Wishbone pivot point

[zac510]

We've been talking a lot lately about how the 'no-keel' setup has moved the pivot points and thrown out the roll centres.

Now wishbone pivots have long since disappeared and have been replaced by flexures. The teams must be closely thinking about using the flexibility of the wishbone to produce a pivot point. Then the pivot points are probably located halfway along the length of the wishbone, if you keep all things equal for simplicity.

Then if you don't, it must be possible for them to dynamically control the pivot point of the wishbone based on the flexing properties of the carbon and the flexure, thus producing a different roll centre at different levels of aerodynamic and suspension load.

I've absolutely no doubt the engineers are capable of tuning this. I am just asking: does anybody know to what level they are doing it already?

[RH1300S]

Holy moley........that's quite an idea.

It would certainly be hard to get precise control of the R/C movement. With the kind of wishbone setups and virtual swing arm that you get, the tiniest innacuarcy of the mounting point could move the R/C a long way off course dynamically. It moves side to side and up & down. Surely there would be too many variables that may confuse driver/engineer. Diagonal bumps, cambers, acceleration, braking while turning........

Anyway, not impossible - just..........

[zac510]

hehe, it's certainly the kind of calculation that sounds best left to a computer

It might be tough for bumpy Imola but on a smooth track with a combination of corners speeds like Sepang it might be more viable.

If not for the change in roll centre, then it might be possible to change the dynamic wheel geometry to a more ideal curve while maintaining the high mounting points. We have argued in the past that the roll centre is less significant on an F1 car for reasons like low suspension travel.

[NickT]

I am not sure having bendy wishbones is something that is disirable or evencontrolable

However, I am sure that virtual dynamic control of the pivot point is possible. The latest mountain bikes - Giant, Santa Cruz and Iron Horse - all use what they call virtual pivot points. Using a multiple linkage system to control the virtual position of the pivot point and move it as the suspension moves through its travel.

There is a thread some where that talks about the renualt/michilen suspension system that had variable camber in an attempt to get more grip and better tyre wear.