Spins on the flats

[streamliner]

Here's some food for thought from over 50 years ago:  The original plan for the Gyronaut motorcycle was to have it equipped with two contra-rotating gyroscopes to keep it going in the intended direction.  During WWII, Alex Tremulis had pulled apart the gyros in the German V2 rockets and immediately thought that if the gyros could be programmed to land in the center of London from Germany, then why the hell couldn't they be programmed to keep a car on the racetrack to eliminate spinouts.  He was on a mission, especially following the 1964 deaths of Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald.  The Gyronaut was to prove his concepts, but he couldn't get sponsors, Lear or Sperry, to jump on board.  As deadlines neared, the plan had to eliminate the gyros, and switch from the Ford V8 to Bob Leppan and Jim Bruflodt's twin Triumph 650cc setup, calling it the X-1.  The X-2 was to have the V8 and gyros and the X-3 the jets to go supersonic.  Alas, only the X-1 was built.  Still, pretty advanced thinking outside the box...

[kustombrad]

I do understand what you're saying and I wasn't trying to get too far off track. What is causing the "yaw?" Is it the rear suspension twisting? Are both rear tires the exact same circumference? Did it hit a soft spot? Did it hit that air "wall" where it can't go unless static or air weight is added? Too heavy of a foot? Too soft suspension? Lift?  Once you narrow down the variables it'll be obvious.

[John Burk]

Brad you are talking about driveshaft torque starting a yaw . I'm talking about gyroscopic effect turning a slight yaw into a spin .

[John Burk]

At one point in this video of 2 spinning gyroscopes on a beam it shows how yaw causes roll . This is why a motorcycle naturally leans when when it turns . It also shows how with a car going down the salt a little yaw loads the outside drive wheel turning a slight yaw into a spin .

http://youtu.be/vGun5athdfg

[gas pumper]

 

Thank you!

[Peter Jack]

Interesting, and a really neat machining project for when I run out of things to do. 

Pete

[jl222]

At one point in this video of 2 spinning gyroscopes on a beam it shows how yaw causes roll . This is why a motorcycle naturally leans when when it turns . It also shows how with a car going down the salt a little yaw loads the outside drive wheel turning a slight yaw into a spin .

http://youtu.be/vGun5athdfg

  To bad half the steps were left out when gyros were spinning in opposite directions

            JL222