wparente

I posted this on the AIM Google site but I thought I would ask the question here too. In your opinion is there much to be gained in digging into the three AIM MXL2 gyros by a guy just getting to this stuff or can you get most everything from the MXL2 accelerometers for a car. I can visualize where the gyros might be useful to a car and especially to motorcycles but I don’t know enough about the science to convert it to formulas or put it to good use in math channels without a lot of hand holding!
Bill P

ProCoach

Matt will chime in, I'm sure, but IMO, there is MUCH more to be gained by the fact that the MXL2 has added ACTUAL Longitudinal G measures over the MXL! I would focus on that measure FAR more than yaw, pitch or roll right now, because you can DO something about the LongG and LatG measures.

Make sure you're using a GSum math channel, now that there are real measures coming from the dash and make DARN sure that with the car on level ground (on scales with you in it, the way you're going to run it) that you calibrate the sensors in the MXL2 using RS3's live view page.

Matt Romanowski

I'm with Peter. You'll get much more working with the long and lat G than you will from the gyros. Just remember to calibrate them so you don't have offset data.

Just using the long G you'll be able to look at braking efficiency, then with some math channels like G Sum, corner radius, curvature, and some more, you'll have plenty to analyze.

It's important for folks to remember that the G sum (Combined G) is the same information as the G-G plot. While the G-G plot is the traction circle way to look at it, the G Sum is the vector distance. When you see the dip in the G Sum plot, you'll see the inversion in the G-G plot.

ProCoach

Just to amplify on Matt's explanation above, the BIGGEST difference between good and great drivers, in my experience, is the FULL use of the friction circle.

EVERY driver, up to the highest level, leaves SOMETHING on the table, but most club-level drivers and many, many DE drivers leave WAY TOO MUCH on the table in the transition between end of braking and full cornering WITH power application.

When you can put a number on how far out from the center the friction circle is indicating (GSum), and can SEE if it drops precipitously in areas of transition, THAT is the first thing to work on.

How do you work on that? You become SO familiar with the track that you are placing the car within inches every time, and on the same trajectory. Then, you incrementally come off the brakes at higher speeds in VERY small steps, and are crisp and quick with throttle application. Doesn't have to be FULL throttle, but it has to be enough to overcome the scrub resistance of turning the car. You MUST hear the engine note stay steady or VERY SOON begin to rise. That's it...

Matt Romanowski

I can't find it, but there is an old video looking down on a corner where you can see how consistent Michael Schumacher was in placing the car versus the other drivers. It was pretty amazing how he was within an inch or so every lap versus 6 or more inches for drivers.

Like Peter said and they teach at Skip Barber, driving the line is the beginning of everything. And the line isn't approximate, it's placing the car in the exact same spot, over and over again.