Looking for some good suspension threads

[Paul Valente]

There are those who think like an Engineer, and there are those who don't. I've read enough on this board over the years to know who thinks and writes like an engineer. Whether (or not!) he wants to consider himself 'within the klan' of engineering,

We don't call it a "Klan" anymore (bad connotations). We now say, "Society" (makes us sound important).

Our convention is coming up soon.
http://www.sae.org/congress/
There will be a lot of good seminars on shoe-tying and such.

 

[Mark Plaia]

Speaking of tying shoelaces, here is the definitive web site....

http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/

Anything that you want to know about tying shoes.

Ciao,

 

[indigoth]

just so that we ARE clear ...

please note the "1x5" under Steve's name ...

that stands for five national championships in the SCCA

four in X1/9s and one in a MR2

Steve practices what he preaches and his record speaks for itself ... he knows his stuff.

just sayin'

jim
'81X
'02 ducati
'73 pinzgauer 710M
'02 hyundai accent

 

[Rupunzell]

I see this as a total non-debate over who is correct or who has engineering education or degree(s).

There are as many ways to set-up the chassis on the X as there is to make bread. Much of it depends on driver, road/track conditions, rules, budget and etc.. Any serious race car has many, many ways to set it up based on all the above.

The creative process is pretty much the same if one is designing a race car or writing a work of music. Formal training or education is not a requirement, but a deep understanding and proper use of the tools can make a great difference in this process.

Joni Mitchell wrote many a tune with wierd tuning of the guitar strings which drove other "properly educated" musicans nutz. To Joni, these chords are but a way of expressing how she felt about the music.

One of the great Italian engine designers of the day, Vittorio Jano never received a formal engineering degree, yet, he designed many famous and legendary engines and cars for Alfa, Lancia & Ferrari.

As for how ideas and theories are developed, here is a video clip of Richard Feyman:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in5J6D-0vxY"]YouTube - The Scientific Method-Richard Feynman[/ame]

Critical and creatvive thinking is not and never will be limited to those with formal education. Anyone who has the passion for a specific topic and has enough smarts to make their ideas and dreams into reality.

 

[Steve Hoelscher]

Some good discussion in the mix and some not, Just for clarity I have tried swapping the spring rates etc early on as a student engineer in a Design Of Experiments fashion to understand the impact. I am a data guy and I don't speak out of school - no pun intended. My trials may not be your exact spring rate selection but the principles are still there - firm front/soft rear/bars/no bars. Yes these days I do it by simulation. In my experiments I found the set ups where you have a high spring rate in the front to grossly under-steer in both the entry and excessively at the exit of the apex - on throttle lift of the front and loss of steering. I am not looking to create a big stir but I want everyone to be honest. Just for reference I have "practiced" at the local race tracks for 19 years now, Waterford Hills, Gingerman, and Gratten (I also ran my 87 MR2 at Waterford too so I have an idea how that ran). I had made a go of it in the autocross circuits for two years with the SCCA too before I could afford to go to the tracks. To assume I have not practiced what I preach in not correct - just wanted to be clear on that. I think both points are pretty clear on this post so it is probably best to move on to other things.

Well, I am not going to let this devolve into a contest of resumes. I know my accomplishments, they are a matter of public record for anyone who cares to look them up. I have nothing to prove here or to you.

I understand you are a skeptic. I have heard that my entire career. You are not the first, nor most noted critic. I have on multiple occasions noted, here and elsewhere, that my ideas and practices are my own and do not follow conventional wisdom (or if you prefer: established practice). If you want to believe you have tested my ideas, that's fine. I am sure you have proven me wrong to your own satisfaction and are happy with the methods you practice so there is no need for you to pursue them further.

I offered my thoughts here and on the MR2 forum only when asked. My rewards are the posts from those who have tried my ideas and found them usefull. Their posts are there for all to read. All I ever wanted was to play with my cars and share my passion with others. I never tried to misslead anyone and have never represented myself as having any formal training in the field. I am entirely self taught yet have high respect for those that have education and tallent. It is from them that I learn.