rec.autos.simulators

by **Alex 'pez' Porazinsk** » Thu, 30 May 2002 06:46:07

just wondering what the benefit of having a wheel as big as a house in front
of me would be, after all, i see Cart and IRL drivers with tiny wheels, so
why do nascar drivers insist on wagon wheels?

pez

by **GMpartsgu** » Thu, 30 May 2002 07:05:16

Because they can ?
If i remember right CART wheels of the past used to be a bit bigger. So,
im gonna guess that the tiny tubs they race in these days may restrict the
size of the wheel now.
As usual, somebody punt me if im wrong on this :)

by **Phil Le** » Thu, 30 May 2002 07:13:25

Alex

You won at Daytona on Monday. Why do you need to go faster? :)

Phil
---
Racesim Central Administrator
http://www.racesimcentral.com

by **John Pancoas** » Thu, 30 May 2002 07:23:00

Because stock cars weigh twice what an Indy car does :)

-John

by **Jan Verschuere** » Thu, 30 May 2002 07:40:23

Nowbody likes winning "the hard way", Phil. <g>

And I ain't talking about cheating either. Going fast enough to win is not
comfortable. It may be hugely satisfying if one succeeds, but it's a pretty
intense endeavour. Anything that takes some of strain away frees up
concentration which can be applied elsewhere, like situational awareness and
racing, making the whole deal a little easier. So you can push a little
harder... <g>

Jan.
=---

by **Haqsa** » Thu, 30 May 2002 07:40:17

But OTOH they have power steering and high ratio (i.e. slow) steering
gear. I don't think it has as much to with steering effort as it does
with control sensitivity. A large wheel is preferable on an oval
because you want to make small course corrections with high precision.
That's also one of the reasons they put the wheel so much closer to the
driver. Also a large wheel is possible in a stock car because of the
car's higher natural stability. IRL can't use large wheels because of
the size of the***pit, but even if they could they probably wouldn't
because a small lightweight car can get out of shape much easier than a
big car (due to lower rotational inertia) and therefore in IRL you would
want the extra responsiveness that a small wheel gives. Just my
opinion. ;o)

by **John Pancoas** » Thu, 30 May 2002 07:47:22

Yep. Plus, Indy cars don't have the drivetrain mass at the same end of
the car as the steering assembly.

-John

> But OTOH they have power steering and high ratio (i.e. slow) steering
> gear. I don't think it has as much to with steering effort as it does
> with control sensitivity. A large wheel is preferable on an oval
> because you want to make small course corrections with high precision.
> That's also one of the reasons they put the wheel so much closer to the
> driver. Also a large wheel is possible in a stock car because of the
> car's higher natural stability. IRL can't use large wheels because of
> the size of the***pit, but even if they could they probably wouldn't
> because a small lightweight car can get out of shape much easier than a
> big car (due to lower rotational inertia) and therefore in IRL you would
> want the extra responsiveness that a small wheel gives. Just my
> opinion. ;o)

> > Because stock cars weigh twice what an Indy car does :)

> > -John

by **ymenar** » Thu, 30 May 2002 07:49:28

> just wondering what the benefit of having a wheel as big as a house in
front
> of me would be, after all, i see Cart and IRL drivers with tiny wheels, so
> why do nascar drivers insist on wagon wheels?

The "because they can" is a good answer. A bigger wheel is theorically more
precise, but takes longer to react when you want to do a drastic movement.
The difference in time is quite small compared to a quick steer of those
small open-wheel steering wheels, but on ovals it is not as needed as
open-wheel cars on road courses. You don't really need to react with sudden
big moves in NASCAR. They don't appear as often as when you drive
open-wheel cars or Rallye cars (for counter-steering, etc...)

--
-- Fran?ois Mnard <ymenard>
-- http://www.ymenard.8m.com/
-- This announcement is brought to you by the Shimago-Dominguez
Corporation - helping America into the New World...

by **Alex 'pez' Porazinsk** » Thu, 30 May 2002 08:08:33

but they both have power steering.

pez

> > just wondering what the benefit of having a wheel as big as a house in
> front
> > of me would be, after all, i see Cart and IRL drivers with tiny wheels,
so
> > why do nascar drivers insist on wagon wheels?

> > pez

> Because stock cars weigh twice what an Indy car does :)

> -John

by **Alex 'pez' Porazinsk** » Thu, 30 May 2002 08:35:13

good points, but then why on road courses do the nascar drivers still use
these 'in your lap' massive wheels? the touring cars ive been in has quite
regular-small racing wheels in them.

is it all just down to 'its the way its always been done' kinda tradition
thingy?

