Can anyone recommend any books on suspension?

It looks like I'm going to be in a situation where I'm going to fabricate or have fabricated front and rear suspension. So I want to start boning up on it.

My fiance pulled the plug on the Imp financing and maybe that's a good thing... as I'm not quite sure what I would have used it for

So sticking with the constraints of something old, fun, that fits in my tiny garage well enough that I can work on it comfortably, I'm going to pick up an early Simca 1000 shell.

While the suspension eventually got sorted out with them, the sorted stuff is not on this side of the pond and speaks a foreign language I figure might as well make something up.

Cheers

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Andrew M
Onterrible
30ish

Race Car Vehicle Dynamics:

http://bentleypublishers.com/product.htm?code=H692

The Shock Absorber Handbook by John C Dixon

Competition Car Suspension by Allan Stanforth

Tune to Win by Carroll Smith

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It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions in favour of vegetarianism, while the wolf remains of a different opinion.
William Ralph Inge

TANSTAAFL

hudson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I can work on it comfortably, I'm going to pick up
> an early Simca 1000 shell.
>
> Cheers
>
> Andrew McNally
> Hamilton ON
> 28

You're kidding right? Are these of the 3 lugs/wheel vintage?!?!?

Mark B.

starion887 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> hudson Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I can work on it comfortably, I'm going to
> pick up
> > an early Simca 1000 shell.
> >
> > Cheers
> >
> > Andrew McNally
> > Hamilton ON
> > 28
>
> You're kidding right? Are these of the 3
> lugs/wheel vintage?!?!?
>
> Mark B

That vintage of Renault have 3 lug wheels.. pretty sure Simca's have 4. But it could have 2 for all I care.. I'll be using a common bolt pattern regardless

---

Andrew M
Onterrible
30ish

Tim Taylor Wrote:
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> Race Car Vehicle Dynamics:

Whew, that's expensive.. have you read it? Is it readable? Or like many other engineering texts does it manage to take the fun/interesting out of anything?

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Andrew M
Onterrible
30ish

hudson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tim Taylor Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Race Car Vehicle Dynamics:
>
> Whew, that's expensive.. have you read it? Is it
> readable? Or like many other engineering texts
> does it manage to take the fun/interesting out of
> anything?
>
>
> Andrew McNally
> Hamilton ON
> 28

I've made it a few hundred pages into it. its really dry. Not that I was expecting much entertainment.

Carl S Wrote:
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> I've made it a few hundred pages into it. its
> really dry. Not that I was expecting much
> entertainment.

Maybe I worded it wrong.. dry is expected. Is the information applicable and presented in a palatable manner? I guess is a better way to word that.

---

Andrew M
Onterrible
30ish

hudson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tim Taylor Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Race Car Vehicle Dynamics:
>
> Whew, that's expensive.. have you read it? Is it
> readable? Or like many other engineering texts
> does it manage to take the fun/interesting out of
> anything?
>
>
> Andrew McNally
> Hamilton ON
> 28

Yes I have read it...cover to cover more than once (I have just thoroughly solidified my nerd status). It is the definitive compiled text on suspension design for racing. I can suggest 8 or 10 other books that have bits and pieces along with a few choice SAE papers though as an alternative.

If you're looking for something more in tune to your car's vintage look for a copy of "Racing and Sports Car Chassis Design" by Costin and Phipps. The last reprint was in '69 according to my copy but you can usually find a copy on Amazon. The appendix has about 20 pages where they calculate frame and suspension stresses. It's entertaining to look through but there's more content in one chapter of Race Car Vehicle Dynamics than the entire book.

-Tim

for what it sounds like you need, personally I would not recommend RCVD.

it is true it is a great book and "the" source for a lot of basics. I have had the pleasure of having several long chats with Doug, the author of the book about what his book covers and about vehicle design in general and he sure knows his stuff, but this book wouldn't really be very relevant to rally.

I say that because the book is basically geared towards designing a vehicle -as a whole- to be quick in a steady state situation. also, the book kind of assumes you are starting with a clean sheet of paper, and is mostly gear toward double a-arm type suspension (although there is a bit about other types like mac-struts).

have you checked out "the race and rally car sourcebook"? I think that is a pretty good book, written more to the guy in the garage, working with what he has and it does a good job of covering the basics.




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/13/2008 02:47PM by DirkaDirkaJack.