Re: do i have to get a bigger rollbar if i get the 2Bennett setup?

[Luis Marques <marques@rtis.ray.com>]

"Rich, Jack" <JRich@Kronos.com> wrote:
> I have a minor nit to pick with Luis' otherwise excellent post.

No problem.  That's why the internet was created - to share information :)

> You are confusing cause and effect (or phrasing it such that others
> might.)  The sideways torque on the car from the cornering force is
> causing more force (weight) on the wheels on the outside of the turn
> and less force (weight) on the wheels on the inside.  This difference
> in weight can be easily seen in the effect it has of compressing the
> outside springs and decompressing the inside springs.

We are both saying the same thing, but looking at it from a slightly different
frame of reference.

> Right.  The reason you want to reduce body roll is to keep your
> suspension in optimum position.  You are *not* reducing weight
> transfer (changing the effects of cornering force on the tires) by
> doing so.  You are only maintaining your optimum contact patch.

Agreed to a point.  If the center of gravity doesn't move laterally as the body
rolls, then there is no change in weight transfer - regardless of how much or
how little the car rolls.  However, if the cg is high, it will more than likely
be displaced towards the outside as the car, increasing the loading on the
outside tires (bad).  On low cars, this is a moot point.  On taller vehicles
(vans, trucks, etc) this is a very big deal.

> Also, lowering your car (= lowering the center of gravity) will reduce
> the sideways torque and reduce the weight transfer (which in turn
> reduces the effect of the weight transfer, which is body-roll).

Right!  That's the real benefit of lowering your car: reduced weight transfer
that translates into less body roll, quicker transitions, and more optimum use
of the traction budget.  Imagine this:  if the cg of a car was at the level of
the pavement, there would be _no weight transfer_ during cornering!  That means
that the inside tires could do just as much work as the outside tires during
cornering.  Too bad that in real life half the car would have to be buried in
the ground.

- Luis Marques