rec.autos.simulators

#1--Am I right that softer springs mean more grip and stiffer springs
means less grip?

#2--Does stiffer springs allow the car to go faster?

#3--I use all I can in the GPL world and so ride with a 1in ride hght
and 1in bump *** on the tracks that allow this.I read some places
that (A) this is in effect riding on the bump ***s and other places
say that (B) with these settings the suspension still has 3in of play
and that the only thing that bottoms is the chassis onto the
pavement.Who is right here??

#4--If using a lowrider setup and the option (B) is the right one,then
I would assume I need stiffer springs to keep this 3in from bottoming
out.Is this right?

Skeeter

#2 You can drive more precise, with better control -> thus faster.

#3 Those cars don't have suspension setup like our everyday cars (shocks
     being peripendicular to the road). Take a look at the main screen
picture.
    You'll see the springs and dampers (shocks) going from the wheel to
the
    chasis diagonally. Now...when you have let's say 0.5inch of travel
when
    going over the bump, that may result like a 2inch spring/shock travel.

    That's nowhere near the bump ***s yet (I think). So, as it was
already
    said in one of the posts here, you'll first bottom out the car then
run on the
    bump ***s when on 1/1 ride heihgt/bump ***s. I sugegst you to
use
    as low setting as possible for both settings (I also tried 1inch
static ride height
    with bump ***s set to full and I still wasn't running on the bumps
:)

#4 Right. Go with a bit stiff car, as low as possible and with a bit of
understeer.

Cheers,
Tadej Krevh
Lotus Internet Racing
http://www.racesimcentral.net/
* currently holding 2 GPL world records
http://www.racesimcentral.net/
* the best GPL hotlap page

What DOES help exit traction is SOFT front rebound shock settings. Try
it. Keep spring rates constant, then drive some laps with the FRONT
rebound settings at 4. Then pit and change them to 1. See if there is a
difference EXITING under power. Soft rebound (like in the real world)
helps aid in traction; stiff front rebound aids in power-on exit
oversteer.

To a point. Too soft, the car collapses under the load. Too stiff and
not enough load.

Hehe.. I was B). Theoretically, B is correct. However, in the real
world, you would have bump stops to *prevent* the chassis from
bottoming. So in the real world, the A correlation would be closer to
the truth. But the *bug* in GPL does not model it correctly and thus
makes B a viable option. I have experienced bump ***-riding in GPL
and with stiff enough springs and bars, you do NOT get this
automatically with 1-and-1 setups.

I've talked with Steve Smith a lot about this (and he in turn talks to
David Kaemmer) and he agrees on these points... BTW, neither of them
like this bug. I don't either, but I'm not going to be 1 second slower
by NOT using a lowrider setup. If it's feasible, and it is with GPL's
*bug*,  go for it.

Papy could have solved this by making the ride height "minimum"
hard-coded at 2 inches with bump *** at 1-inch. Problem solved. But
they didn't, so there's a *realism* dilemma... BUT I understand they are
trying to make sure this DOESN'T occur with N3.

Yeah. Try a 1-inch ride height at Mosport or the Ring. You'll experience
it REAL quick. You need to go high enough on the ride height (given your
spring/shock settings) to prevent the chassis from bottoming. Only
experimentation will be your guide.

Hope this was of some help Skeet!

-_Dave

--
Dave Schwabe
The Aussie Toad -- Grand Prix Legends & Brabham site
http://www.racesimcentral.net/~schwabe