I can help you make your kart axle roll for AGES. I think we managed just into 3 minutes when doen from a hand spin with no chain attached...... however..... it's a complete waste of time!
Get you friends who can make the axle spin for 'weeks' to put their kart on a low stand, spin the wheels, time the spin..... then SIT in the kart and spin the axle at the same speed....... and it won't spin a FRACTION as as long!
Why?
Because the seat stays will be twisting the chassis ans ALL the nice free bearing will have tightened up.....
If you could od it with the engine under LOAD as well as you sstting in it.... then you'd start to see the sorts of 'tightening' that occur. Finally, if you could do all that PLUS load the kart as it gets loaded over the bumps of the track and THEN load it like it gets under heavy cornering..... you are then getting nearer the degrees of 'tightening' that the bearings suffer in the REAL world!
So..... Mount the axle NEATLY and consistently aqnd FORGET about the friction levels ofn the stand...... unless you intend to race while balanced on the stand.......!
Now give more thought to the 'drag' that's created by the 'Toe-In/Out' of your front wheels....
Then t6ry another trick:-
Disconnect the chain (or use a clutched kart) and then push the kart of a flat level surface. You shgould be able to do that with your little finger.... Now apply half-steering-lock and try to push it THEN with 1 finger..... you'll be lucky to manage it!
Then work out that the 'drag' increases with every degree of 'lock' you apply..... Just a FRACTIONAL increase in lock will increase the 'drag' by VASTLY more than ANY 'stiff bearing'.
The lesson here? Failing to keep the amount and NUMBER of steering movements down to as low as you can for the WHOLE circuit will have more effect on you 'drag' than you can evr hope to improve with 'axle maintenance'.
Now work out how to drive moving your steering as little as possible........ There will be serious gains in your lap times doing THAT!
After all, you will have seen how MUCH difference in drag is caused when you increase your lock....
Ian
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Rolling resistance by 'btomj' (18 Feb 2011 @ 13:32)
