Ideal Geometry

[ccracin]

Well as I have been ready on this site over the past years it seems a large portion of the debate has to do with front end packages. Sub-frames, control arms, spindles, etc. etc. Alot of companies have great marketing practices but never really provide actual data. Others do. So here is my question. What would everyone consider the ideal suspension geometry to be? This is assuming we aren't worried about track width (with in reason) or frame rail width (again we still have to have an engine up front for this exercise). The ride height would have to be reasonable. I guess ideal is also different for different needs. So lets say we break it down to 3 separate areas. Street, Open Track, Auto Cross. I'm really hoping to see some of the heavy hitter chassis guys respond. I love looking at the dynamics of all this. I have read all the standard fair as well as magazine articles. They all tell you how to measure bump steer, ackerman, roll center, etc. But very very few of them actually recommend specs. Some things I would like to see:

Roll center location and migration specs. in dive and roll
Roll center to center of gravity relationship
Caster
Camber
Camber gain per inch of travel
Caster gain per inch of travel
Ackerman for a given steering input
Bump steer ( amount of toe in or out per unit travel)
King Pin angle
Scrub radius
Anti-dive
Ideal amount of body roll to design for at max lateral-g

Have I missed anything or am I full of SH...... on one of the items I listed?

Don't disappoint me folks!

[ccracin]

What's up, no opinions?

[chevyIIpost]

Bump.............. Would love to hear some opinions and debates. This thread/topic is wide open...................

[novanutcase]

I think the reason no one has really responded is:

a) This is such a wide open question that any answer would be both wrong and right.

b) A lot of these guys would be giving away their hard earned secrets. That would be like asking Smokey Yunick how he got his motors to work so well!

John

[ccracin]

Originally Posted by novanutcase

I think the reason no one has really responded is

a) This is such a wide open question that any answer would be both wrong and right.

b) A lot of these guys would be giving away their hard earned secrets. That would be like asking Smokey Yunick how he got his motors to work so well!


John

Hey John,

Thanks for the reply. I agree about it being wide open. That basically is the point. Folks can say why they believe what they are posting is IDEAL! I don' t agree with the secret part. I'm asking for the final readings. In my mind it is like asking Smokey for his opinion on the ideal torque & hp curve for a road course. I'm not asking how to get the curves. Does that make any sense?

Later,

[pro-tour79]

your questions can't realy be answered because those values are different for different vehicles, there is no "one best" and most importantly is the driver's confidance in the seat is what makes a car handle well.