50/50 weight dist?
12-24-2002, 11:04 PM
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50/50 weight dist?
hmm... this idea came up after dinner tonite...
we all kno that 50/50 weight distribution warrents superb handling.
i recall that the TL's distribution is somewhere around 60/40.
SO... theoretically, if we add more weight in the rear end of the car (ie sub-woofer box in the trunk... etc), would we be able to achieve a better near 50/50 weight distribution?
of course added weight increases the inertia of the vehicle, but given that the added weight gives towards a balanced ride... hmm...
my 2 cents for free
we all kno that 50/50 weight distribution warrents superb handling.
i recall that the TL's distribution is somewhere around 60/40.
SO... theoretically, if we add more weight in the rear end of the car (ie sub-woofer box in the trunk... etc), would we be able to achieve a better near 50/50 weight distribution?
of course added weight increases the inertia of the vehicle, but given that the added weight gives towards a balanced ride... hmm...
my 2 cents for free
12-24-2002, 11:44 PM
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60/40 meaning there is 20 percent difference if you take 20 percent of 3400 lbs roughly...thats still 680lbs i dont know of any system thats close to that....might as well rent a fat woman to sit back there..but then again 600 lbs added to your ride would kill your balance gain the same so in the end you compromise at one end and gain another just to find out you just broke even..
12-25-2002, 03:26 AM
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i agree with asiankidd, in theory it sounds possible, but once the extra weight is added you kill the purpose. if you do achieve the 50/50, you would end up adding 340 lbs. to the trunk , and the handling characteristics of the car will be changed, unless you install aftermarket suspension.
asiankidd, 20% difference does not mean you need 680 lbs extra. that would make the car 40/60
asiankidd, 20% difference does not mean you need 680 lbs extra. that would make the car 40/60
12-26-2002, 08:26 AM
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Originally posted by power3dfx
asiankidd, 20% difference does not mean you need 680 lbs extra. that would make the car 40/60
asiankidd, 20% difference does not mean you need 680 lbs extra. that would make the car 40/60
3400 * 0.6 = 2040
3400 * 0.4 = 1360
2040 - 1360 = 680 pounds needed in the back.
12-26-2002, 08:51 AM
#5
Burning Brakes
Weight distribution on the TL is 63/37. It's worse than you think.
Secondly, it isn't as simple as just adding weight. WHERE you put it counts. If the weight is behind the rear wheels, that will leverage the rear wheels to actually take weight off the front (think of a seesaw here).
Adding weight to an already-heavy vehicle, such as ours, isn't going to help anything. The 50/50 magic number is more about cornering, for equal load sharing on tires, which is just one aspect of overall handling.
So, if you're just looking for a thinly veiled excuse to add a sub, this ain't it.
Todd
Secondly, it isn't as simple as just adding weight. WHERE you put it counts. If the weight is behind the rear wheels, that will leverage the rear wheels to actually take weight off the front (think of a seesaw here).
Adding weight to an already-heavy vehicle, such as ours, isn't going to help anything. The 50/50 magic number is more about cornering, for equal load sharing on tires, which is just one aspect of overall handling.
So, if you're just looking for a thinly veiled excuse to add a sub, this ain't it.
Todd
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12-26-2002, 05:52 PM
#8
Re: 50/50 weight dist?
Originally posted by virginTLS
hmm... this idea came up after dinner tonite...
we all kno that 50/50 weight distribution warrents superb handling.
i recall that the TL's distribution is somewhere around 60/40.
SO... theoretically, if we add more weight in the rear end of the car (ie sub-woofer box in the trunk... etc), would we be able to achieve a better near 50/50 weight distribution?
of course added weight increases the inertia of the vehicle, but given that the added weight gives towards a balanced ride... hmm...
my 2 cents for free
hmm... this idea came up after dinner tonite...
we all kno that 50/50 weight distribution warrents superb handling.
i recall that the TL's distribution is somewhere around 60/40.
SO... theoretically, if we add more weight in the rear end of the car (ie sub-woofer box in the trunk... etc), would we be able to achieve a better near 50/50 weight distribution?
of course added weight increases the inertia of the vehicle, but given that the added weight gives towards a balanced ride... hmm...
my 2 cents for free
if you can achieve 50/50 weight distribution. then u need a more powerful engine and the handling needs to be modify as well.
12-27-2002, 04:57 PM
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Originally posted by Squidboy
Uhh, check your math.
3400 * 0.6 = 2040
3400 * 0.4 = 1360
2040 - 1360 = 680 pounds needed in the back.
Uhh, check your math.
3400 * 0.6 = 2040
3400 * 0.4 = 1360
2040 - 1360 = 680 pounds needed in the back.
it is a moving target.
as you add weight to the rear, the total mass is increasing. That 680 lbs is not going to be only affecting the rear wheels, some of it will press down on the fronts too. 680 pounds is not an answer. You have to recalculate the balance after each pound you add. The best way to find the answer is to make a differential equation.
12-27-2002, 06:28 PM
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Originally posted by Ruski
it is a moving target.
as you add weight to the rear, the total mass is increasing. That 680 lbs is not going to be only affecting the rear wheels, some of it will press down on the fronts too. 680 pounds is not an answer. You have to recalculate the balance after each pound you add. The best way to find the answer is to make a differential equation.
it is a moving target.
as you add weight to the rear, the total mass is increasing. That 680 lbs is not going to be only affecting the rear wheels, some of it will press down on the fronts too. 680 pounds is not an answer. You have to recalculate the balance after each pound you add. The best way to find the answer is to make a differential equation.
all college folks, come here for gathering 
12-30-2002, 04:00 PM
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theory re-thought...
ya kno... after lunch (how come brilliant ideas always come after meals...)
come to think of it... the 50/50 weight distribution idea wouldn't benefit us as much as i thought it would in the first place...
BMW is the paradigm of balance. 50/50.
the point that i forgot the consider was the simple difference in drivetrain. the bimmer is RWD whereas a TL is FWD.
being RWD... the bimmer's rear drive tires AND front steering tires would both benefit from the 50/50 weight distribution, given that the balanced weight would warrent equal shifting of weight.
for the TL, FWD, where both responsibilities of drive AND steering are delegated to only the front tires, there doesn't seem to be any difference in shifting the weight to the rear end of the car.
doing so would only reduce traction in the front drive/steering tires.
in conclusion... the tradeoff of weight gain + loss of traction outweigh the benefits of a front/rear weight balanced car.
again... my 2 cents for free.
come to think of it... the 50/50 weight distribution idea wouldn't benefit us as much as i thought it would in the first place...
BMW is the paradigm of balance. 50/50.
the point that i forgot the consider was the simple difference in drivetrain. the bimmer is RWD whereas a TL is FWD.
being RWD... the bimmer's rear drive tires AND front steering tires would both benefit from the 50/50 weight distribution, given that the balanced weight would warrent equal shifting of weight.
for the TL, FWD, where both responsibilities of drive AND steering are delegated to only the front tires, there doesn't seem to be any difference in shifting the weight to the rear end of the car.
doing so would only reduce traction in the front drive/steering tires.
in conclusion... the tradeoff of weight gain + loss of traction outweigh the benefits of a front/rear weight balanced car.
again... my 2 cents for free.
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