For me weight is everything if you can not get close to terminal
velocity by the end of the 4 you are leaving a lot on the table..
Dave
Yes the calacs now have been tested as well with a top fuel harley.. As
far as shocking the tires still work I guess addition of suspension
might be next..
Subject: Re: Math lesson needed!!!
I agree in the simplest calculation weight means little. And in actual
practice this is the case at Bonneville because of the length of both
courses. But as the course gets shorter like El Mirage and Maxton some
faster machines can still be accelerating when they get to traps. A
better calculation would have a more complex formula that included the
distance for acceleration as one factor. For such a calculation to be
worth anything you'd have to have a pretty accurate read on the engine
horsepower curve and the machine's drag factors (frontal area, Cd,
friction drag), friction coefficients of tires against the track
surface, transmission ratios, tire size and probably a few I haven't
thought of. Folks like Dave Dahlgren have worked out the complex
calculations that involve that stuff and with a little searching around
you can find reasonably priced computer software that will do all the
math for you. But some of the factors are not as easy to measure as
weight and gear ratios. Bottom line for most of us is that if you've got
a good run going glance at the tach while you're in the traps and if it
is climbing noticeably and smoothly (meaning consistent traction) then
careful weight reduction may help.....as long as it doesn't adversely
hurt handling or traction. Ed Weldon
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.17.12/654 - Release Date:
1/27/2007
|