Well, I guess I didn't explain this well enough. Here are the definitions: 1. Unsprung weight is weight that is "outside" of the suspension mounting points. This, of course, will include the wheels but also includes the part of the a-arm that is outside of the mounting point, the steering knuckle, the wheel bearings, the brake caliper, etc. Obvously the a-arms, steering pieces, and brake caliper (not disk) are not rotating and hence not rotational mass. 2. Rotational mass is the mass "weight" which is spinning. For example, the wheels, tires, lugnuts, valve stem and caps, brake disk or drum, bearings... all that stuff. Also hindering your acceleration are other rotating masses like clutch parts, CV joints, drive shafts, crankshafts, chains, all that kind of stuff. The better it's balanced, the more inertial effects you will recieve, which is good... that is also why a lightened flywheel, although only reduced by about 3lbs, is like reducing 9lbs of non-rotational mass... and lightening the crankshaft is also a big help... all that kind of stuff. Does that make more sense to you? Clayton
[email protected] wrote: > Clayton, > > Exactly how could unsprung weight NOT affect acceleration? My physics > is a little rusty, but I seem to remember a basic principle (and common > sense) that says it takes more force to rotate a heavy object than it does > to rotate a lighter object. I also seem to remember that it takes more > force to rotate an object whose mass is concentrated towards its outer edge > than it does to rotate one whose mass is concentrated towards its center. > (i.e, a 20 lb 15" wheel is easier to rotate than a 20 lb 18" wheel due to > the 18" wheel having more of its mass towards its outer edge.) Am I wrong > here? > > -Brett. > '90 GLi (Currently on 14" Teardrops/ Dunlop Graspic Snows, 15" Corrado > Wheels/ Dunlop SP8000s in the summer) > > Clayton <[email protected]> on 01/27/2000 11:48:00 AM > > To: [email protected], [email protected] > cc: (bcc: Brett Haney) > Subject: Re: The beast revealed! > > Unsprung weight does not affect acceleration at all. Unsprung weight is > all the mass outside of the strut mounting location... as in the wheel, > tire, bearings, half the tie rods, half the a-arms, et cetera, et cetera _____________ List Sponsor: http://www.netsville.com To remove yourself from this list, send mail to [email protected] with 'unsubscribe a2_16v' in the body of your message See us on the web at http://www.a2-16v.com Visit the 16V Homepage at http://www.gti16v.org
