Re: Re; Upper and lower stress bars

[trnsfrma@ix.netcom.com (Shawn C. Meze)]

At 09:29 PM 2/17/97 -0700, you wrote:

>Yeah.  I am sure that tightening an adjustable upper stressbar would
>increase neg. camber.  I took my upper Nspeed bar off my car once during
>funruns - times stayed about the same, but feel suffered drastically.

Feel is everything! IMHO. 

>That's about it, really - I am not sure that prestressing the chassis is
>such a good idea, though - limiting movement is, but I'm not so sure that
>I'd consider an upper stressbar an adjustment.  Limiting flex in the front
>uprights has to be good, but inducing it, THEN limiting it......hmm, can't
>see WHY it'd be bad, but I can't see why it'd be good, either.  Moving the
>shock tops in might negate the caster you have, too, but that's splitting a
>*VERY* small hair.  How much n.camber?  Dunno, .25 degree?  Maybe?  Not a
>whole lot.  I do agree that an upper bar makes the car feel better.  

Damn, lots of thoughts there just spilling out on the screen. Id love to spend 
3 minutes just listening inside your head. Must be facinating! (and busy!)

No, I dont think preloading it even the smallest bit, (.25 degree) will make a 
difference in the big picture, it can all add up to a total handeling package. 
On the otherhand, it might hurt performance in that, since its already laoded 
up, it may very well hurt handeling since there is no give and take. Maybe 
something that is neccessary in our chassis? Maybe. Maybe not. 


>On a
>camber-challenged car, it might be worth it, but since (from an autocross
>view) you're in DSP anyway, you can use crash bolts....then, why prestress
>the chassis?  Does an upper bar make the car *faster*?  I don't think so,
>really.  Not a whole lot.  THE CAR.  I believe that the absence of an upper
>bar won't slow it down much, BUT......having it will make it feel better,
>so you can drive it faster.  (not *you* Shawn, the hypothetical you:).  

Thats ok, I prefer the hypothetical me anyways.......

>day I took it off, I had done 4 competition runs with it, 2 without it, 1
>more with it on hot tires at the right pressure - runs 4-7 were all VERY
>similar.  Feel was better.  Now, if I'd had it off for competition runs,
>and left it off til my 7th, the 7th might have been fastest.  Speculating.
>Not by much, maybe .2 of a second.   The added stability lets you drive to
>the car's/your limit quicker, so I think it is a worthwhile upgrade, but
>IMHO, it won't win you a race.  I guess I have given it a bit of thought;).


I think it does add to the ability (Or theory, your choice) to drive fast, 
sooner. Nothing is gonna win you a race, its got to be a total package and a 
great team effort, as them Nascar boys is always tolding me on da tae vee. 
(Dont forget to thank your sponsors....) 


>Mannix (really starting to like this list a lot more......)


We dont let many non Scirocco owners play here but since you dont badmough us 
much, we letcha! ;)



Shawn
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