blue_pinky |
19-08-2013 10:52 AM |
I put the alloy chassis on on Friday night and did back to back runs during club night...
I went nearly 0.5 secs quicker on my fastest lap than with the plastic chassis...and that was on a 13 second lap. Consistency wise...my average lap came down to being only 0.3 secs off my fastest! Track was indoors on carpet with a good number of nice flowing lumps bumps and jumps.
In general....to begin with I couldn't feel much difference...but after a few laps in race conditions...it def straightened up and behaved better out off the higher speed apexes, where previously I'd have to get off the power/wait a little to make it straight up before pushing on. Consequently I could push on harder off the apexes and carry a bit more speed without it wanting to hook and stay in the bend. It stands up and settles much quicker now.
That also means it generally feels a bit more responsive...just a bit more nimble in direction change.
Interestingly, having taken the plastic chassis off and given it a bend/twist on it's own...the rear of the plastic chassis is very soft by comparison. I don't remember it feeling like that out of the box, but probably didn't try that with any meaningful reason to notice back then, but...I did wonder if perhaps the heat cycling of the chassis with motor temps might have helped soften the material over the time...I've not got a new one laying around to compare it to though.
I then went to the local outdoor astro track on Sunday, and although fairly hungover managed to put down some race times that are an improvement in my recent form against the closest competition. I didn't do back to back testing this time, as the new chassis was already on the car, but, I've been around 0.5 to 1 sec per lap off the fastest runners at the club on the plastic chassis...and competing with them as I'm more of a steady eddy than outright fast lapping driver.
With new chassis on, I got my fastest lap time down to within 0.1/0.2 secs of the fastest runner...and actually put in the FTD in the last round....which I've never done in that company on the plastic chassis!
So...on high grip tracks the new chassis def does feel like an improvement.
Overall, the biggest difference from what I can tell is in the rear end stiffness. It always felt very safe in it's general behaviour before, but with that extra strength it feels more lively and even more consistent, controlling the weight transfer a lot better. The car felt good before mind you...I already loved it...came away from this weekend loving it even more! :D
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