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Understeer/Oversteer??
pbura - 11/8/03 at 04:00 PM

Here's poll for those with finished cars. I'm curious as to whether the Locost has any innate handling tendencies that should considered in the planning stage (anything to avoid actually building a car ). Or, is the design basically balanced and can go either way depending on small variations in setup?

Please feel welcome to add comments on your tires, springing, use of anti-roll bars, wheel alignment, or anything else that may be affecting your handling.

Would you say that your car:

[Edited on 11/8/03 by pbura]

Peteff - 11/8/03 at 06:23 PM

165/65 x 13 tyres with 22psi both ends very controllable and gradual breakaway at the back.

yours, Pete.

Stu16v - 11/8/03 at 06:48 PM

Unfortunately the handling characteristics of the car can vary (or be altered) enormously with relatively small adjustments and differences in set-up.

Bumpsteer is probably the bugbear to try and reduce as far as possible, but it will never be perfect......

Just far too many variables to draw any sound conclusions IMHO, the differences between each car and it's effects are infinate.

theconrodkid - 11/8/03 at 07:25 PM

agree with stu16v here,transformed mine from a bucking bronco to a reasonable ride with fantastic grip with a twiddle of the camber and tyre pressures

pbura - 12/8/03 at 02:13 AM

quote:
Just far too many variables to draw any sound conclusions IMHO, the differences between each car and it's effects are infinate.


I thoroughly agree with you, Stu, the cars are like snowflakes

Interesting, though, that the few answers so far point to very neutral handling with just a touch of oversteer.

I've been doing some reading about 'roll couple', or percentage of front to total roll resistance. For example, this chart (http://users.erols.com/mathewg/mgcudah) claims that a car with a 50/50 weight distribution would need over 86% of its roll resistance in the front end for neutral handling.

Anyway, I calculated a roll couple on one Locost having a 46/54 weight distribution to be about 60%, which would indicate extreme oversteer. Wrong!

Maybe the apparent discrepancy is due to the data being based on cars with big V8's hung out the front.

Thanks, gents, for responding to my question. I should have posted it to the Finished Cars section, but I get the impression that everybody here reads everything anyway

BTW, I envy you guys with your cars. I haven't even seen one with my own eyes yet!

Pete B.

[Edited on 12/8/03 by pbura]

Jon Ison - 12/8/03 at 09:18 PM

oversteer........the more i press the gas button the more it seems to do it.
understeer as never shown its self, all joking aside oversteer is usually driver induced.

Rorty - 13/8/03 at 04:01 AM

Under steer, oversteer, Wombling free.....
You need to be a certain age to appreciate.


Stu16v:

quote:

Unfortunately the handling characteristics of the car can vary (or be altered) enormously...
That's a good thing. The more adjustability built into a Locost, the easier it will be to correct any inherent shortcomings.