Unsprung Mass
#1
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Unsprung Mass
OK, we all know that weight loss will make the car go quicker.
Whats the big deal with unsprung vs sprung mass ???
Say you have a curcuit car, is it better to lose weight in one area or the other ?? And Why ??
Ta.
Whats the big deal with unsprung vs sprung mass ???
Say you have a curcuit car, is it better to lose weight in one area or the other ?? And Why ??
Ta.
#2
The result of light wheels, light tyres, light brakes (etc) allows much better control of suspension movement and damping.
This is why, for instance, Porsche used Forged magnesiun alloy for wheels and even used Aluminium alloy wheel nuts on their road cars.
A racing slick tyre is abot 40% of the weight of an Toyo road tyre of the same size.
Realistically, to save unsprung weight you need to use small alloy wheels, ie 16'' Sti wheels and correct tyres size.
You will be amazed just how much heavier a set of 17/18 inch wheeels/tyres are to a set of 16's.
Further, such large wheels have a pronounced gyroscopic effect due to the mass being at the circumference of the wheel. It is this effect that tends to make a push bike stay stable, which is great if you are on 2 wheels!
However, on a big (over sized?) wheeled car, ie Impreza on 19's there will be a marked reluctance for the car to turn off the straight and narrow as the effect is trying to keep it all running straight.
Read a road report pn P1's. Many say the P1 with 17's is great compared to the same car on 18's for this reason.
911 (all in MHO)
This is why, for instance, Porsche used Forged magnesiun alloy for wheels and even used Aluminium alloy wheel nuts on their road cars.
A racing slick tyre is abot 40% of the weight of an Toyo road tyre of the same size.
Realistically, to save unsprung weight you need to use small alloy wheels, ie 16'' Sti wheels and correct tyres size.
You will be amazed just how much heavier a set of 17/18 inch wheeels/tyres are to a set of 16's.
Further, such large wheels have a pronounced gyroscopic effect due to the mass being at the circumference of the wheel. It is this effect that tends to make a push bike stay stable, which is great if you are on 2 wheels!
However, on a big (over sized?) wheeled car, ie Impreza on 19's there will be a marked reluctance for the car to turn off the straight and narrow as the effect is trying to keep it all running straight.
Read a road report pn P1's. Many say the P1 with 17's is great compared to the same car on 18's for this reason.
911 (all in MHO)
#3
Originally Posted by velohead66
OK, we all know that weight loss will make the car go quicker.
Whats the big deal with unsprung vs sprung mass ???
Say you have a curcuit car, is it better to lose weight in one area or the other ?? And Why ??
Ta.
Whats the big deal with unsprung vs sprung mass ???
Say you have a curcuit car, is it better to lose weight in one area or the other ?? And Why ??
Ta.
In the past some cars have moved the brakes inboard to the other end of the drive shafts to get them into the sprung rather than unsprung weight.
#5
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You will be amazed just how much heavier a set of 17/18 inch wheeels/tyres are to a set of 16's.
For example, the 17" wheels Volk TE37 on my classic Turbo are definitely lighter than the stock 16"
Patrick
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