Maximize Grip and Control: How to Determine Your Vehicle's Roll Centers

If you'd like to learn more about race cars, check out my blog
fastandnerdy.blogspot.com
In this one we have a look at how to find the roll centres of your car we have a look at 4 Link, 3 Link, Watt's Link, Panhard Bar, McPherson Struts, and Leaf springs
Jeremy in Cars - / @jeremyincars
Free Suspension Software - vsusp.com
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[@JeremyinCars]

Thanks for doing this video. As quite a bit has changed with my kart, not the least of which is weight, finding people who can recommend changes to improve mechanical grip based on experience is next to impossible. I'm learning as much as I can about how to calculate suspension dynamics so that I can make intelligent adjustments...then test to see if there has been an improvement. A video on dynamic roll centers and how the roll axis affects handling would be excellent! FYI, the front on a C4 is double wishbone and on the back is a 4 link with a lower control arm and toe bars. My setup has adjustable chassis mounting points so that I can make adjustments to various things. I believe the adjustment to the rear lower control arms will adjust the roll center...unsure at the moment if I should go up, down, or leave the existing roll center alone once I get it calculated.

[@thefastandthenerdy]

No worries mate. I think you might be finding it difficult to get info from people because this is a pretty big topic, changing one thing affects everything else. You need to consider the driver's skill level, driving style, type of tyre, so the tyre's characteristics, the tyre wear, the track surface, the type of circuit, high speed or low speed, downforce, tyre management, and the different racing rules. So as you can imagine, without knowing all of that, giving any recommendations isn't easy.
For example, moving your lower control arms will change your roll centre, but to do that it will change your instant centre or your front view swing arm length, which changes how your camber angles change as you heave and roll. It will also, change the amount your car rolls, the tire scrub, so your tire wear and temperature, the way the lateral forces flow through the car, so the amount of jacking forces and we haven't started to think about the impact on the side view swing arm.
To do this justice, I think I would need to do a series of videos on it, which will take a while. In the mean time, I would recommend checking out anything with Claude Rouelle in it, he is the creator of OptimumG, I don't think there would be too many people who know more than him about this

[@joeyg369]

Great video. First time someone mentioned how to consoder anti dive/squat geometry

[@thefastandthenerdy]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@joeyg369]

Dynamic roll center would be nice!

[@thefastandthenerdy]

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll chuck it on the list

[@clintbaud2349]

Hi Do you know how to work out roll centre for a traverse leafspring suspension ?

[@thefastandthenerdy]

If you draw a line between your leafspring mounts and the centres of the wheels, where these lines intersect is a good estimate of your CoG position in its current position, it will change slightly as you move drive around and loads shift