aidandj

iTrader: (5)

Figured someone might have some insight into this.

Tomorrow I'm running a Palatov DP1 at Laguna seca in the refuel electric vehicle event. AWD, electric motor, 1000lbs. Should be fun.

We've got a set of basically new 20x7.5-13 Hoosier R25B slicks.

Don't really have time or experience to do any camber setup. So I'm just looking for suggestions on starting pressures/temperatures to go off of.

ryansmoneypit

iTrader: (6)

**** you. I'd start there.

.....gets to drive a sweet *** electric car at laguna Seca.

aidandj

iTrader: (5)

Blackbird

Very interesting brake setup.
I've seen inboard brakes many times before and it makes perfect sense in this car to use them, but I'm not sure I've ever seen a single brake per axle.
Am I correct to assume that it'll be riding on the ring part of the chain diff?
Can't think of any other way to deal with the speed differential between the wheels..

aidandj

iTrader: (5)

It's a very interesting setup. The brake is essentially braking the differential. And it's a torsen. So the wheels get biased together when braking. Apparently trail braking is a no go





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ryansmoneypit

iTrader: (6)

Very cool! I don't necessarily agree with it all, but it is still very very cool!

curly

iTrader: (25)

Palatov does a lot of "cool!" Things. Not necessarily the most practical ideas though.

aidandj

iTrader: (5)

This was the first palatov ever. Since then he's changed some designs.

Stealth97

iTrader: (5)

If the motor does regen properly you don't need much brake. Can't answer your question though

aidandj

iTrader: (5)

The car originally had Regen. But it was horrible to try and control. With 3 torsens all doing torque split.

mcfandango

iTrader: (1)

Haven't run those tires. I ran the FA fronts 20x9,5-13 on the XP car with the weaker engine. I'm assuming they are bias ply. Here is what worked well on the XP Miata:

Front
-1.5 Camber
zero toe
caster was max'd at the above

Rear
-1 Camber
slight toe in

Pressure was ~1psi per 1000lbs, so 20-22psi. Minimum I recall was 16psi.

aidandj

iTrader: (5)

What a car. Definitely not an easy thing to drive. And the first session was just a giant fight with the steering wheel. Pressures ended up right around 18psi, and temps were fine. Ridiculously hard to drive. If you touched the brakes in the corner, it would try and loop, so you had to nail your entry speed and hope it wasn't too fast.

Had some motor issues second session, and then in the time trial something in the suspension let go, spun in 6 and broke a pushrod. Then the body flew off (zip ties are not strong enough apparently...) And it all ended horribly.

Cool experience. Not my favorite setup. Coming from an "easy" car like a Miata was tough.

Video and pics later.

aidandj

iTrader: (5)

It was originally built with a Hyabusa turbo engine, then converted to electric. It changed hands a few times and ended up at a battery company that a few of my friends from college work at. They did a bunch of work on it, and offered me a seat in it. We showed up Friday night, and started working on the car Saturday morning.

On Saturday we did the following.
- New High Voltage harness to connect the 6 batteries to the inverter. 3 pairs of special sauce cells wired in series. So 350v DC.
- Welded a new dead pedal, new battery box mounts
- Turned a new steering shaft bushing
- New charging harness to charge all the batteries at the same time
- General bolt check, brake bleed etc
- Lots more I can't remember.

We got the car out of the shop on Saturday night around 1am. Quick test drive and onto the trailer.






Sunday morning. Show up at the track, rear tire is flat. Go bug one of the Semi double stackers to take the tire off the wheel for us, bicycle patch on the inside. Remount tire.

Time to drive.

Car is an animal. Not a ton of power (~125hp), but tons of grip, and incredibly sensitive to inputs. Inboard brake on a torsen means the wheels lock together under braking. So the way to drive it is brake, lift, turn in, power. And if you didn't brake enough, you better not touch the brakes in the corner, because you are going to be backwards.

First session was borderline scary, Second session was amazing. I kind of got it figured out and it was one of the best driving experiences I've ever had. Got it down to 3 braking zones. 2, 11, corkscrew. Flat on the accelerator everywhere else. It was amazing. But the motor started to cut out and every time it did I had to reset it with the emergency stop button, so my fastest time ended up a 1:53. The car has done a 1:48, and I think I could have gotten a sub 1:50 lap, but oh well.

TT was last. They gave us one corner to warm up tires and that was it. Not enough. I felt the car slide in 4 and probably should have back off there. Hit the kerbing hard in 5, braked for 6, when I lifted something was wrong and the car was not responding to inputs correctly. The car pulled me into the turn really early, I tried to correct, and ended up hitting the big curb in 6 blowing up a suspension pushrod. But it turns out that zip ties are not strong enough to hold the body down when sideways, because the body flew up off the car. I got the car settled and straightened on the side of the track, and the body suddenly flopped back down (hinged in the rear). So some carbon damage, a broken pushrod, and I owe my roomate a new gopro.

Overall, epic experience and still hoping they invite me back again