Stagger

[Nesloney]

Back on subject.
Not mentioned above
Wheel widths affect rollout.
Lathing/grinding/tooling can also yield measurable changes.

Also my 2 cents
While growing tires with heat/pressure is a simple enough concept, shrinking tires isn't much more difficult IMO.
A smaller tire's rotating weight is also closer to the center of rotation, taking less energy to spin it than a larger tire. I would choose shrinking over growing if the numbers allow.

 

[Rusty Gleim]

Al has provided more useful information to this person than any of you! His spreadsheet would be useful when unloading at a new track to get you in the ballpark quicker. Measure both turns to see if radius is the same or how much it differs, determine which turn you want to setup for and go to the spreadsheet and fine tune after each track session.

 

[racing promotor]

Al has provided more useful information to this person than any of you! His spreadsheet would be useful when unloading at a new track to get you in the ballpark quicker. Measure both turns to see if radius is the same or how much it differs, determine which turn you want to setup for and go to the spreadsheet and fine tune after each track session.

By saying this person I'm assuming that means the original poster, if so you may want to re read his post #1 and tell us how the spread sheet answers any of his questions giving him any useful information.
Plus apparently you've not attended to many big races, go to a big race and on race morning you and your buddy get your tape measure, a pin ( to mark center ), and a hammer, and while there getting the track ready, go across to infield and start marking out and measuring turn radius, see how far you make it before they ask you what the heck you think your doing and run you off to your pit. Plus even if you get away with it, ( which you wouldn't because you would be walking on the track )the groove is not established yet so it's a big guess your getting proper radius measurement anyway, then even if you guess right it's a little late as you need to show up with your stagger real close to start.

 

[paulkish]

Tracks ought to print and pin a baseline gear listing somewhere at the track for all classes.

Maybe even do the same for high cross weight out and other numbers, even including clutch engagement for each class.

It would help all racers and especially new racers. It would also start track conversation about who sets up right off the chart, who's numbers ain't even close yet their fast, etc..


Then again racingpromotor could probably do it easily for his track but i'd bet a lot of tracks would be clueless on it, or not????

It sure would help all racers at their track and make racing a bit easier for their customers.

If kart tracks would start doing it i'll bet it won't be long before car tracks do the same.

 

[95 shaw]

Al has provided more useful information to this person than any of you! His spreadsheet would be useful when unloading at a new track to get you in the ballpark quicker. Measure both turns to see if radius is the same or how much it differs, determine which turn you want to setup for and go to the spreadsheet and fine tune after each track session.

Calculations for stagger are only intended as a tool to show how stagger works.
Some take this to mean always, always, always.
Not so, because for stagger to work, both tires on a solid drive axle must be producing equal grip.
With weight transfer, that may only occur once, if ever, for a short distance, during a corner sequence. For the rest of the corner, it is a balancing act to make the most of the available grip from each tire.
Finding the point you want stagger to be correct is a matter of more factors than just calculating correct stagger for a certain radius.
This is true for most chassis and gearing calculations. Adjusting for a ten foot section of the track may not produce the quickest lap times in any given scenario.