30 replies to this topic

[MSwiss]

Probably the easy way to remember (other than it's the opposite), is a low gear ratio gives you better low end, and a high gear ratio gives you higher top end.

[SlowBeas]

I can remember  my dad, a former dirt-track and street-drag novice racer back in the '50s, explaining how he installed a "higher" gear ratio (his words) in his old Plymouth, which gave him more jump off the starting line, causing him to wind-out his gears much quicker.

 

The higher ratio robbed him of some of his top end, but short-track and drag racing relied heavily on fast acceleration & deceleration.

 

For slot racers, the lower the overall ratio (3:1, for example) should have more top end than a higher ratio (say, 4:1) in the same car. But that 4:1 will likely experience much better acceleration from a dead stop or slower speeds. That can be helpful in a race with a lot of track calls or on a track with a lot of twists and turns where you have to slow down, speed up, slow down, speed up...

 

In algebra, didn't we refer to the difference in ratios as being wider or narrower? Less confusing to me.

[Mark Wampler]

Getting back to the original question.  Be sure to check the bottom of the chassis and front of body for anything dragging..

[SlowBeas]

Good call, Mark. I'm a bit guilty of participating in some serious thread drift.

 

I've found that another cause of F1 fishtailing is the front tires and how they touch the surface in the turn. Sometimes, all it takes is a .005 spacer under the flag to ease that pressure. Just a thought.

 

If you're able to determine the cause or find a solution that works for you, I'm sure others would love to hear.

[swodem]

I think you're confusing a WIDER ratio with a HIGHER ratio

In your car, 1st is a lower ratio than 5th,
My 4WD has a low-ratio box for crawling or steep climbing
Trucks and cars change down for long descents when carrying a load or towing so the motor becomes a brake as well...



Just had this debate at our club yesterday.


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[swodem]

Getting back to the original question.  Be sure to check the bottom of the chassis and front of body for anything dragging..

Hahaha yeah this caught me out a couple years ago, couldn't work out what was wrong. But I'm soldering in a motor, I had collected a small bit of solder underneath the chassis. Obviously was sitting on it and the chassis just got hot enough to hold on to it
Easy way to check, fold your braids out forward, sit on level board and tap the corners...


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