Handling article

[Kitcat]

This month's "Caterham Life" newsletter has a short article on enhancing the handling of our cars. The basic message is, it's a lot easier to screw up the balanced package that Caterham delivers than make it better.

 

It suggests that enhancement can be found by following Colin Chapman's rule of thumb:75% spring adjustment, 25% Anti-Roll-Bar.

 

Getting the wheels, tires, springs, shocks, rake, ride height, camber, castor, toe in, toe out to work in a harmonious way is predictably challenging given so many variables and their effects on each other. Tinkering with just one component (say, stiffer shocks) can cause disharmony-and worsened performance.

 

The biggest bang for the buck, per this article, is tinkering with tire pressures and then alignment settings. And, for owners of cars like mine to switch to Caterham's wide track option via the longer front wishbones (and longer steering rack) is a recommended route to enhanced performance.

 

Driver preference is a key to suspension tuning also. It notes that F1 cars can have vastly different suspension set ups yet run identical times.

 

Mike

[Ian7]

...It notes that F1 cars can have vastly different suspension set ups yet run identical times....

 

F1 is so completely dominated by aerodynamics these days that suspension movement is minimal (compared to tire deflections) and geometry is really just a second-order effect.

Ironically, it was Chapman who once said "any suspension design will work if you don't let it". :-)

[JohnK]

This month's "Caterham Life" newsletter has a short article on enhancing the handling of our cars. ...

Mike

 

I think it's really common for someone with a new toy to want to take the thing apart and fiddle with it to make it better, somehow.

Perhaps I approach this too logically, but considering the article attached to the post http://www.usa7s.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3533 along with all the other bits and pieces of info that have been published about Caterham's investments in suspension development, my first response is "Don't touch the thing!", and my second is "I bet it'll take me years to learn how to drive this thing well." Old guy thinking, huh? Probably a consequence of looking back and thinking of all the failed attempts of my youth, attempting to make my vehicles my go faster

[Mondo]

I think that way most of the time but you have to figure in that a company that sells cars all over the world, has to make compromises for the variety of terrain the car may travel.

I remember the revelation I had with suspension set up for my particular sportbike & skill level. Once I remember thinking I was just having a bad day until I realized there was way too much air pressure in the tires and adjusted them.

I'm definately not "expert material" when it comes to riding but was kind of proud of myself that I could tell the difference and actually ride faster.

It's helped me with my car as I've adjusted ride height, corner balanced the car, and now play with tire pressures to make it feel a little loose or tight to me. Still probably far away from what a professional driver could do to make the car handle better but it's kind of fun playing around with it.

[JohnK]

Mondo.

Your approach to the problem is a rare combination of perspective and measure. You'll never earn a Darwin Award.

[Mondo]

Thanks for the compliment.... But I'm pretty sure there's a few things I've done in my younger days that would of put me in contention for that award;)

 

 

 

 

 

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