Somehow, we’re all gear heads. We all know what does what, and what makes a car fast… right? The fact is that despite all the theory we can read in books, or find in the FAQ on drifting.com, half the time we don’t even know our cars well enough to properly diagnose the problem. Not only that, the other half of the time theory proves itself to be just that, and then, if you are like me, you will begin to question the very nature of science and resort to various voodoo’s and nonsensical rituals.
My point is that, I have tried and failed many times. Name a book on suspension theory and vehicle dynamics and I’ve probably read it. (I’ve never been much of a drivetrain guy.) I have a degree in mathematics, and I’ve spent many hours trying to figure out what does what, and how. I think about this stuff a lot, and as a result I feel like I have made HUGE advances since I first bolted on springs and shocks and set my car to specs I found on club4ag. Not that this means you should wait on my every word. I made this section just because, such things have been a big part of my car life. I’m not intending for you to agree with me, and I haven’t created this as a reference for anyone.
The writings below are often based on, or a follow up of writings on my previous webpage. If you are so keen, check them out.
Toyota had love for the W Transmission. Various versions were used over 34 years of production. That is sick! And it means there are tonnes of variations and gearsets available for us to potentially play with and perhaps make a real close ratio gear box. Well... almost... or so it appears.
First of all... I couldn't find solid documentation on the early W4X and up to W52 transmissions, but they look to offer additional ratios that may or not be helpful. How those ratios would play out with W55 or 58 input shaft ratio's though was unclear. Someone is going to have to pull one apart and figure it out.
[...]
At 3AM when Hinata-chan is balling, and I can't justify a trip to the garage, I started playing GT4 again. Driving simulator games, especially GT4, are sweet and lame at the same time. Sweet in that they've helped me think a lot about real driving when I haven't in a long time, but lame in that, the time I have spent playing seems entirely wasteful, and I'd much rather have spent the time wrenching or... turning the wheel. But my mission since I re-started playing GT4 has been to go as far as possible with an NA AE86. In the end, it hasn't been that far, but I'll say... that I've been able to go a lot further than initial impressions gave, and it's all a result of spending time tuning gear ratios for particular tracks. The difference has actually been spectacular, and it's lead me to think more seriously about real life gear ratios and what can be done about them. [...]
I feel pretty good about footwork, but when it comes to drivetrain stuff... I'll admit I'm pretty stupid. I've never really played too much with making power, and what I do know, is just what I've absorbed over the past 12 years on the Internet. I always thought that books would die in the next few years... especially non-fiction books... but I may have been wrong to think that. There's just something about complete information from one source, without the distractions of pornographic advertisements and email alerts.
I found "Four-Stroke Peformance Tuning" by A. Graham Bell in the back seat of Andrew's BC6 and stole it for a read. I recommend. It's basically given me a whole new outlook on making horsepower. It doesn't seem as easy as it used to... but somehow it's all less intimidating and more approachable than before.
I have long term plans for my AE86 now... and they're nothing crazy. But neither am I... nor will be my ハチロク。
More negative camber is always good right?
No... that's not entirely the point. I started into this issue a couple of years ago, but I was reminded of it again by the fact that the in-term owner of my swapped out my NRCA's for RCA's. Since I never really finished the thought last time... I'll take another stab it it. Gonna be quick and brief though.
one day and already the geeky math posts again?
lol jk