My contribution (only the Knode issue)

[Gene Heskett]

On Saturday 06 March 2010, Ed Greshko wrote:
>Les wrote:
>> Do you know that the car has a differential or what that does?  The car
>> would not work without it, but it is not part of the knowledge you need
>> to drive the car.  But you do need to realize that the wheels rotate one
>> way on one side and the opposite on the other and that they run at
>> slightly different speeds, if you are going to race.  That small bit of
>> knowledge along with other similar bits would make you the exception on
>> the course and give you an advantage.  It is the same with computers.
>
>I hate to mention this...but I wouldn't want to have you as my
>mechanic.  :-)
>
>The wheels of a car *do not* rotate one way on one side and the opposite
>on the other.  You have simply changed your frame of reference.   Roll a
>bicycle forward.  Standing on one side of the bike, the wheels are
>rotating clockwise.  Stand on the other, they are rotating
> counterclockwise.
>
>A car would work without a differential in much the same way a wagon or
>cart would.  However, when cornering the tires would need to rotate at
>different speeds.  This would tend to cause slipping on one side and
>dragging on the other and lead to control problems as well as damage to
>the tires.

Differentials are optional in real racing.  And get less and less important 
to the vehicles handling as the speeds increase and the corners tighten.  
In oval dirt track racing, a welded diff is usually good for at least a 3 
second quicker lap.
 
-- 
Cheers, Gene
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