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Weight Transfer Question

To: autox@autox.team.net
Subject: Weight Transfer Question
From: Antoun Nabhan <anabhan@law.harvard.edu>
Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1999 12:14:12 -0500
My roomate and I were discussing this last night in the context of
high-speed tire failures, and I need the wisdom of team.net.

If you are driving at a steady speed (okay, I know we're *always* supposed
to be either accelerating or braking!) and remove engine power, by putting
the car into neutral or putting in the clutch, do you get weight transfer
to the front wheels?

At a steady speed the engine is "accelerating" the car against wind &
rolling resistance, so maybe yes. On the other hand, the vector of wind
resistance doesn't necessarily act above or below the center of gravity;
conceivably you could transfer weight to the *rear* wheels by letting out
the clutch if the car had more resistance above than below. Or...well,
three or four other possibilities suggested themselves.

What's the real deal? Push in the clutch or maintain steady throttle on
blowout?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Antoun Nabhan      * Twelve months of racing, Eleven hours of sunlight,
                                        * Ten tenths of driving, 9 quarts of 
Redline,
                                        * Eight cylinders firing, Seven runs at 
Nationals,
                                        * A six point roll cage, A Five point 
har-ness,
"12 days of xmas"       * Four new Konis, Three sets of tires,
.sig by team.net        * Two Weber carbs, and a 1 second faster best run!







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