Mounting the suspension inside the chassis

[CSUNFormulaOne]

What do you all think? We are very seriously considering one mounting the shocks/spring, halfshorts, mounts e.t.c. inside the moncoq. this year.

We were going to build a small cover to "protect" the driver from the moving components. This will likely be two layers of carbon fiber.

I know there are downsides to have the shocks inside the car. We were going to cut a window for easy access to adjust the damping and the other adjusting screw on the shock(can't remember it's purpose).

Do the rules even allow this. From our understanding it IS allowed.

[CSUNFormulaOne]

What do you all think? We are very seriously considering one mounting the shocks/spring, halfshorts, mounts e.t.c. inside the moncoq. this year.

We were going to build a small cover to "protect" the driver from the moving components. This will likely be two layers of carbon fiber.

I know there are downsides to have the shocks inside the car. We were going to cut a window for easy access to adjust the damping and the other adjusting screw on the shock(can't remember it's purpose).

Do the rules even allow this. From our understanding it IS allowed.

[J. Vinella]

As long as the shock does not interfere with the new templates this is allowed. For the past 3 years we ran the shocks inside the front of our chassis with only driver discomfort problems. As you noted you will need to create a cover for the moving parts.

As for you question about the the rules allowing this. If you interpret the rules as being OK for your situation then run with it. If you have any strong doubts, contact the rules committee. This forum is not by an means official and just because other schools have done something does not always make it legal. It just means it went unnoticed at tech. Remember: "Violating the intent of the rule is violating the rule." This series is very wide open in terms of what one can design and run.

[Prohet][]

Something like this http://www.unisa.edu.au/sae/gallery/images/2008/Clipsal/image/Picture65.JPG

Its hard to see but don't have a good photo on my right now. The front suspension is mounted alongside the driver with a alloy sheet protecting his arms. The rear springs are just behind the driver.

We had no problem getting this through the judges although we got reamed in the design event for not having a good enough explaination for doing it. (well, they didn't like our explanation anyway)

[J.R.]

Why not just raise the frame up a little and save the weight? If you have to fit the template anyway, why bother running the suspension inside? Just my 2c.

[Prohet][]

It would depend on your reasoning for wanting to do it.

[J.R.]

What was your reasoning for it?

[rjwoods77]

When I hear suspension inside the car I have an immediate "where is the steering rack going" question. I assume that most people are going to have to use a low mount steering rack to get around the template or use a high/forward but why add the extra length of rack if you dont have to. This being said if you are mounting "inside" the car I would assume that your lower a-arm mount bars are extremely close together which leads me to my point. Rack and pinions have a minimum center to center distances based on your rack travel and any supports on them. If you are mounting the lower a-arm mounts close together you will/might run into intersting bump steer issues. Most people consider the steering system seperate from the suspension and this is a fundamentally huge/stupid mistake. Toe control links (i.e tie rods) in the front and rear are part of the suspension even if some dont move.

[Prohet][]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by J.R.:
What was your reasoning for it? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Without going into too much detail, our own designed active suspension system wouldn't fit any other way.

[STRETCH]

May I also add to the original question, surely the car looks tidier mounting the shocks inboard at the front, just to get a cleaner finish on the bodywork. It's certainly practical with steel spaceframes, and getting a strong rocker assembly. We do it every year...