Hi, im designing an IRS for a Lotus 7 for a University final year project, and am attempting to find some data on such things as weight distribution, corner weights and the approximate location of the CoG. If anyone can provide me with data and information on their own locosts it would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Have a look under running gear, and the castor angle question

i have never read it, but the bible on suspension is supposedly a book by Alan Staniforth - perhaps you can get a copy?


atb

Steve

Hi Rich,

Not IRS, but my live axle 1600 crossflow locost as follows:

static weight distribution with full tank and without driver:

- front 278kg
- rear 278kg

CoG estimated approx 300mm above ground level.

Corner weights not measured

cheers
Dave




[Edited on 30/10/02 by Dave Ashurst]

The centre of gravity varies from front to rear. At the front the local centre, for which the front suspension is designed, will be dominated by the engine mass. At the rear it will be dominated by the driver and passenger mass. The effective CoG is usually higher at the rear. If you know the axial and vertical positions of the individual masses then it is possible to calculate the local CoG height at any position along the chassis. Alan Staniforth has written a book called "competition car suspension". Get hold of a copy and try to spread sheet the formulea he gives. He gives the data in a spread sheet friendly form. I suggest you copy his variable names and check your spread sheet using his worked example.

Your project sounds a bit more fun than the theory and practice of reliability which was what I did in my final year.

Good luck with your project.