Quote:
Originally Posted by sgtlethargic
I believe I've heard on this forum that aerodynamic cars have stability issues. Is that true? How so? What can be done about it?
Thanks
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Hucho basically says not to concern yourself with it,if you're driving posted speeds.
'Streamline' cars look like a wing section from the side.Urban legend and street mythology has it that these shapes are inherently unstable at speed.What's not known is,that all wings have a zero-lift angle-of-attack.You can verify this looking at Abbott and Von Doenhoff's book,Theory of Wing Sections.There's not a wing known which does not have a zero-lift condition.And they all occur at the 'drag minimum.'
For cars though,were talking about streamline bodies of revolution.Typically,they're so 'rounded' in cross-section,the pressures bleed such that uniform pressures exist for the entire length of the vehicle.
Spirit of Ecomodder.com developed 30-lbs front downforce and 22-lbs rear lift at 130-mph.Lift-related instability is essentially meaningless! I've never experienced any issues with yaw either.At 108-mph she's rock solid.Bam ZipPow's been even faster with Dark Aero.