MikeR
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| posted on 23/4/05 at 01:36 PM |
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aaah, but are we talking sprung or unsprung here?
Two of those joints are right next to the solidly mounted diff. most of there weight will be sprung. the two by the wheel - fair enough.
(or am i talking complete rubbish here?)
[Edited on 23/4/05 by MikeR]
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gazza285
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| posted on 23/4/05 at 02:50 PM |
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Two sprung, two unsprung.
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MikeR
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| posted on 23/4/05 at 03:17 PM |
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thats good enough for me, i'm right  whoopee !
(welding fumes is my excuse before anyone wonders)
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kb58
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| posted on 23/4/05 at 03:30 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by kb58
quote:
Originally posted by barraw
MikeR - to comment on the nose heavy design, I recently parked my car on a public weighbridge, and found the front to weigh 300kg and the rear 250kg -
without me in it, but if you add 2/3 of my body weight to the front/rear ratio you get an almost perfect 50/50 split.
Did you try it or are you guessing? I ask because in a Seven the driver sits far to the back. I'd expect the driver's weight
distribution to be more like 80% rear, 20% front. If you know where the CG of the car is you can calculate it, or just stay in the car on the
weighbridge.
[Edited on 4/23/05 by kb58]
Mid-engine Locost - http://www.midlana.com
And the book - http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/midlana/paperback/product-21330662.html
Kimini - a tube-frame, carbon shell, Honda Prelude VTEC mid-engine Mini: http://www.kimini.com
And its book -
http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/kimini-how-to-design-and-build-a-mid-engine-sports-car-from-scratch/paperback/product-4858803.html
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NS Dev
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| posted on 24/4/05 at 07:32 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by gazza285
quote:
The dedion tube itself is lighter than a live axle casing less diff (or should be if designed well) so that just leaves the diff
And not forgetting that you have to include the addition of four CV joints to the weight. I think that you would struggle to make a Dedion lighter
than a live axle.
Ok..........I haven't done it so I don't know. I guess it depends on the axle used and the way the de-dion is engineered. If you used a
Marina axle or an English with an alloy diff carrier then probably hard to beat weight wise with the dedion.
CV joints wise, the stock Ford ones can be lightened a lot (have a look at the GKN verisons, all machined away on the sides so you can see where the
bolts run through) and the Ford driveshafts themselves are very heavy, I am getting some lightweight ones made as they need to be shorter anyway.
(sounds frivelous for me but the lightweight ones are the same price anyway!)
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Stu16v
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| posted on 24/4/05 at 08:20 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by barraw
thanks, that sounds like good advice. I will try softening the settings. I have SPAX dampers, but don't know the spring LB.
I will have a play and post a followup - once I get the car back on the road (as an alternator bracket bolt has snapped in the block so I have some
drilling and tapping to do )
As a fellow owner of a live axled Westfield, the first (and probably best) thing you can do is get rid of the Spax IMHO. They just do not work with
such a light car, especailly on the rear, no matter how soft you adjust them. A very popular replacement (and tried by myself) are to swap to
Avo's.
Also, as has already been said, softer rear springs will help to. Some folk using their live axled cars for competition drop to as low as 100lbs, but
remember that they are probably not *too* concerned about additional passenger weight...
To summerize, there is a lot you can do to improve things, at far less cost and hassle compared to changing the suspension type.
HTH Stu.
Dont just build it.....make it!
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