Re: How dry I am... (aka AWD perform

[STEADIRIC@aol.com]

>> ...just wanted to clarify things ... old technical editors don't
>> retire, they just move on to pick nits somewhere else!
>
>Well, despite never having lice (the nit is a immature louse), I have 
>developed a knack for picking nits myself, so if you'll allow me:
>
>> ...A quattro won't go around a corner...quicker than the same car with 
>> just FWD...little difference...during that brief bit in the middle
>
>OK, I agree with that, but the question is, is that the definition
>of cornering. I would say no.
>
>> ...Yes, you can brake late and enter the corner a bit faster then 
>> get on the power earlier and leave a bit harder...
>
>Let's say you were going around a closed road track, and a quattro
>was EXACTLY matched to a 2wd car in the straights.
>
>Even if there was no difference during that brief bit in the middle,
>since you could brake later, and put the power down sooner the quattro 
>would be faster around the loop, and since it was exactly matched on the 
>straights, then "..the quattro CORNERED faster.." QED


Okay some racer 101 here.  

A tire has a finite amount of traction. It can do 100% of ONE thing or a 
percentage of two things.

That traction can be ploted on a traction "Circle"

All wheel drive can distrubuite traction EQUALLY To all four wheels.

A rear wheel drive car (Like I raced against the Q's) can corner in a 
balanced condition (Neither accelerating nor decelerating)  at 100% 
traction but if it's going to accelerate at all you have to comprise 
cornering force. Say that you wanted to use 20% of your availble traction 
to accelerate out of a corner in a two wheel drive car, you would need to 
corner at 90% of the cars ability (Each rear tire can absorbe 10% of the 
accelerative traction)

Now let's do that same corner in a AWD car for 20% acceleration traction 
you only need to decrease cornering force by 5% (20%/4 wheels) Meaning 
that you can be 5% faster.

The advantage though ONLY Comes when you put the power down....... BTW 
Scott's point about HP is Moot. Givin Equal weight HP brakes and Weight 
Distrubution,  the AWD will ALWAYS Exit faster, Physic's is Physic's, 
BTRacedT (Talons and Mit's 3000's)


Later!


Eric Fletcher S.O.C.
'87 5KCSTQIA2RSR2B
St. Louis, MO

STEADIRIC@aol.com