One could use water as ballast.
Sean
In a message dated 00-11-08 09:33:42 EST, joetimney@dol.net writes:
>
> > List
> >
> > Been busy thinking outside the box, so now I think I have it all figured
> > out. The issue is one of ballast. Almost none in a drag car and perhaps
> > thousands of lbs. in some LSR vehicles. Well accelerating the mass is a
> > factor but keeping the tires glued to the salt is the other major issue.
> > Ballast is the preferred method of maintaining that contact as it doesn't
> > cause aerodynamic drag.
> >
> > Now the problem comes about when trying to slow all this mass. LSR
> vehicles
> > weigh 3 or 4 times what a drag car weighs. Consequently when the chute is
> > opened at high speed the strength limits of the materials used are
quickly
> > reached and things start to fail.
> >
> > So after discussions with another well known racer the following seems
to
> be
> > the answer. LSR vehicles need to be built with a rear door similar to a
> > C-130. Ballast is positioned on a skid which is placed inside the
vehicles
> > rear compartment. A drogue chute is attached to the skid, and when
> deployed
> > will pull the skid and ballast from the rear of the vehicle. In this way
> the
> > car may cut its over all mass by perhaps one half and therefore when the
> > regular parachute is deployed the stress on the chute is considerably
> > reduced as well as the distance required to stop.
> >
> > A proper driving technique may be required as it is possible, depending
on
> > the skid and drogue design, that the skid may slide faster and further
> than
> > the car itself. Therefor it would be recommended that drivers pull to the
> > left dump their load and move quickly to the right and out of the way
> before
> > pulling their main chute.
> >
> > Just some thinking way outside the box.
> >
> > JB
> </XMP>
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