re: Gyro Stabilizers

[Ron Katona <ron3b@xxxxxxxx>]

Steve D' wrote:
> Do any of the current high tech racers use gyro stabilizers (instead of or
> complemented by conventional stabilizer bars) to control body roll on the
> track?  Conceptually, this could be a massive flywheel mounted low and
> center on the car, rotating front to back on a shaft belt driven off a
> modified drivetrain.  The axis/shaft of the flywheel could be directly
> coupled via suspension links/mounts to the large chassis plates and the
> spinning mass help mitigate much of the chassis lean.

Never heard of such a thing on a race car - interesting though. The
force applied to a gyro is always felt 90 degrees away from where it was
applied. The rolling moments would not be eliminated, but transferred to
yawing moments. That would have to be engineered out in some way. I
suppose if you spun the flywheel in the correct direction, it could
actually be used to help rotate the car. Seems like the weight and power
drain would negate any benefit. The movable weights as seen on some
Mercedes race cars seems like an easier solution.

Chrysler did try to field an entry for Le Mans that used a flywheel
powertrain. The flywheel was powered by a gas turbine spinning at a
constant speed for peak efficiency. The turbine kept the large flywheel
up to speed except during braking. Under braking the transmission added
energy back to the flywheel for maximum efficiency and energy
conservation. I suppose in that case you could mount the flywheel to
resist rolling motions as a secondary function. The race car was
completed, but didn't do well enough in testing to enter the race.
Problems with the complicated transmission reportedly killed the effort.
- -- 
Ron Katona

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