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Let’s enjoy the legend Walter is in 5 of his best quotes in my opinion
“A car is fast enough when you’re afraid to unlock it in the morning.”
“When you see the tree you’re driving into you have understeer, but if you can heer it you have oversteer.”
“Driving starts when you steer your car with the gaspedal not with the steering wheel.”
“Good drivers have dead flies on the sidewindows.”
“When accelerating the tears of joy have to flow horizontally to your ear.”
Removed the weather stripping from the firewall-to-hood contact point to let engine bay heat out the top and went for a short drive last night.
Not getting any work done today because I'm volunteering for a national level rally event today... I requested to do "tech inspection" in order to get a sense of the quality of workmanship on these type of cars.
Amazed no one has mentioned anything about the rear wheel drive BMW video. That dude is driving on the edge and shows how I also like to use LFB (though of course he's a much faster driver than I am... it gives me a sense of relief that I am on the RIGHT TRACK regarding LFB methodology... and yet in my discussion with national podium finisher and rally instructor, I was told LFB is mostly for FWD not RWD. I asked him if he rallied rwd and he said yes-and did very well, but during discussion noticed he stated he learned LFB later in his career, to which I conclude that he has probably never spent the time to develop the rwd technique because he had moved on in terms of vehicle configuration. Anyway, I was very happy my friend sent this video to me because it SHOWS how and when to use and how effective it can be-proof, if you will). Wasn't some dude named Michael Schumacher so successful because of his RWD LFB also?
You still seem to be putting too much stock in LFB with RWD. As I have mentioned previously, it does have its place. It can be useful in keeping the car secure when no shifting is required. Sometimes a gentle press of the brake while entering a kink or a gentle radius turn will give the front a little extra bite. Learning how and when, is really the key. Believing that it is the end all, is a mistake.
It can also be very helpful at keeping the brakes up to temperature. Cold brakes don't work as well.
Additionally there is no time lapse. Lifting the right foot off the throttle to go to the brake does not happen instantaneously.
The reason LFB works so well with AWD and FWD is to help get the car to rotate. This idea does not translate to RWD. If it did, you would likely get something quite undesirable.
Wasn't some dude named Michael Schumacher so successful because of his RWD LFB also?
No. That was not what made him so great as a driver.
He, like most racers, at that level, came up through karts. You have no choice but to LFB in a kart. Many F1 drivers still use the techniques learned in their early years.
I believe all F1 cars use a clutch only for launch. After that there is no need for the left foot for shifting. Using it on the brake makes sense if you only have two pedals to deal with.
Also, keep in mind the traction level differences between pavement and gravel. This is probably the biggest reason LFB is not as effective in rally, for RWD.
Almost all drivers who drive cars with a sequential gearboxes, use LFB. Simply because the left fod, have nothing else to do.
Formula car drivers have used it all the time, because of unsynchronised gearboxes.
You still seem to be putting too much stock in LFB with RWD. As I have mentioned previously, it does have its place. It can be useful in keeping the car secure when no shifting is required. Sometimes a gentle press of the brake while entering a kink or a gentle radius turn will give the front a little extra bite. Learning how and when, is really the key. Believing that it is the end all, is a mistake.
It can also be very helpful at keeping the brakes up to temperature. Cold brakes don't work as well.
Additionally there is no time lapse. Lifting the right foot off the throttle to go to the brake does not happen instantaneously.
The reason LFB works so well with AWD and FWD is to help get the car to rotate. This idea does not translate to RWD. If it did, you would likely get something quite undesirable.
Okay... you just gave me 3 reasons why it helps with RWD. That's pretty good. Good enough to keep it on the "top tool shelf", no?
If we add that it translates well to awd/fwd then that's another point, but we won't add it in the calculations.
If we add that it keeps a turbo car in boost more that's another point, but we won't add it in the calculations.
Regarding the kink or the bend [or some corners], I will disagree with you. In my experience this year it *really does help the car rotate* but not in a hairpin turn on gravel, and perhaps this is where people say it doesn't work (?) when this is where people love it for FWD...
But this here is the magic aspect of LFB in a 944: In medium bends and sweepers (tarmac or gravel) with early turn in (small steering wheel input), then a light dab and release of the brake without lifting the throttle, and soon after the car turns in a bit more into the direction of the steering wheel. I'm not exaggerating. You steer the car with the throttle and the brake.
Why? The answer is simply because the weight shifts onto the steer tires and emphasizes the input from the steering wheel.
-But couldn't you attain the same results by simply turning the steering wheel more? Answer: sure, that's how most people do it... but that's not magic then is it? And by turning the wheels more are you not plowing or scrubbing the front tires in a negative way?
Listen, I'm not here to teach anyone how to drive. I am a novice. At the rally this weekend I saw skills and speeds that blew my mind.
But on this subject I have developed a real sense of LFB in my 944, I use it everyday and I try to use it everyway... sure it's hard on the brakes, but I think because of taking a open mind approach, spending time to feel and develop when & where, it's like I say top shelf material and improved my driving by 10-20%. Helping the car rotate in medium bends and sweeps is reason #4.
Not arguing. I guess my point is that RWD benefits less than other drive configurations.
It is a great tool to have in your repertoire, I am just trying to caution you that it has its place and it also can be overused.
It's all about weight transfer and maximizing momentum. Getting that balance right is the trick.
One thing you may not be aware of is that on (most) turbo cars, you lose vacuum assist when on boost. You really have to push hard on the brake pedal to get any effect. It can be a little scary until you understand what's happening and how to react to it.
I believe all F1 cars use a clutch only for launch. After that there is no need for the left foot for shifting. Using it on the brake makes sense if you only have two pedals to deal with.
And not even then. The clutches in F1 cars are paddles on the back of the steering wheel.
The underbody panel looks great Noah. I'm planning something similar with HDPE. How thick is the aluminium panel you're using?
[QUOTE= I'm planning something similar with HDPE. How thick is the aluminium panel you're using?[/QUOTE]
Measured .050+" (close to 16 gauge). It is on the thin side so needs a lot of stiffening or it will be very loud in the cabin. I might rivet a sound deadener to the top side, we will see. The large middle panel is probably only 20-25 lbs total weight right now.
Aluminum: in North America, 5052 is the go-to aluminum. It's "structural", corrosion resistant and durable, but the REAL fabricators like Ron Fournier prefer 3003. Either will do for this style of construction. I *think* this is where I buy mine in 10 and 8 by 4 foot lengths. Ask for any "seconds" like water damaged panels that they want to get rid of for reduced prices. http://www.samuel.com/en/Locations/Pages/Canada.aspx
11-02-2016, 12:30 PM