I dont think i could drive with a wagon wheel :) (and the way my n2002 cars
drive i need all the responsiveness i can get!)

pez

> But OTOH they have power steering and high ratio (i.e. slow) steering
> gear. I don't think it has as much to with steering effort as it does
> with control sensitivity. A large wheel is preferable on an oval
> because you want to make small course corrections with high precision.
> That's also one of the reasons they put the wheel so much closer to the
> driver. Also a large wheel is possible in a stock car because of the
> car's higher natural stability. IRL can't use large wheels because of
> the size of the***pit, but even if they could they probably wouldn't
> because a small lightweight car can get out of shape much easier than a
> big car (due to lower rotational inertia) and therefore in IRL you would
> want the extra responsiveness that a small wheel gives. Just my
> opinion. ;o)

> > Because stock cars weigh twice what an Indy car does :)

> > -John

by **Alex 'pez' Porazinsk** » Thu, 30 May 2002 08:43:53

id take the wheel out of my fiat uno if it helps, im that serious about
these races

:)

pez

> > just wondering what the benefit of having a wheel as big as a house in
> front
> > of me would be, after all, i see Cart and IRL drivers with tiny wheels,
so
> > why do nascar drivers insist on wagon wheels?

> > pez

> Alex

> You won at Daytona on Monday. Why do you need to go faster? :)

> Phil
> ---
> Racesim Central Administrator
> http://www.racesimcentral.com

by **FatnSl** » Thu, 30 May 2002 09:11:04

Kinda off topic here but I was wondering due to offset in tires, due some
real Nascar teams mount the steering wheel so that it is straight? I find my
wrists get very sore compared to racing road course sims because of this.

FatnSlo

by **John Pancoas** » Thu, 30 May 2002 09:20:01

Yes, but that doesn't diminish the weight difference. One has power
steering at X pounds of a car, the other has it at 3400 lbs. Still moving a
much heavier vehicle re inertia, friction, tire size difference, etc.
The others have good points too, but as I said earlier, an Indy car
doesn't have X lbs. of engine/drivetrain in the front end with the steering
assembly either.

More than anything, it's probably because of the***pit size differences
:)

-John

> but they both have power steering.

> pez

> > > just wondering what the benefit of having a wheel as big as a house in
> > front
> > > of me would be, after all, i see Cart and IRL drivers with tiny
wheels,
> so
> > > why do nascar drivers insist on wagon wheels?

> > > pez

> > Because stock cars weigh twice what an Indy car does :)

> > -John

by **Haqsa** » Thu, 30 May 2002 10:54:28

Ack! Good question!

by **Dave Trage** » Thu, 30 May 2002 11:04:05

I think it may just be a red-neck thangy :)

Dave Trager
http://www.racesimcentral.net/
http://www.racesimcentral.net/

> good points, but then why on road courses do the nascar drivers still use
> these 'in your lap' massive wheels? the touring cars ive been in has quite
> regular-small racing wheels in them.

> is it all just down to 'its the way its always been done' kinda tradition
> thingy?

> I dont think i could drive with a wagon wheel :) (and the way my n2002
cars
> drive i need all the responsiveness i can get!)

> pez

> > But OTOH they have power steering and high ratio (i.e. slow) steering
> > gear. I don't think it has as much to with steering effort as it does
> > with control sensitivity. A large wheel is preferable on an oval
> > because you want to make small course corrections with high precision.
> > That's also one of the reasons they put the wheel so much closer to the
> > driver. Also a large wheel is possible in a stock car because of the
> > car's higher natural stability. IRL can't use large wheels because of
> > the size of the***pit, but even if they could they probably wouldn't
> > because a small lightweight car can get out of shape much easier than a
> > big car (due to lower rotational inertia) and therefore in IRL you would
> > want the extra responsiveness that a small wheel gives. Just my
> > opinion. ;o)

> > > Because stock cars weigh twice what an Indy car does :)

> > > -John

rec.autos.simulators

Do bigger wheels make NASCAR sims easier?

Do bigger wheels make NASCAR sims easier?

Do bigger wheels make NASCAR sims easier?

Do bigger wheels make NASCAR sims easier?

Do bigger wheels make NASCAR sims easier?

Do bigger wheels make NASCAR sims easier?

Do bigger wheels make NASCAR sims easier?

Do bigger wheels make NASCAR sims easier?

Do bigger wheels make NASCAR sims easier?

Do bigger wheels make NASCAR sims easier?

Do bigger wheels make NASCAR sims easier?

Do bigger wheels make NASCAR sims easier?

Do bigger wheels make NASCAR sims easier?

Do bigger wheels make NASCAR sims easier?

Do bigger wheels make NASCAR sims easier?

Do bigger wheels make NASCAR sims easier?