Corner Weights

[Guest erichetherington]

Andy,

Thanks for that. I've been reading it for 2 days (I'm a slow reader!) and I think I've now got my head round it, as Dan says very clever. I'm off to look at the Argos site. Thanks again.

 

Scott,

It's not the fitness level of your compatriots, it's their mass but thanks for your help.

 

Eric

[Bob Tucker]

If the scales are that cheap, just buy 2.

Place them side by side.

Put a flat board across both of them & park the wheel smack bang in the middle.

 

Save doin' all that math!

Bob

[Guest timswait]

Save doin' all that math!

What, multiplying by two?

Although using two scales and adding them does mean that you're not also multiplying up the inaccuracies...

[st3v3nw]

(~9$UK)

 

since when do we have uk dollars?

[Guest ScotMac]

(~9$UK)

 

since when do we have uk dollars?

 

Since i have an american keyboard, lacking the pound symbol...

[Guest salty_monk]

Cheat like the Chinese.... Use GBP9

 

Dan

[Guest erichetherington]

I like the idea of two scales! I've looked at the Argos site and, oddly the cheapest set of scales are out of stock. I wonder are they ever in stock or is this just the result of every-one on a diet before their hols.

[Guest Trophy Blue]

I like the idea of two scales! I've looked at the Argos site and, oddly the cheapest set of scales are out of stock. I wonder are they ever in stock or is this just the result of every-one on a diet before their hols.

 

I used 4 from argos, they were £3 each, I did each end of the car at a time, planks over the scales to spread the load. The important bit is to raise the opposite end of the car by the same amount that the scales end has been lifted.

 

I made the total weight of my car to be 693kgs, and it was 700kgs at SVA

[Guest allenr03]

What is the advantage of knowing the corner weights of the car? Having just finished my car and discovered how poor the Zeemergas thingies are do I need to know corner weights to get the right replacement coilovers?

 

Also, ifI'm buying coliovers which are the best to go for - within reason!!

 

Rich

[Guest timswait]

The main use of corner weights is in correctly setting the ride height at each corner. Imagine you set your spring seats so that the car sits level. Now imagine you raise the heights of two diagonally opposite corners (e.g. front left and rear right). The car will still sit level and when you measure it with a ruler it will measure level. The problem is that you know have more weight on the front left and rear right tyres that the other two, which will result in uneven handling (in this case a tendency to oversteer when turning left and understeer when turning right). The only way to be sure you have diagonally balanced forces on you tyres is to set the corner weights even. To be honest the effect is not great, most people get away without doing it (set it so the car sits level and the spring seats are in about the same positions) and don't notice any problems. I've not set them on my car, although it is something I plan to do when I get time.

It's also interesting to know the weight of your car and the front/rear split. Knowing corner weights together with wheel/damper travel ratio and desired suspension movement would let you work out the ideal spring rate, although with so many people having fitted new coil overs it's a lot easier just to fit what everyone else has and which works on their cars. If you go for springs in the region of 280-350 lb/in you'l be about right, pick them on how stiff a ride you want. I have 300lb on mine which I find about right for road, but I'd like a little stiffer when I'm on the track. Lots of different types have been fitted to different peoples cars, Gaz, Avo, Spax and Damper tech are the most popular and all seem to be well recommended by the people who use them. I have Gazs from Rally Design and am very pleased with them.

[Guest allenr03]

Thanks Tim, that makes sense, I think! Job for the winter then!