So, I'm thinking maybe if I got me some snazzy software I might be able to figure out how to make Tom Celica's suspension work right. I have a vague understanding of how some of it works, but I'm thinking if I could play around I might learn a few things. I tend to learn better with hands on messing around.
I know a lot of people use WinGeo. Anyone here have experience with it? Is "Advanced" enough to get an autocross car set up?
Damn. I have no input for you, but I'll be clicking that little "followy" link at the bottom here momentarily...
This is second hand info here, but the Autocross to Win site recommends win geo for modeling autocross cars.
http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets7.html.
Count me as another very interested person in any real experiences you might have.
I used Wingeo a TON over the past year or so for our FSAE car design. It is most certainly advanced enough.
It's a very powerful program, but it's a tad ungainly to use. We're using version 4.03, which we've had for a few years (since 2007, I believe) so I understand a few things have changed.
Here's a picture of the software in action for anyone that's curious:
In reply to unevolved:
That's great to hear! The web site says it's available in a couple of forms: "Advanced" and "Expert". It's knocking on twice as expensive to go "Expert". Do you know which you're using?
http://www.mitchellsoftware.com/prod01.htm
One of our own, J Block, designed geometry software and it's cheaper. He linked to it in his recent introduction thread.
http://www.auto-ware.com/software/asgp/asgp.htm
fast_eddie_72 wrote: In reply to unevolved: That's great to hear! The web site says it's available in a couple of forms: "Advanced" and "Expert". It's knocking on twice as expensive to go "Expert". Do you know which you're using? http://www.mitchellsoftware.com/prod01.htm
I've just used Advanced. We used SolidWorks for all of the 3D modeling, so I'm not sure the Expert would have been any more useful.
I was just reading a bit on roll centers and the like and it occured to me that it might be a good exercise to measure and plot out your suspension the old fashioned way with rulers and protractors and graph paper and such. You'll have to do the measurements anyway if you get the software and you might learn what you want by just using paper. If you're designing from scratch then the software would be invaluable, but you're mostly just analyzing what you have so......maybe?
mazdeuce wrote: ...but you're mostly just analyzing what you have so......maybe?
Not so sure. There's a fair bit I can do in Street Prepared. And there are changes I know I need to make. I just got to thinking that it might make sense to actually try to do this in a methodical and logical way rather than just swinging over and over again with different parts. Software might pay for itself pretty quickly. And that's not counting the time for me to try to fabricate anything, which is pretty much twice as long as anyone who has any real fabrication experience. It would be nice to have some target in mind when I'm doing some of those things.
Like the roll center you were talking about. I know what a roll center is, and I sorta know what it does dynamically, but- yeah, not really. Sure would be nice to try things out on the computer before I try them on the car. I'm just not sure that I'll know what to do with it if I have it. Back to that roll center. I know where it is now, and I know people say I should lower it, but, uh, get a little fuzzy on why.
Okay, I know a little more than that. But like I said, I think I'd learn a lot faster if I could try things out. I just seem to learn better that way.
There is stuff in this link pertinent to both this thread and mazdeuce's data logging thread, but it looks like I'll get you both here. This guy's done a lot with data logging and suspension analysis in autocross:
I see where you're coming from, I'd forgotten that you were in a prepared class. I do think doing some measurements and drawing out one side of the car has merit though. Once you do it, you can make gross changes and at least see what your end points are. Where is your roll center at stock height? At two inches down? l'm a little weird though, I love graph paper.
In reply to ransom:
I've already spent sooooo much time on that site. Enjoyed every minute of it.
In reply to ransom:
Yes, me too. It's the closest I've come to understanding some things. But more than anything, it's his approach that won me over. I see a lot of guys throw a lot of parts and end up with cool cars. Maybe fast, maybe not. But the really fast guys know what part they're putting on and why. One step at a time- make this work. Good. Now make that work. Good. Eventually they end up with cars that work really, really well. They're not guessing.
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