-------------------- Begin Original Message --------------------
Message text written by "Tibbals, Paul"
"John,
Why do most race cars use either a locked rear end (NASCAR) or some sort of
torque-biasing using like the Torsens on Champ cars? If it was just a
matter of good chassis setup I'd think that they would have the money and
smarts to handle it."
-------------------- End Original Message --------------------
Paul,
Oh, they do have the money to handle it! <G>
I'm not acquainted with exactly what each team uses. Next time I talk to a
NASCAR Cup driver )or crew chief) I'll ask. The Cup cars are coming to my
neighborhood in June at Infineon Raceway (aka Sears Point).
On a speedway there are no sharp turns. This is an entirely
different game than autocrossing. Ultimately the goal is to keep BOTH
wheels spinning together.
Cup cars on a road course come closer to our game but we in
autocrossing have MUCH sharper turns to deal with and we're doing it at
lower speeds. I'm not opposed to installing a quality LSD in an autocross
car. However, for years I operated without one and discovered long ago that
a fellow Lotus 7 driver (a Super 7) removed his LSD because he felt he was
faster without one. We were running on a very small lot.
I found I could solve MY problem by NOT having an LSD. A number of
people told me having the inside wheel spinning was my "speed" secret! <G>
Then I met the guy who was building Trans-Am racers for Greg Pickett. The
shop was here in Pleasanton. He explained to me how to adjust the
shock/spring units and "move" weight around. After that my inside wheel
stopped spinning and I could still make sharp turns.
That's why I always suggest people fix the problem BEFORE spending
money on an LSD. I think having an LSD can be a good thing when done right.
--John Kelly
|