like for a firewall etc.? I tried using a jig saw, and at any speed or blade type the blades get clogged with material (melted into the blade). Running it slow works best, but then I'm left with a ruff edge. I have a metal nibbler, but hate to use ...
by robert
February 7th, 2009, 10:24 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Cutting patterns in metal
Replies: 16
Views: 5905

Re: Cutting patterns in metal

A vertical metal cutting band saw is very accurate. If you scribe lines (very thin) you can cut right up to the lines. If you want to pause you can do so, sneeze, or tell the dog to get away, then resume the cut with no glitches. Try the same with a plasma cutter and you'll likely have a glitch. If ...
by robert
February 4th, 2009, 1:31 pm
Forum: Novice Area
Topic: Extended sump question
Replies: 89
Views: 35585

Re: Extended sump question

John, My comment regarded oil starvation due to on track gyrations. Oil is not available at the pump pick up at all times, but the pump is still sucking . . . at those times it is sucking air, or at best a mix of oil and air. Those are the times that oil pressure drops even though the motor is at ra...
by robert
February 2nd, 2009, 10:48 am
Forum: Tech Tips, Rules, and Safety
Topic: New manifold rules in GCR
Replies: 80
Views: 33680

Re: New manifold rules in GCR

What became of the Australian "control" manifold that the "committee" was investigating?
by robert
February 2nd, 2009, 10:36 am
Forum: Novice Area
Topic: Extended sump question
Replies: 89
Views: 35585

Re: Extended sump question

I can't picture the Accu sump as the solution to the oiling problem with Vee's. The only time the accusump supplies oil is when oil pressure drops, right? When pressure drops it is due to starvation at the pick up. That means air is being pumped instead of straight oil. If the accusump is recharged ...