dhutch
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| posted on 10/1/12 at 11:43 AM |
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Car preparation for AutoTesting (LSD time?)
Having done a bit of club leval autotesting and autosolo im planning to enter in this years BTRDA autosolo with the westfield.
The car is to remain as a road-going car for more general use, which is one of the reasons for entering the autosolo rather than the autotest. However
I have a small budget for for improvments and aside from tyres one area that I feel could improve the cars performance is is the fitting of a LSD to
make power enduced oversteer (is that drifting...) a little more pretictable. As at present it is a little bit random as to if it slips both wheels
and goes into oversteer, or if it just lights up one wheel and sets of forwards! Partiuarlly with only one person in the car, although the later could
proberbly be adjusted with corner some weighting.
Has anyone here done any autotesting/autosoloing, in a kitcar or otherwise? or fitted limited slip diff who could comment on which diff type would be
most suitable and on any other changes that could be made to the car?
The car already has a quick rack, ball on the wheel as well as for point harness, and just incase, a decent roll over hoop!
Rear axle is a trailing arm mounted ford english, driven from a 1900cvh and a type9 box.
Daniel
[Edited on 10/1/2012 by dhutch]
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loggyboy
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| posted on 10/1/12 at 12:04 PM |
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Done plenty of soloing - mainly in FWD, but have used my bros MX5 which has an LSD.
As for the benefits LSD, its very much depends on the surface. Some solos ive been on have some tarmac that is breaking up, so an LSD can lead to
pushing on understeer, so you almost have to intentionally induce oversteer to counter it. If its dry and smooth, then it should be a small
benefit.
Generally speaking the quickest soloers are the neatest, not always so but generally. Therefore due to the lowish speeds (1st and 2nd gear) an LSD is
pretty pointless IMO unless you want to have lots of fun going sideways and not be too fussed about winning!
I would say your better off concentrating on gear ratios (or at least diff ratios). One of the reasons I was always quite quick in my redtopped Nova
was down to the fact I had loads of torque, and 2nd gear was perfect for the whole course. Its quite often you will hear alot of cars bouncing off the
revlimiters in 1st, or bogging down in 2nd gear. If your cars got plenty of grunt thoughout the rev range you should be ok, but if its all in one
place, then you dont want to find your self fumbling for gears, the courses are fast and furoius, not in speed terms, but in amount of direction
changes and steering effort, you will need both hands on the wheel as often as you can.
Do some youtube searches, you will get a good idea of how frantic it can be!
heres some of me, my bro and friends at FDMC events over they years:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u07NE9_iriY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkkS-fcwT4w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEe6rmydz9Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymin_8E41ek
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dhutch
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| posted on 10/1/12 at 01:14 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by loggyboyGenerally speaking the quickest soloers are the neatest, not always so but generally. Therefore due to the
lowish speeds an LSD is pretty pointless IMO unless you want to have lots of fun going sideways and not be too fussed about winning!
I would say your better off concentrating on gear ratios (or at least diff ratios). One of the reasons I was always quite quick in my redtopped Nova
was down to the fact I had loads of torque, and 2nd gear was perfect for the whole course. Its quite often you will hear alot of cars bouncing off the
revlimiters in 1st, or bogging down in 2nd gear.
Loggy, thanks for the reply.
Annoyingly (?) I thinkyou right on the money and if im honest im proberbly just using it as an excuse to justfy the spent and should instead keep the
money (ohhhw!) and carry on improving my technique and neatness instead.
Ive never had it on a rolling road (and maybe thats a better place to put the money) but although ive not driven any others the car feels very
drivable and has plenty of power accross the rev range and I do tend to just leave it in second for the whole run without any issues, on grass i
normally set of in second too.
Marshalled a few events so have a rough idea of what to expect, although doing several (more complex) courses at the same time will be interesting.
Normally we only have one coarse, or if we have two each car often tends to do most or half there runs on one and then go onto the other rather than
swaping after each run.
