I'm no rig expert so I will probably get this all wrong but here goes.
- The rig doesn't measure lareral forces per se as it can't - only vertical forces.
- On the Multimatic process the posts are driven at varying frequencies and stroke with at least four movement points measured- the tables ( road) , the hubs, the top damper fixings and the chassis/body
- They calculate a "performance index" which they believe represents a single objective measure of overall grip. I think it is this they see as often better with the softer setting because the softer dampers allow more total wheel contact and eveness of tyre load than harder ones.
- This is for a non-aero situation. For high DF cars the dampers are being used primarily to control pitch and underbody air gap. The mechanical grip may be poor but nobody cares as long as the ground effects are working.
- Remember they test lots of road cars where damper to chassis mountings include bushings and sub frames which have designed-in compliance. I think what I took away from the talk was that your damper or spring , settings cannot be stiffer than the load path from damper top mount to body/.chassis or you just cause deflection in the mounting sytem and the dampers aren't actually pumping very much so no conrtol.
- A lot of emphasis was placed on that point and , apparently, F1 cars do not have the utterly rigid mounting paths to the main chassis you might expect!
- I think the point might be that if you design sufficient complinace into the damper to body mountings for normal ride comfort then tighening the dampers to " track" may not do what you think. Also harder settings may chuck the driver around more so he/she thinks they are going faster even if they are not!
Edited by mariner, 17 July 2015 - 08:45.