3 Wheelin!

[CarPoor]

We had a lapping day last Friday at Bremerton, and there was a guy there doing test-n-tune on an Alpine Elf? Little TINY thing, 40 mm carbs (Probably bigger than the cylinder bores), revved up to about 9K. Anyway, I shot some pics of him up on 3, but they're still in the camera. (Film, not digi). There's one shot of this guy cranking around the turn with THREE big, nasty-looking Porsches chasing him. (It looks like he was leading them, but they were actually lapping him). We commonly see VWs at our events up on three, but they lift a rear inside wheel. BTW, Wes Ingram has a pic in his Spica manual of him up on 3 in Sharky, a GTV. Cool pic!

[Alex Csank]

Up on three? You want an explanation of the dynamics involved?

It has to do with suspension compliance, the way the GTA or GTV body sets into a turn, etc.

Basically, an Alfa Bertone coupe (when set up properly for racing) will tend to lift the inside front tire because the suspension travel in front is less than in the rear and the rear squats while accelerating out of a corner. As the bulk of the weight of the car is on the outside rear tire, and the body leans that way...the inside front reaches the end of its suspension travel and lifts off the ground.

A Volkswagen Golf has the opposite issue. The inside rear lifts because the rear has limited suspension travel and with its stiff anti-sway bars in the rear, the inside rear wheel matches the outside in its squat, whereas the body of the car leans enough to sit on the bump stops, thus causing that inside wheel to lift off the ground as it tries to maych the squat on the outside wheel.

In both cases, it seems to work well with the car's cornering 'set'.

[PSk]

And to continue with Alex's correct theory ... the reason the cars are set up that way is simply:

The driving end of the car should be set up softer than the other end for traction.

Thus a rear wheel drive car should be soft in the back and stiffer in the front. This helps the rear wheels follow the road and thus maintain traction.

A front wheel drive car should be softer in the front and stiffer in the rear.

Thus the end of the car that is NOT driving, is the end that control body roll ...

Pete

[super-racer]

I was told by many people that I was consitantly 3 wheelin' in 2 of the corners at Fontana. Hopefully somebody got some pics of it out there. The feelin' is pretty sweet. The front of the car feels real light and you gotta throttle steer to turn the car.

[smestas]

Well shes not an Alfa but shes "Up On 3"

I grabed this from one of our new 2.5 Challenge gallery pages.

[alfacupp]

What happens when the assend has the power and the wieght? 911 seem to lift not as high but for a longer period of time. Do balanced cars like toyota mr2's, or 914's, 308's lift?

[alfa_chan]

There is an Alfa up on 3 in the gallery too!



Hmm... not working

http://www.alfabb.com/bb/gallery/images/25_challenge%20(124)_jpg.jpg

Still not working

Help! Simon!

[alfacupp]

love this picture!

[smestas]

Quote:

Still not working

[racea911]

I've seen tons of pics of 911's and BMW 2002's up on three. On the 911's, we try and keep softening the front sway bar, and or/tightening the rear until the car keeps all four wheels on the ground.

[GTV4EVR]

Back in the day (late 60s) no one could lift an inside front wheel as high as Sir John Whitmore in his Lotus Cortina. Moss Corner at Mosport was the place to be to watch the show!!

[Alex Csank]

Even Formula One cars take advantage of the weight transfer that helps increase cornering forces. 'Michael' is probably the best at it. Just watch the next race and see how he uses the inside corner 'bump-strips' to increase his outside tire weight-transfer. If you thought that was just done by mistake, you're wrong!

[italcarguy]

FABRIZIO AT WILLOW SPIRNGS

[BigSwede]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Csank Even Formula One cars take advantage of the weight transfer that helps increase cornering forces. 'Michael' is probably the best at it. Just watch the next race and see how he uses the inside corner 'bump-strips' to increase his outside tire weight-transfer. If you thought that was just done by mistake, you're wrong!

[Rocketjosh]

Beautiful pic!!!