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1) The springs are maybe 25-30% stiffer, but still extremely soft compared most race engines. 2) There is just a number of things that might cause a failure. Poor quality metallurgy of the cam core, poor heat treatment, maybe mismatching the lifts to the lobes during rebuild. Most of these things wi...

Yes, I understand. It would be more accurate to state pre-load regardless of what system you are using. I don't think we can say clearance change because of heat is at issue. All wheel bearings applications have a pre-load requirement and most are in a cast type steel hub. The expansion issue could ...

Bearing function best (less drag) with the proper amount of pre-load. This is what is stated in bearing design manuals. I believe pre-load reduce bearing element vibration/harmonics reducing energy loss. Most Nascar teams let Timken set their bearings at the factory for best effect. Why would FV bea...

What would be awesome is if you spot the field some kind of advantage... say start at the back?

Brian

Check the toes in a heavy braking rake. Weigh done the front and jack up the rear. Maybe something is odd. Your shop balance procedure is fine for ballpark, but there are just to many you are missing in a static condition. It must be evaluated on the track. There is a very good reason for the cockpi...

"if the tech folks don't like it" That comes from a licensed tech inspector! It would seem there is plenty of room to raise the front hoop if we use the dash height as a gage. That would mean upsetting the powder coating though. There would then be the issue of where to put the gages. For ...

Yes, not the most effective rule for protecting your hands in all conditions, but it is good enough. Since this rule was not there in the being, there might be some aspects of compromise for those cars that needed to be updated. This rule does apply to all classes. 1) "Is the roll hoop to be ma...

Steve

That is an impressive steering arm. Anyone have something longer?

Brian

Until you get to a corner and then what is the advantage? Did lap times improve?

Brian

The last time I saw this issue the inner bushing had moved out of position. That is just one of many possibilities that everyone has stated. Steve is right. Sometimes a certain set of loose (maybe not noticeable to you) tolerances between the front end parts sets up chassis harmonics that must be co...

Matt WHY would there be any sideways movement with the spring pack? Is it not anchored in the center of the beam or ride height adjuster? Again, have you had the front suspension completely apart? This means removing and inspecting the inner control arm bushings for wear. You guys are scary! Brian

1) Why would go to tech with your car problem? What expertise do you think they have? Are you saying that you showed the car to Fred Clark? 2) Did you rebuild the front end before using this car? Did you buy, mount and balance these tires? You are working with a car built from mostly used parts. Unl...

I think it is the end flange casting that is different. You should be able to use your old ones IF you have a press.

http://www.cbperformance.com/catalog.asp?ProductID=1695

Brian

1) "they have that built in spring", do you mean the shocks are gas pressurized? Gas pressure is not generally considered a major tuning option/variable. 2) Off coarse compressing the shock by hand has almost no evaluating value. 3) Using the steering dampers is very old school. It was use...

A FV can function with stock shocks or even steering dampers as shocks. There is even a small chance that they might have correct values to function very well. In general though, you will see better performance with a reasonably setup racing shock. This is a budget vs how competitive do want to be i...

1) We can not obsess over unsprung weight because there is almost nothing that can be done other than turning your brake drums. It would be nice to know how it could effect the shock settings when you go to setup your shocks. What might be different from a low unsprung weight car shock setup? 2) I'm...

It is not clear from the literature what the implications on high sprung weight is on the shock setup. Basically, all race car research you find is for properly designed race cars with low unsprung weight when compared to sprung weight.

Brian

Bruce, 1) I did state that there was about a 1% change in total system spring rate with a 10% tire pressure change. I do not know how sensitive the average human is to amplitude and frequency change. 2) While I appreciate the theory of the tire adsorbing track irregularities do to inertia issues, I ...

Most race cars and stock cars have very high wheel rates. So the tire rate take on more importance. To be totally accurate, our tire rates do have an effect. The influence of the tires is on the order of 3% at the front and 9% at the rear. So if you make a 10% (2 psi) tire pressure change, you have ...

Not arguing.... but 1) How can you feel the tire's harshness if the much softer suspension gets first crack at any bump? What is going to be left for the tire to respond too? The very soft suspension is isolating the tires from the driver. 2) I would not say that a pressure change has that much effe...

"At least I can feel the difference in pressure on tires that are 1.5 lbs different from one session to another. Could be in my head too..." Yes, it is in your head! I assume feel is ride harshness. You could feel a change in balance. You should be more precise when using the word feel. 1)...

So the shocks were not mounted? In that case was the front end built correctly with no binding? Plain vs roller bearings?

The 20% was a simple calculation, the front spring was 20% shorter per side. The 30 lb/in wheel rate is a measure number, +-2 lb/in.

Brian

Like the shocks were in place?

Brian

Yes, we have had that discussion before.

I am not sure the average FV driver can detect a 20% change in front spring rate. At the front that would mean a "wheel rate" change of 6 lb/in. One normal full spring is about 30 lb/in. You think you can feel a 6 lb/in change?

Brian

Basically you can not "adjust" the front spring rate at the track. You can get a small, non linear change with shock gas pressures.

Brian