Engineering is awesome: Doing Lat G vs Tire vs Camber test for credit, need help.

[KennyT]

If your budget is $75 then you are aiming way too high. Find a campus lot that you can use on a weekend. Run just the tires you have, play with camber and air pressure to find optimal. The key is just going to be consistency.

[Bimmerman325i]

Agreed, but I already have most everything I need-- tires, adjustable suspension. The skidpad test is plan A, but if I can't find anywhere to go do it (Boulder area is notoriously anti-car), HPR is a fun plan B.

[iamsam]

I'll drive

[monkeytaco]

I can drive for you. I am the Stig's fat american cousin.



Seriously.

[clarkkey594]

If your budget is $75 then you are aiming way too high. Find a campus lot that you can use on a weekend. Run just the tires you have, play with camber and air pressure to find optimal. The key is just going to be consistency.

Parking Services at CU can be a nightmare to deal with when trying to plan events that use their lots. Trust me I know.

[Bimmerman325i]

^ yup. FSAE and EcoMarathon just ran/run illegally in the lots by putting up cones and acting innocent.

[clarkkey594]

^ yup. FSAE and EcoMarathon just ran/run illegally in the lots by putting up cones and acting innocent.

They are also fully funded entities run by CU we are not.

[Bimmerman325i]

They are also fully funded entities run by CU we are not.

We tried going through them a few times, and they were a nightmare to us as well. CU only gave us $1200 (same for all senior design teams) though out of a $40k budget, so I wouldn't say we were fully funded by them.

Eventually we just gave up and did it anyway after 5pm or so on a Sunday. We're also the reason there's no vehicles allowed in the ITLL courtyard, they weren't pleased by doughnuts during the engineering expo.

[Bimmerman325i]

Update. Our FSAE Motec SDL system isn't going to be time/cost efficient to set up on my car, so we're scaling back the experiment.

Two positions for front Camber, same tire width/pressures, three settings for rear compression, and enough time in between tests to keep tire temps relatively similar.

Plan is to go to HPR with a hotshoe driver and have them turn consistent but not necessarily blazing fast laps, then change camber and rear compression settings to determine the effect on max lateral g and overall laptime/driver comfort.

Our budget nearly covers a winter lapping day, and my car needs an alignment and other stuff anyway, so this works out well.

[iamsam]

I might go too to check this out, if circumstances allow. When would you be doing this again? spring break?

[Bimmerman325i]

Open track days are Saturdays, so one of those near/during spring break. Probably sooner, since group members are leaving over break.

[blefevre]

So you have a G-meter to use?

[Bimmerman325i]

Either by rigging up the Motec system or by using my phone and a $5 app that will let me record video, display lap time, g force and accel/braking data simultaneously.

I've some other ideas as well.

[fsmtnbiker]

Let me know when you need me at HPR.

:-D

[Bimmerman325i]

Will do!