Drag Racing Discussions > Front Engine Dragsters
How fast with short wheelbase?
rooman:
That is the point, the weight on the rear wheels will increase as the fronts are moved further away from the center of mass. The CG will move back relative to the center of the wheelbase and will add to the amount carried by the rear wheels. Try it with a 2 x 4 and a pair of bathroom scales. Put a brick on the 2 x 4 near one scale and then move the other scale incrementally further away from the brick--overall weight will stay the same but the bias will move towards the scale with the brick closest. (The 2 x 4 should be sitting on something that will allow it to pivot somewhat in the longitudinal axis.
coupemerc:
Good discussion and excellent explanation/analogy by Roo. It explains the basic evolution of all out dragster chassis design. Wheel bases got longer so they could optimize three things... put more weight on the rear, control wheel stands (wheelbase X front end weight) and minimize overall car weight. Very generally, the longer cars have the POTENTIAL to put more power to the ground earlier in the run and that translates to quicker ETs.
masracingtd1167:
Great discussion guy's ! A lot of good input from everyone !
wideopen231:
Hey guys NHRA rule book allows 300 inch fed in T/D. Would make one awsome looking car,bad part your but would be at mph when tires where at finishline.
janjon:
I believe the engineering concept as relates to wheelbase, with weight being equal, is "polar moment of inertia". Swing a short stick in a small arc, versus swinging a much longer one of the same weight. The longer one takes more effort to start the swing, and to stop it, since mass, even though it is less mass, is farther from the center of rotation. In our case, the differential centerline, or thereabouts.
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