Clear River Racing

Newsletter

Publicerad av admin den 11 mars, 2009 | Inga kommentarer

After a few months of work, the project is starting to take form and we can begin to see what will come. The entire team is working with a lot of enthusiasm and down at the break dyno the sound of the R6 engine is heard regurarly. All the project groups are working both individually and together to string a project that is becoming more and more extensive together. Now that the winter has arrived to Karlstad the possibility to test the car in its natural environment feels far away but still, undoubtedly we will not end up with nothing to do until then. In addition we are now confirmed participants at the race at Silverstone with number 154. We will also attend Rally SM to display the project.

The engine- and drivetrain group is busy laborating and calculating the volume and formation of the intake as the regulation for Formula Student allows a maximum intake area of 20 mm in diameter. Both shape and volume has a significant role in optimizing the effect of the engine. A large effort this year is also made at slimming the car. The wiring harness is now being lightened and a engine has also been sent to Eurospeed for modification of the gearbox. Oakum to the fifth and sixth gear will be dismantled since these are not necessary at any of the competition subsections that will be carried out. This modification itself results in a reduction of the cars weight but is primarily performed to get more effect out of the engine. At the transmission side it has now been decided to use a Torsen-type limited slip differential that is being ordered from USA. The limited slip differential is of the same type that is being used in Audi’s Quattro models but in a significantly smaller chamber.

The wheel suspension- and maneuver group is working on dimensioning materials for the cars A-arms by careful calculations. A considerable amount of steel has also been sacrificed for wrench testing. Last friday these calculations was presented to be revised by a group of experts in the area which are active at the University’s institution of natural science. A spring mechanism has been constructed for the horizontal spring construction. Alongside a light weight pedal rack and a prototype for spindles has been built.

The chassis- and body group is building a model of the chassis in a 1:1 scale to make it easier to see how the result would look to be able to prepare for fix points and various other problems that may occur. CAD-drawing of the model is continuously made during the projects progress. Simultaneously appropriate pipe dimensions that are approved by the Formula Student regulation is also examined. In addition to this work, the group has also started sketching at the plug that the cars carbonic fiber body will be cast in.

The electronic group is working on developing a completely automatic quickshift system that will be steered with pedals at the steering wheel. They are also looking at a brake overtravel system and a communication system for the driver and the stable.