The Roadster NA Journey Begins

[ManiacLachy]

Why wasn't the throttle going past 80%? Something wrong with your right foot? I don't advise a replacement.

In for dodgy day. I'll find something to dodgy, or we can organise a few car swaps with cars that aren't up on stands.

[slug_dub]

I smell a conspiracy... a 6mm socket limit for this dodgy day I have it on reliable authority (authority being the operative word!)... can't even remove the under tray with that... a dodgy conspiracy


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Magpie]

The kick panel near the accelerator pedal had come loose and hence stopped the pedal going all the way to the floor. Notwithstanding the car still went quick and was fun to drive, actually it was a bonus in the wet that I could not get 100%... I have just looked at a few of the laps when the rain first came down, it was 'fun'... one of them was again chasing ausbuoy's. Hopefully the driver enjoyed the exhaust noise Tess measured 101dB at the wall in the morning as I went past

Not sure who was driving ausbuoy's car at the time. It is boosted (make a little more than mine), ran on shot NT01's whereas I had 80& throttle and AD08R's.

Dodgy Day is not 'managed' by the person who started that rumour

[MXO005]

I smell a conspiracy... a 6mm socket limit for this dodgy day I have it on reliable authority (authority being the operative word!)

Just got to get 'creative'.
No limit on the size of the hammers we can use

[slug_dub]

Driving style of the turbonator does not suggest Greg or Justin...

[Magpie]

I'll post one following the 'turbonator' in the damp, where somebody waved me past and I did not really want to

[ManiacLachy]

I need to get back to Morgan Park next year! And maybe the other tracks too

I think Ekka day at MP last year was the last time I was on track properly (was also only my second time on, and the first one didn't go well if you recall) - Happy laps don't count.

[Magpie]

Will know the 2017 dates for SDT at Morgan Park soon. Believe that the format for 2017 will be on track from 0930 to 1530 (1 session), however the cost will go up But, even with a cost increase there will still be heaps of track time and you get to drive home (and arrive) at a reasonable time.

[Magpie]

Finally can say that the Racepak software Datalink II has some potential. Many thanks to Tim at Racepak for helping me out with the software and a gentlemen from the US called Dan who has helped with showing me what the software is capable of.

In a short time (thanks to Dan) I was able to produce the attached map of 2 recent laps at SMSP. The bonus is I can apply this to all the previous collected data (provided the same channels exist).

The green represents 100% throttle, the red where the front brake pressure was above 300 psi and the yellow the brake pressure was between 0 and 300 PSI (trail braking).
It is obvious now that I do not spend a lot of time at 100 throttle or heavy braking.

Many thanks again to Tim and Dan for showing that the Racepak software has potential! Time to spend the weekend playing with some data as well as looking at the the 'clunk'...

Heat MAP by Eipeip, on Flickr

[rascal]

You shouldnt really see any yellow sections on the straight bits. Just green straight to red and then yellow only once you start to turn in and wind on some lock. Then some blue (Not sure what percentage throttle the blue is) as you pick up the throttle past the apex, wind off the lock and green (full throttle) as soon as you can..

There seems to be far too much blue, and not enough greens/reds.

[Magpie]

Yep Rascal my thoughts exactly. The blue is between 0 and 99% throttle (coasting). I can 'tweak' the values but it will only be masking the real truth.

Need to start pulling the data after each run and not waiting till weeks later to look at it However, now that I have better control of the software I'm going to write some reports that can be used to give an instant snapshot. This graph will be one of them. Have customised some pages to show KMH/Lap time difference at any point on the lap as well.

By the way thanks for the feedback I was actually happy with my performance at WTAC, however now looking at the data it shows how much better it could have been...

[greenMachine]

What Rascal said. On my reading, you are losing a lot of time on the entry to T1 (understandable as you haven't done that much time on SMP and T1 is pretty intimidating), T3 should be feathered throttle at worst, T5 flat after a stab of brake, Corporate Hill flat after a sharp push on the brake and no braking on the back straight until the little kink to the right, then accelerate over the ripple strip on the left hander, brake again for T12, and accelerate through it with the car going all the way to the concrete runoff on exit. A few sessions in and the braking mentioned here will be a tap, or just a lift ...

If you need to brake, get it done quickly, as late as possible, and when you have wrung as much time out that way, start braking later and carrying some brake in towards the apex. On which subject, too many people early apex T1, not only does it cost you time, it sets you up for problems on exit - and that is the reason there are so many black marks on the inside concrete wall on the exit of T1. Next time get someone to show you the two slabs that are the marker for the apex, and use the last light post on the right as your turn in marker.

Have a look at Chris' (Zozzy1) video for a very quick and tidy lap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv5V0gMUlyA ... that is a 1.44 lap.

[Magpie]

greenMachine - I agree with your post! I may get a chance to drive at SMSP in 2017, so will put the advice into practice!

Started the day looking for the 'clunk' in the rear end. After checking alignment bolts ( 1 x was loose), checking the adjustable upper arms (1 x locking nut loose) the clunk was still there. Pulled out the damper and disassembled it. Manual compressing the damper no clunk... There was some tyre rubber caught in the spring and the boot is ripped, however when everything reinstalled, no 'clunk'... I did install 9kg springs in the rear, up from 7kg.

Another issue was the alignment in the front not being able to achieve the previous camber (only on one side). Therefore took the opportunity to do some measuring.

First up was the motion ratio in the rear. A few ways to do this (1) measure the arms or (2) measure wheel movement to damper movement. I went with (2)

The rear for 70mm or damper movement the wheel moves 97mm, in addition there was 3.4° of camber gain. Therefore the motion ratio for the rear is 0.721649485.
DSCN3551 by Eipeip, on Flickr

DSCN3550 by Eipeip, on Flickr

DSCN3545 by Eipeip, on Flickr

For the front the motion was 95mm damper movement to 141mm of wheel movement and 4.1° camber gain. Therefore the motion ratio is 0.673758865.
DSCN3555 by Eipeip, on Flickr

Now for the alignment... there was eccentric bushes fitted almost 18months ago and there is the possibility they have 'rotated'. Well on the drivers side upper control arm, 1 had rotated slightly.
DSCN3560 by Eipeip, on Flickr

Fixed
DSCN3563 by Eipeip, on Flickr

Also checked to make sure the grease nipple was not blocked
DSCN3562 by Eipeip, on Flickr

This is the other bush
DSCN3564 by Eipeip, on Flickr

Sunday will be pulling out the passenger side and checking those bushes, changing rotors and installing a new Craig Davies coolant flow alarm (great price at WTAC), the Cartek one had started to fail and gave false alarms. Whilst the 'sensor' on the Cartek one was clean it was not functioning normally. However I need to order new boots for all the dampers so cannot finish the suspension off till they arrive. The increase in the rear will more than likely make the car oversteer a little more, which I think will be a positive.

Once the damper boots arrive then it will be time for some new alignment bolts and then off for an alignment.

[sailaholic]

Have you thought about running standard (non eccentric) bushes and extended ball joints?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Magpie]

Yes, looking at that now!