drpredrocket
New member
How much do you change the setup to run on a smaller medium bite track? I'm relatively new to karting so I'm looking for setup options.
Badmax 1/8th mile setup
- Thread starter drpredrocket
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racing promotor
Moderator
For Size difference you only change Rear Stagger, It's Track Condition Difference you change set-up for.
alvin l nunley
Site Supporter
There are books written on this subject.
The 1st thing you need to know is the differences in the track. A 1/8 mile track can have turns with the same radius as a shorter track. Of course the straights would be longer. The turns could have banking which would change things. The composition of the dirt could be different. The elevation of the track location could be different. "A shorter track"? How much shorter? And on and on!
Let me assume that the "shorter track" has turns with a tighter radius. You might need more stagger. You might need a lower gear ratio. Everything depends on the difference between the tracks.
From the desk of Al Nunley
Comments compliments criticisms and questions always welcome.
If the data does not support the theory, get a new theory. (Al Nunley)
The 1st thing you need to know is the differences in the track. A 1/8 mile track can have turns with the same radius as a shorter track. Of course the straights would be longer. The turns could have banking which would change things. The composition of the dirt could be different. The elevation of the track location could be different. "A shorter track"? How much shorter? And on and on!
Let me assume that the "shorter track" has turns with a tighter radius. You might need more stagger. You might need a lower gear ratio. Everything depends on the difference between the tracks.
From the desk of Al Nunley
Comments compliments criticisms and questions always welcome.
If the data does not support the theory, get a new theory. (Al Nunley)
drpredrocket
New member
Thanks for the info! How do you mathematically figure stagger? Does front stagger change based on track dimensions? Is the book setup the best setup for a 350lb clone class?
alvin l nunley
Site Supporter
it's relatively easy to calculate how many revolutions a tire needs to turn to go a given distance. For instance, with a turn, you measure the diameter of the turn, then it's Pi x radius squared divided by 2. You divide that by the circumference of the tire and that tells you how many times a tire has to turn to go around that diameter circle. If we use the diameter of the turn that the LR travels, you then just add the distance, from center to center, between the LR tire and the RR tire for the diameter of the circle that the outside tire travels. Divide the outside circle by the number of turns the inside tire turns and that gives you the circumference the outside tire needs to be to turn the same number of turns as the inside tire.
Of course this is only a best case scenario, a place to start, only track testing will tell for sure what the exact stagger should be. There are computer programs out there that will do all this math for you. You only need to know the diameter of the turn and the distance between the 2 rear tires, C – C. With my Excel spreadsheet you change the circumference of the LR tire until the RR tire matches the one you have on your kart now.
Of course, down the straight's, no stagger is best, so many times a compromise has to be arrived at. For instance, if the track has tight turns and long straights, even if it's the same length as a track with wide turns and short straights, the stagger is going to be different. It's easy to calculate the stagger for a round track, but adding straight sections complicates things a little. Banking in the turns complicates things a little. Generally speaking, the math says banking will subtract from the calculated stagger.
Understand that you're going to get many different opinions on this. In the end, base your stagger on what the stopwatch says, the math only gives you a starting place.
From the desk of Al Nunley
Comments compliments criticisms and questions always welcome.
If the data does not support the theory, get a new theory. (Al Nunley)
Typically run the front stagger around 1 3/8-1 1/2. I usually tend not to change it at all unless you get to a track that has long straights and long sweeping corners......
generally just change your rear stagger from track to track.
generally just change your rear stagger from track to track.