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Re: Rear Steering

To: Finishline Coatings <lona@finishlinecoatings.com>
Subject: Re: Rear Steering
From: john robinson <john@engr.wisc.edu>
Date: Thu, 25 May 2000 15:14:56 -0500
Howdy,
         OK, I want to hear how caster works differently rear compared to 
front..... and if your rear steer steers with a wider track, so what? we 
are not making corners here(sorry, I mean on the Salt),  as to Davenports' 
lakester, isn't that one a rear drive car? this will make a big 
difference...So far we've been discussing FWD rear steer, something that 
has weight forwards which will cause the rest of the vehicle to follow a 
lot easier than the rear drive weighted vehicles that spin easy . I grant 
it is not a "natural" feeling driving a rear steer, but it would be, if you 
had not driven anything else......

At 02:14 PM 5/25/00 , you wrote:
>Hi List:
>O.K. guys.. I'll put my 2-bits in here. Rear Steer-no-no-no-no and then
>again no..ha ha
>Think about it..when you go into a corner which wheels get there first?
>The front (most of the time). If you are steering with the rear wheels,
>you have to start steering sooner than normal and your rear wheels will
>take a wider track than your front wheels.  This is not a natural feel
>or reaction.  Even if you have 10,000 HP to pull the rear of the car, it
>will not go straight. You will have to steer it.  We have already heard
>about overcorrecting problems and the faster you go the more they are
>multiplied. Also, caster works different on the rear than on the front.
>And it would take to long to explain it here, but it is way different.
>Les Davenport says that the lakester can get 15 degrees off straight at
>300 MPH so quick that even with rear wheel power it's hard to handle.
>Just think what it would be like if you had no power to the rear  wheels
>and were trying to steer with them!!
>We all like new ideas and want to try to make something work that others
>can't, but this is definitely a no-no.
>In 1997 there was a front wheel drive modified roadster, rear steer at
>B-ville.  I watched the car try to make a couple of passes.  It had an
>axle in back with about 20 degree caster in it.  I don't think they even
>got a full pass on the car. We watched it from the starting line and the
>car was all over the course,.
>Just my humble opinion, but I wouldn't spend time trying to make it
>work.
>Russ  #902 M.R.
>The Garbage truck motor man.


              John Robinson, Mechanician
   Mechanical Engineering University of Wisconsin
                 1513 University Ave.
                  Madison, Wi. 53706
                     608-262-3606
                   FAX 608-265-2316
        Current World Land Speed Record Holder
                 Bonneville Salt Flats
            H/GCC 92 cu.in. 1980 Dodge Colt
                   131.333 MPH set 1995
                   136.666 MPH set 1996



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