Race Cars and Motorsports

I've been checking out the MG race cars and noticed quite a few have unknowingly (I hope) an extremely dangerous piece of engineering. The rear shock absorber mount hangs lower than the wheel rim. What happens when you have a flat tyre??? the shocky digs into the track and you are suddenly looking at the car behind, then in front and behind again...

I have built and raced a number of MG's and this has always had to be taken into account. When the car is lowered, to maintain shocky travel you have to modify the top mount not the bottom or get shorter shock absorbers (not always easy).

I hope they never have a flat tyre while racing but if they do, they'll be up for more than a new tyre.

Jonesy

Skateboard wheel ?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/06/2011 04:27PM by roverman.

I've done a quick count and 6 of the MG's on the British Racecar site are either extremely close and borderline (I can only go off the photo's) or a long way lower.

Jonesy

I would highly doubt that one dragging lower shock mount is going to have more traction than the other three race tires on a true race car. It would probably just drag, make sparks and scratch the track.

Nevertheless, I do see your point.

-Chris

Chris, think about doing 200kph along a track (my MG Midget get up to that). Consider if you locked up one rear wheel (which would be the equivilent of a shocky mount digging into the road surface... one corner of the car trying to stop while the other 3 continue on) and the effect that would have on your cars direction of travel, and I would think it would be quite major.

At the Mt Panorama race last year (longest, hardest touring car {yes a true race car} race in Australia) a car had a flat tyre on the main straight ON THE WARM UP LAP (so was only doing a bit over 200kph). By the time he cruised to a halt there was not one usable componant left from the car (for that matter not many still attached to the car).

You would not be walking away, changing the tyre, and heading back to the track for the next race (particularly after the track owner hit you for repairs to the track from the resulting damage you've done). You would be lucky if you didn't have to pile the parts onto your trailer after you got back from the hospital.

You had better hope that no one you know ever has a flat tyre with a shock mount or any solid unmoving metal componant low enough to dig into the track. The result could not be called minor by any measure.

Steve

Great point well made.

Stephen,

You are absolutely right on the money.
I don't know of any sanctioning body that would allow a race car onto a track with anything hanging lower than the wheel rim.
In fact, here in Canada, you aren't allowed on a public road with anything like that.
As Art says "skateboard wheel?" that protruding piece causes you to lose control of the vehicle and you are just along for the ride.

Cheers
Fred

Actually, I like the F1 approach, titanium scrub bars,lol. roverman.