Originally Posted by
rtypec
I've tested them back to back and that is what I felt. Other drivers have noticed the same. But what do I know
I asked because the question is often asked and never answered in dedicated threads.
I took the suggestion below and have checked petitrc and couldn't find one shred of reference to diff height.
Trawling further, the "hardest" "evidence" I found is a recurrent reference to the same jrx manual over and over in several threads, with people having completely conflicting opinions, sometimes the same person in the same post.
Most people mention the effects of CG height, driveshaft angles and gyroscopic effects. All are pretty solidly refuted by others, possibly the gyroscopic effect might hold some influence, but it is difficult to ascertain with any certainty if enough to impact in any discernible way on the car's grip.
See the quote below for reference.
If you can explain it, please do so, if not you might as well be honest rather than try the offended primadona line. "That is what I felt" and "others said so" never got a scientific paper published.
Originally Posted by
kcunamay
My JRX-S also has adjustable diff heights. Info straight from the manual:
Diff Height: Caution! When adjusting the differential heights, rotate the acentrics as to loosen the belts, rotating in the opposite direction, with the belts installed can severely damage the belts. Diff heights in the JRX-S are also adjustable by rotating the acentrics that positions them. The diffs can be adjusted from a full low position to a full high position. The low position will allow the car to roll more and keep the car in a turn longer, increasing on-power steering. The high diff position will give the car a flatter and more responsive feel. It is also possible to change the balance of the car quite drastically by offsetting the height of the diffs from front to rear. Testing has shown that maximum total steering can be obtained by running the front diff low and the rear diff high. For less total steering do the opposite. For less overall traction run the front and rear diffs in the low position. For more overall traction, do the opposite
JRX-S Type R
Diff Height: Caution! When adjusting the differential heights, rotate the eccentrics as to loosen the belts, rotating the belts in the opposite direction, with the belts installed can severely damage the belts. Diff heights in the Type R are also adjustable by rotating the eccentrics that position them. The diffs can be adjusted from a full low position to a full high position. The low position will allow the car to roll more and keep the car in the turn longer, increasing on-power steering. The high position will give the car a flatter and more responsive feel. It is also possible to change the balance of the car quite drastically by offsetting the heights of the diffs from front to rear. On asphalt tracks with rubber tires, testing has shown the best results with the rear diff in the low position and the front diff in the high position. On carpet with foam tires running the diffs in the low position has yielded the best results.
Read what you want in this, I don't see any hard evidence of anything really (and making logic sense of what is explained is pretty difficult when such a cryptic way of presenting things is used. What the heck does "keep the car in the turn longer" mean?!), apart from reference to the same magic "feel" invoked in the answer to my initial question above.
Analysing deeper, it seems that you get more "overall traction" with both diffs in the low position, but if the rear diff is moved high and the front left low, that will give "maximum total steering" (does this mean the front end has more grip? - because that would contradict the statement made in the post I challenged).
Of course, not too many lines further down, the jrx-s R manual turns the whole thing on its head! This time there's another variable set added: we're talking about rubber tyres on asphalt: You get maximum total steering with the front diff high and the rear low. What was the jrx-s manual talking about then?!
Going back to physics first principles I see little sense in what is "explained" hence my question.
My impression is that most people are just repeating some bullcrap they can make absolutely no sense of, because they want social acceptance from their idols, whilst the latter want a bunch of yesmen around to disguise their ignorance but hey, don't be discouraged just because you have won some troffees. It's guaranteed you are a top grade physicist because you can play with a toy car! And you "feel" things others have felt too, let's not forget that.