Roll bar weight

[Clay Pitkin]

Ok so I have added more bars to my roll cage, (do not have the exact length with me right at this moment) but it is a substantial amount.

I know the importance of having a roll cage/saftey features, etc.

I also know that anytime you can get rid of weight that is not needed, it can be a benefit,
Also, I know that aerodynamics plays a part in helping the car through the air.
I dont want to get into that part of this......


My question is: Will adding a substantial amount of weight such as the roll cage, will that slow down the car being noticable, or will it slow down just fractions? Or will it slow down at all? Or am I just jumping to conclusions being to over re-active? If I am its ok (Grin)!

Your thoughts,

TIA
Clay



 

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Well, depending on how much horsepower you've got -- weight is almost always your friend at Bonneville.  It's pretty easy to overpower the race track, meaning your tires will spin when speed gets up to a point where aero drag is greater than the amount of hp being put to the ground.  As an example (oft cited here) - one year we were having lots of tire spin on my nitrous bike.  I asses about 60# of weight to the swingarm and picked up 6 - 7 mph.  Look at many of the cars and you'll find hundreds of pounds of weight helping add some traction.

The only time when you'd like a lighter vehicle is when you're running with so little power that it takes a couple of miles to get to full speed.

More is better (said the young lady of the afternoon).

[Dave Cox]

"I asses about 60# of weight".

that's a good freudian slip........

I guess I need to eat more.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Okay - you got me.  I think I'll leave it as it is, though, so the rest of the gang here doesn't wonder what the heck you're talking about.

[Elmo Rodge]

The D bone's connected to the S bone. Well, it's right next to it.  Wayno

[manta22]

Ok so I have added more bars to my roll cage, (do not have the exact length with me right at this moment) but it is a substantial amount.

I know the importance of having a roll cage/saftey features, etc.

I also know that anytime you can get rid of weight that is not needed, it can be a benefit,
Also, I know that aerodynamics plays a part in helping the car through the air.
I dont want to get into that part of this......


My question is: Will adding a substantial amount of weight such as the roll cage, will that slow down the car being noticable, or will it slow down just fractions? Or will it slow down at all? Or am I just jumping to conclusions being to over re-active? If I am its ok (Grin)!

Your thoughts,

TIA
Clay

Clay,

I used a sheet of titanium to form a stressed panel on the top of my roll cage. I used it to minimize the weight up high. A high center of gravity is not your friend, if you need to add weight, put it low in the chassis.

Regards, Neil. now in Vienna, Austria

 

[floydjer]

Slim...You did WHAT to it?