Daniel
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loggyboy
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| posted on 10/1/12 at 01:29 PM |
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I wouldnt say a RR is necesary (not for this exercise anyway), just knowing where the car pulls best will be sufficient. Like you say, expericence
will count for most. I have seen a fair few drivers come and go over the past 5-6 years, some good from the word go, others less so. But the ones
that didnt quite get it straight away, but stuck with it have always got faster and faster. It used to be a very familiar top few positions made up of
about 10 drivers at most FDMC solos I went too, now there are a lot more as experience, cofindence and skill has built.
In my time there are generally 4 course layouts, 2 in the morning in one direction, with only a few layout changes, and then 2 in the afternoon in the
opposite direction. Some clubs have more understanable layouts than others, some even have numbered cones to help, however, if you have time to read
them, your not going fast enough! Good for the newbees and less confident runners tho. Nothing worse than having your day spoilt by a few too many
'wrong tests'
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dhutch
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| posted on 10/1/12 at 06:14 PM |
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Oh yes, it certainly goes more than well enough for the task in hand, just something I have considered doing for some time anyway. I tend to do a
track day or two every year or so and just general use, not that its slow either way round.
The autotest i marshaled last (loughborough car club) had three courses, two runs of each morning and afternoon in rotation I think.
Ive enjoyed the club level stuff a lot, and got quicker over time, although its poor consistency that really lets me down on the 'slow
days' so we shall see, quite excited really. Just hoping im able to go to a decent number and dont have to many other commitments getting in the
way. Bar hitting something the worst is running out of lock and having to put a reverse in, rare and only usually if ive cocked up beforehand and got
in the wrong place!
Daniel
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striker16v
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| posted on 10/1/12 at 06:43 PM |
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Hi Daniel,
If your planning on doing the BTRDA Autosolo challange/championship I would keep your car as it is for a season, and spend it learning you car.
Although I think you will get on fine.
If you plan on progressing to national level autotesting you are likely to need a differently set up LSD to be competitive.
If you want to disscus the autosolo championship more i'll be at Loughborough CC autotest tonight.
Will
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dhutch
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| posted on 10/1/12 at 06:48 PM |
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Few vids of my own if your interested:
Summer Grass series (inc me second up)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03UWBIzV77k
Few i filmed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm4024zNMn8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSXhkCPRp3M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy2eVkUiciQ
And just for fun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEyidCYoeHY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytbdsWAofOU
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dhutch
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| posted on 11/1/12 at 11:57 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by striker16v
Hi Daniel,
If your planning on doing the BTRDA Autosolo challange/championship I would keep your car as it is for a season, and spend it learning you car.
Although I think you will get on fine.
If you plan on progressing to national level autotesting you are likely to need a differently set up LSD to be competitive.
If you want to disscus the autosolo championship more i'll be at Loughborough CC autotest tonight.
Will
Hi, will.
Wasnt able to make the autotest last night but thankyou for the offer, hopfully I can take you up on it at another time. Its all a bit chaotic at the
moment but Im certainly looking forward to it. Obviously where it goes from there i dont know, but im certainly up for doign the autosolo. Im also
hoping my housemate will share the car to drive some events with me as he appears keen and it will help spread the cost/effort of getting there
etc.
Daniel
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loggyboy
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| posted on 12/1/12 at 09:19 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by dhutch
Few vids of my own if your interested:
Summer Grass series (inc me second up)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03UWBIzV77k
Few i filmed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm4024zNMn8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSXhkCPRp3M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy2eVkUiciQ
And just for fun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEyidCYoeHY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytbdsWAofOU
Last one reminds me of the topgear boloivia challenge - in reverse!
First one looked neat and tidy, looked faster than the mini anyway!
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dhutch
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| posted on 13/1/12 at 12:19 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by loggyboyLast one reminds me of the topgear boloivia challenge - in reverse!
First one looked neat and tidy, looked faster than the mini anyway!
The narrowboat trick went down really well with everyone the rally and got
our group (young boaters society YWBS.co.uk) some good publicity to boot.
quote:
Originally posted by striker16vI'll be at Loughborough CC autotest tonight.
Will, I'll be autosprt on sunday too if you are there.
Daniel
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