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fwd and rwd and maths
I didn't do the maths, Colin Campbell did. The Sports Car, its design and
performance, page 131. Anyone care to publish the correction? Otherwise, I
accept his diagram and conclusions which accord with my own experience.
Remember, I refer to up to the limit cornering, not exceeding the limit.
Fwd has higher cornering limits due to the front tires pointing in the
direction you wish to go. Up to the point of oversteering drift a rwd car
uses up front tire traction simply trying to push the front tires sideways.
The "vertical" axis has no effect while under constant acceleration, it
only comes into play when you lift off. this also favours fwd in the real
world as lifting off results in tuck in and better cornering for the fwd,
or terminal but temporary understeer. In a rwd car, you get tuck in all
right but the rear usually steps right out. If you are on the limit with
fwd you have two options in street driving which it just is not safe to use
with a rwd car.
Michael Smith
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
91 Alfa 164L, White, original owner
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