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Re: Europa handling problems

To: <lotus-cars@lists.best.com>, <SJMARCY@aol.com>
Subject: Re: Europa handling problems
From: "Tony Clark" <lotus.tony@airmail.net>
Date: Mon, 18 Aug 1997 23:59:25 -0500
Stan suggests:

>>>>Lotus front suspension trunnions   . . snip . .  Since they are
threaded (3/4-10) lh and rh
> they "wedge" or "dewedge" the car as the wheels are turned.  For
those
> unfamiliar with the term, wedge is a common method to cure understeer
on
> circle track cars whereby they intentionally preload the LF or RR
corner of
> the car on these left turn only machines.  Often this can increase
cornering
> g's by about 3-4 %.  Wedging would show up on corner weight tests of
course.
>  I have not looked at it yet but this could be favorable or
unfavorable in
> the Europa's case.  If this slight wedging is in the unfavorable
direction,
> swapping uprights side to side would turn the tables.  Hmm a variable
left or
> right wedge under the driver's steering wheel control.  Clever devil,
that
> Chapman!<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Hmmmmmmmm , with the 10 thread per inch pitch, there'd only be a tenth
of an inch per full hypothetical 360 degree revolution.  At a rational
angle of 20 degrees, the "wedge" would be in the neighborhood of  6
thousandths  per wheel or a combined 12 "thou" total.   I doubt many of
us possess the sensitivity to detect this amount of "wedge" but,  one
of Chapman's drivers  *was*    Jimmy Clark!     :-)

Tony
    


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