Why so slim?

[loose]

I know I'm new to the r/c scene but can anyone tell me why lots of new cars seem to be infactuated with getting slimmer?

Are there any huge improvements to handling by keeping the weight as narrow as possible? I only ask cos whilst its great having new cars like the Aero (which undoubtedly looks like its the real deal) I cant help thinking the thin bodies look a bit pants! I saw a Boss Cat at one of the vintage meetings and that looked the dogs! Loved it!

I suppose its the old Kate Moss or Kate Winslet debate. I like a few curves personally!

[Lee Martin]

hey....

its all about the weight distribution.........

a slimmer car has all the weight together, making the car alot more nimble...allowing the weight to transfer quicker and in effect change direction faster.

i have also found having the weight down the centre reduced grip roll and allows the car to be a little more forgiving due to not wanting to roll.....going round the track like a 'spider' lol.

i also think the slimbodies look cool!

but thats jut me!

[Lee]

A narrower chassis will provide greater ground clearance as the car rolls, so it will not bottom out.

they dont look as nice but thats just flavour of the month for now

[Lee Martin]

wait to you seemine all Tel Shelled up...then u will say it looks nice

[BenG]

For some reason I don't see slim cars as Kate moss. She is f'ugly. Plus she is a crack head. If had to race a [notso]supermodel I'd choose her, as she is aerodynamic, and slim

[Wraggy]

Originally Posted by pidge

wait to you seemine all Tel Shelled up...then u will say it looks nice

dont you do you your own shell painting now then lee ???

[Chris Doughty]

Pidge is spot on.

I have also found as mensioned before that a narrow chassis ground out less, and when they do ground out (running the face of a jump) they drag less speed off the car (think of a ski)

slim is the way!

the S4 chassis is moulded carbon fibre with a lovely rounded edge to it, if any extremem bump does managed to touch the chassis its a nice glide over the bump thanks to the rounded edges

[Lee Martin]

the aero is also has rear kick up......

stoping the rear end frm ever slapping down or catching going up a jump....

[BenG]

Calm down lads, dont start a comparison battle.

Or a 'plug-my-car-hijack'

[Lee Martin]

nope...just explaining things to someone who is asking...................

wraggy....

no i stop painting to concerntrate on racing....

[OldTimer]

If you look on the corners of the chassis of fatter cars just in front of the rear wishbones, you can see the wear from hitting the ground. And if the chassis is hitting the ground the suspension is not working at its optimum.

[Chris Doughty]

don't worry, we are not scoring off each other.

both our cars are narrow, both our cars went quick at tivvy.

[Big E]

Originally Posted by DoughtyUK.net

don't worry, we are not scoring off each other.

both our cars are narrow, both our cars went quick at tivvy.

Mine's old skool width and went quick!!

You saying you chassis never hit the ground as well Jonathon

Trouble with thin is it spreads it all out too far in length....not that I'm trying to start anything here, it's hard to have the ideal with such small cars when you have so much to get in them!

[OldTimer]

Originally Posted by Big E

You saying you chassis never hit the ground as well Jonathon

No not at all just pointing out one of the differences between a fat and slim chassis, if it gains you 2 sec's during a race this could be the difference between the top of one final and the middle of the following final, as sunday @ Tivvy showed how close everyone is.

[MK999]

The perfect car has a small black hole in the middle where all it's components are and 4 weightless wheels on the longest suspension links possible, car wise anyway, driver wise it'd probably 'handle' too fast for anyone to drive.

It's pretty much the same thing as trying to spin a rock on a piece of string in a big circle and a little circle in terms of roll and also steering response, closer it all is to the middle, of either the roll centre or the point the car steers around the better it handles Also longer suspension links mean the wheels camber less for the amount of suspension travel you get, for those that were wondering.

[Chris Doughty]

sometimes camber change is a good thing, I have found that there is an 'optimum' lenght for suspension arms and that is less than 'longest'

[sim]

Originally Posted by MK999

Also longer suspension links mean the wheels camber less for the amount of suspension travel you get, for those that were wondering.

If both top (link) and lower (arm) are of equal length, you can have short arms and zero camber rise.

[Chris Doughty]

but lots of tire scrub....

[jimmy]

Is that where the tyres move in / out as the suspension moves?

[Chris Doughty]

thats the one Jimmy!

it can be a good thing, and also a bad thing,