Re: Why Sliding block on racers

[Richard Welty <rwelty@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 07:54 AM 1/15/99 -0500, estorhok@domain.elided wrote:
>Can anybody tell me why the GTA, jr,m's all used the sliding block rear
>suspension as opposed to a watts linkage (like the alfetta)?

>I'm considering making a GTAm replica, but would rather put in a less 
>maintainence watts linkage instead of the sliding block.  If there were a
>really good reason, then I would consider doing the sliding block...

the Alfetta/GTV-6/Milano watts linkage is actually not a "correct"
implementation; it works pretty well, but the sliding block is actually a
better way to implement the function centering the rear axle and
controlling the location of the roll center in the rear.

a "correct" watts linkage in a car would anchor the center link to the
body, and the end links to the axle, which is the opposite of what Alfa did
in the production cars. the proper implementation is much harder to
manufacture and is not particularly space efficient.

as i recall, the factory sliding block requires a lot of maintenence, which
is why it's not on the street cars.

richard

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