Jersey Tom
05-21-2007, 09:42 AM
Pretty disappointing that three long years of FSAE ended so poorly for us.
Did a lot of new things on our 07 chassis, complete technical overhaul from the baseline design that had carried over from our 03-06 cars. Due to a number of issues I won't get in to, got our car done more than a month past where we wanted.. and had to borrow rims from CSU at the last minute since Kodiak completely flaked out on our wheel order.
Car was actually incredibly well balanced and pretty quick straight out the box. A number of people asked me about the Cane Creeks this year at competition, and yes they are worth it. Couple clicks of adjustment and the car feels much different, and after about an hour of actual driving got the car to be very neutrally balanced mid corner as well as on entry and exit.. slight understeer at high speeds which I attribute to an Ackermann issue.
Get to competition.. can't pass sound and have to jam assorted odds and ends in the muffler. As you'd really get on the gas this would sometimes compact down into a solid plug in the muffler and cut power to nothing. Very slow driving. Finally 'sorted' our muffler by 4th autocross and were on pace I'd say for a respectable 51-52s lap, and then somehow lost a chain and coasted to the finish for a 56.. which wasn't counted.
Was also fairly frustrated that our 6.5" wide rims didn't go well with the D2692. Too narrow. Even running 8-9psi in the tires could only get 5.5" of contact with the ground, on a 7" tire!
Come endurance.. after about 10 seconds of driving a tripod slipped out of its housing on the rear outboard joint, and with the LSD delivered no drive power and that was it for us.
Oh well. The fact that we made it to competition and put down times for every event leading up to endurance I view as a miracle. Assuming the 2008 team here builds on this design, and having seen the upcoming senior design crew, the 08 car should be very competitive.
Tell you what though, after having become used to being in the shop 11am-3am just about every day for two semesters, having free time is bizarre. I honestly have no idea what to do with all of it!
Did a lot of new things on our 07 chassis, complete technical overhaul from the baseline design that had carried over from our 03-06 cars. Due to a number of issues I won't get in to, got our car done more than a month past where we wanted.. and had to borrow rims from CSU at the last minute since Kodiak completely flaked out on our wheel order.
Car was actually incredibly well balanced and pretty quick straight out the box. A number of people asked me about the Cane Creeks this year at competition, and yes they are worth it. Couple clicks of adjustment and the car feels much different, and after about an hour of actual driving got the car to be very neutrally balanced mid corner as well as on entry and exit.. slight understeer at high speeds which I attribute to an Ackermann issue.
Get to competition.. can't pass sound and have to jam assorted odds and ends in the muffler. As you'd really get on the gas this would sometimes compact down into a solid plug in the muffler and cut power to nothing. Very slow driving. Finally 'sorted' our muffler by 4th autocross and were on pace I'd say for a respectable 51-52s lap, and then somehow lost a chain and coasted to the finish for a 56.. which wasn't counted.
Was also fairly frustrated that our 6.5" wide rims didn't go well with the D2692. Too narrow. Even running 8-9psi in the tires could only get 5.5" of contact with the ground, on a 7" tire!
Come endurance.. after about 10 seconds of driving a tripod slipped out of its housing on the rear outboard joint, and with the LSD delivered no drive power and that was it for us.
Oh well. The fact that we made it to competition and put down times for every event leading up to endurance I view as a miracle. Assuming the 2008 team here builds on this design, and having seen the upcoming senior design crew, the 08 car should be very competitive.
Tell you what though, after having become used to being in the shop 11am-3am just about every day for two semesters, having free time is bizarre. I honestly have no idea what to do with all of it!