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Thread: Landings

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    Landings

    I've noticed that WRC cars seem to be landing (after big jumps, of course) on their back wheels a lot more than they use to in prior seasons. Is this because of setup changes or because engineers are taking the CG of the cars more to the rear?
    If anyone could explain I'd love to hear it.
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    I very much doubt it's the CG moving to the rear - the old Quattro's with the engine in front of the front axle used to land tail first whereas Porsche 911's had a habit of kicking up the tail if you didn't attack the jump correctly. I think it's more to with set-up and driving technique. The less time in the air the quicker - all the time the wheels are off the ground you're decellerating. It also helps to preserve radiators, intercoolers, sump & aerodynamics if you land flat or slightly tail first. You're also less likely to spear off the track with a tail first landing as the drag of the rear wheels landing first will tend to keep the car straight. A heavy front landing can cause the car to land unpredictably sideways which isn't good if you don't expect it.

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    big rear boot spoilers.
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    I think the direction the crank rotates in may have something to do with it too.
    I seem to remember that Peugeot reversed the rotation of the crankshafts on their Group B 205's to reduce the nose down effects of landings. Anyone else remember this? Or was I drunk?
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    Not that I remember. That was the reason for the evo 2 aero package
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    The way I remember it being explained to me was along this line..............
    The crank in an engine wants to stay stationery and rotate the engine around it, so if its a transverse engine rotating clockwise it lifts the nose, anti-clockwise drops the nose.
    But then again its almost twenty years ago so I may be remembering it wrong.

    Did Mitsubishi not reverse the engine in the EVO 3/4 for the same reason?
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    The principle you describe is used by motocross riders to help with their bike positioning in mid-air and landing, so there may well be some truth in it. I may be wrong but I would have thought the hugely increased overall mass/crank torque ratio a rallycar has over a motocrosser means it should have a minimal effect.

    I always thought Mitsu (as well as Ford with the Escort Cosworth) adopted a transverse engine mounting solely for weight distribution purposes.. If thats what you meant?
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    Accelerating/braking whilst the car is airborne can have an effect too I believe, some kind of gyroscopic effect or something?
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    Quote Originally Posted by J4MIE
    Accelerating/braking whilst the car is airborne can have an effect too I believe, some kind of gyroscopic effect or something?
    exactly, also significant whether you ease the throttle or push it to the metal right before takig off.
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