Date: Wed, 12 May 2004 08:23:43 +0200 From: Wolfgang Pawlinetz <w.pawlinetznospamet> Subject: Re: Cost of repair Audi BMW Saab...(still crossposting)
Bill Bradley schrieb: > Not a bad try, but you're missing the key factor: Torque. Since the >center of gravity is NOT on the road, it has a torque arm to the point >of contact of the tires. The SUM of the forces on the contact area is >as you worked out, but it doesn't remain 50/50 front/rear since the rear >axle is providing a counter-clockwise (if viewed as in your drawing) >torque while the front axle can only provide a clockwise torque. To >reach rotational equilibrium more of the weight force in on the rear >axle. Yep. Must have been the late night yesterday :-) In fact I did the torque equilibrium but got mislead by the gemotry I'd drawn up. You are right, the CoG shifts back and the load on the rearwheel increases. That load is then split into a component orthogonal to the road (for friction) and one parallel to the road (pulling the car back). So the total orthogonal force on the road for friction is still less then if the car would be on a horizontal plane, but it's higher than on the front wheels. Regards Wolfgang -- * Audi A6 Avant TDI * * reply to wolfgang dot pawlinetz at chello dot at *