EastCoastMojo wrote: How about we fill our tires with helium to make our rotational mass lighter?
I can't see that having any effect on rotational mass, but wouldn't it legitimately reduce unsprung weight? That could be a lot of fun if it wete used in a monster truck!
HappyAndy wrote:EastCoastMojo wrote: How about we fill our tires with helium to make our rotational mass lighter?I can't see that having any effect on rotational mass, but wouldn't it legitimately reduce unsprung weight? That could be a lot of fun if it wete used in a monster truck!
it doesn't reduce anything mass, other than the negligible difference in mass between air and helium...
I think once you compress the helium the weight would be equal to air, or so close it would be hard to measure. Assuming it is lighter there would be a slight decrease in rotational mass and unsprung weight...totally not worth it though. Helium escapes through solids BTW.
Jay wrote: Making a car partially levitate with magnets **won't** help fuel economy or engine wear at all; those things are caused by the mass of the car which doesn't change regardless of its "weight."
It would help, friction reduction.
neon4891 wrote: be a real rebel, go "in" the box, as "out" has been done to death
How about you come up with a better use for the box in the first place...
I guess it can raise old threads from the dead.
My problem is that I keep thinking outside the wrong box.
A symmetrical looking twin engined airplane with engines rotating in the same direction are incredibly asymmetrical as far as aerodynamics are concerned.
What if you want symmetry? What if you're cheap and have two engines of differing power ratings?
You design this: Rutan's Boomerang. An aerodynamically perfect airplane.
brushless electric motors in each wheel, computer controlled so torque and horsepower varied according to what each wheel was doing (braking, cornering, acceleration etc). Powered by a small diesel generator and batteries.
I thought this would be cool for a King of the Hammers type rock racer buggy thing and several of my friends (who follow that) all looked at me like I had sprouted horns and defiled the Gods of Jeepdom. Wheel articulation would be off the charts. No axels, no drive line. Just 4 wheels and cables running to them (well, and steering linkage, but electric steering isn't out of the realm of possabilities)
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