A question on Aerodynamics
11-08-2004, 06:38 PM
#1
A question on Aerodynamics
About 3-4 years ago, I got into r/c cars. The body I had was a replica of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. It handled very nicely. I found I could do nicely controlled skids, drifts, and whatnot.
I used this body for racing, mainly because I didn't mind if it got dinged up and found my car performing *very* well with it.
For a "show" body I bought I replica of the Peugeot 206 WRX. I found the car to be a *completely* different beast with this body on. Tail happy, poorly controllable on bumpy surfaces, spinouts and flipovers, and during the only race with it on, I totalled the car.
I concluded that downforce and body style *do* matter, for initially I didn't think it would on such a small surface area.
I witnessed this re-occur on an associate's Diablo body with similar results to his car.
So I was wondering what body shells were better than others, in terms of downforce and improving handling, and what bodies (that you have run across) made things worse....
I used this body for racing, mainly because I didn't mind if it got dinged up and found my car performing *very* well with it.
For a "show" body I bought I replica of the Peugeot 206 WRX. I found the car to be a *completely* different beast with this body on. Tail happy, poorly controllable on bumpy surfaces, spinouts and flipovers, and during the only race with it on, I totalled the car.
I concluded that downforce and body style *do* matter, for initially I didn't think it would on such a small surface area.
I witnessed this re-occur on an associate's Diablo body with similar results to his car.
So I was wondering what body shells were better than others, in terms of downforce and improving handling, and what bodies (that you have run across) made things worse....
11-08-2004, 08:16 PM
#3
Wjile we're at it.... How about Wing placement???? Anyone experiment???
Bodies in the real work and Bodies in the RC world aren't always the same.... I had my NTC3 play airplane on me with a Mustang body on it.... I wasn't pleased to see 5' of air under the car.... Needless to say, no more high speed runs with that body....
Bodies in the real work and Bodies in the RC world aren't always the same.... I had my NTC3 play airplane on me with a Mustang body on it.... I wasn't pleased to see 5' of air under the car.... Needless to say, no more high speed runs with that body....
11-08-2004, 08:39 PM
#5
I like the new nemesis body, sort of a mix between the stratus2 and Alfa (front-back), but I like the feel of the Alfa on small tracks,
Wing discussion is something I would like to hear peoples opinion about, I have seen a few different ways that people cut and mount their wings, in particular the cutting of a 1-2mm slit at the base cure of the wing on each end. what benefit would this have?
Wing discussion is something I would like to hear peoples opinion about, I have seen a few different ways that people cut and mount their wings, in particular the cutting of a 1-2mm slit at the base cure of the wing on each end. what benefit would this have?
11-08-2004, 08:53 PM
#6
I was going to make a whole new post on wing placement.... I've never played with them and I'm sure I'd be happy if I did....
11-08-2004, 11:04 PM
#7
AttackDonut: You're right, aerodymics have a huge roll in the handling of an RC car. Many people getting into the hobby that haven't learned how to tune their car and make them handle can't tell how important it is because the car has other issues. One way to look at it is the speed to weight ratio. These cars only weight about 3.5 pounds. I don't know any exacty numbers off had but if you can get and RC body to produce, say 2 punds of downforce, You've increased the force placed on the tires by more than 50%. That's alot! You want to see what a wing will do? Run a car for five laps with the wing then get it ripped off in a wreack and try to finish the race. It's not easy.
I did a little playing with wing placement. It always seemed to me when I'd move it back toward the rear of the car, it gained rear grip. The opposite was also true. I really never saw much improvement when using the optional stabalizers on the Alpha 2 and Mazda bodies. So I just never bother with them now.
As far as what bodies are good for racing. There's a long list now. A few years ago, it was the Stratus and that was about it. But now you've got a lot to choose from and a lot of it is track specific and personal pref. My faveorite is the Mazda 6. I also like the Losi Alpha, the Protoform Aplha is OK. The Protoform Stratus 2.0 is popular but I think it's a little numb feeling. There's a ton to choose from.
I did a little playing with wing placement. It always seemed to me when I'd move it back toward the rear of the car, it gained rear grip. The opposite was also true. I really never saw much improvement when using the optional stabalizers on the Alpha 2 and Mazda bodies. So I just never bother with them now.
As far as what bodies are good for racing. There's a long list now. A few years ago, it was the Stratus and that was about it. But now you've got a lot to choose from and a lot of it is track specific and personal pref. My faveorite is the Mazda 6. I also like the Losi Alpha, the Protoform Aplha is OK. The Protoform Stratus 2.0 is popular but I think it's a little numb feeling. There's a ton to choose from.
11-09-2004, 04:00 AM
#8
Tech Adept
11-09-2004, 05:20 AM
#9
Tech Regular
Also if you can get your car doing maybe 20-30mph and you put that at a scale speed that's like 200-300mph so aerodynamics are a big part 
Chazz
Chazz
11-09-2004, 06:15 AM
#10
Elvo-
That whole article was extremely well written, and enlightening! Thanks for the link.
And for everyone else, thank you for the replies, it's always fun to learn something new!
Cheers!
And for everyone else, thank you for the replies, it's always fun to learn something new!
Cheers!
11-10-2004, 10:54 AM
#11
I have been through many different shells the usual, the stratus, alfa, accord, V8 astra and now im on a Team Titan TC2 it is alot like the stratus but i find it has a huge amount of F+R grip compaired to all of them! dunno if you can get them in america but they are good get on of them!!!
11-10-2004, 11:11 AM
#12
you cant scale the speeds up, eg if a model car does 20mph that doesnt mean it will do 200mph if scaled up. 20 mph is 20mph
11-10-2004, 11:35 AM
#14
Tech Regular
oh, i thought because the rc cars are 10x smaller you'd times the speed by 10 
or something like that
Chazz
or something like that Chazz
11-10-2004, 11:49 AM
#15
Scale is Scale.
A Quarter Scale ground or air vehicle (plane, car, tank, truck, etc.) traveling at 10 mph is experiencing what the people sized version is experiencing at 40 mph. Boats are diffent.
Remember that even though the same forces apply, the Precision Model cannot react to and handle the same amount of forces or in the same way that the Full size can handle and would slip off the track.
So you could claim from your print out at the end of a race that your average speed times 10 (1/10 scale) equals real world speed.
That's why car racing is a hobby sport.
Fun is the key.
A Quarter Scale ground or air vehicle (plane, car, tank, truck, etc.) traveling at 10 mph is experiencing what the people sized version is experiencing at 40 mph. Boats are diffent.
Remember that even though the same forces apply, the Precision Model cannot react to and handle the same amount of forces or in the same way that the Full size can handle and would slip off the track.
So you could claim from your print out at the end of a race that your average speed times 10 (1/10 scale) equals real world speed.
That's why car racing is a hobby sport.
Fun is the key.