Anyone Do Skid Pad Testing?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 3,215
Likes: 6
From: Tampa Florida
Anyone Do Skid Pad Testing?
A recent event allowed us to test our car on a skidpad. Figured this was rather 'easy'. Inreality it was pretty cool.
I nearly got vertigo/dizzy after nearly 3 laps each way, but the car did wonderfully. We did wet and dry runs.
The wet resulted in .821 lateral force and dry was .977. The dry I could feel the front push considerably. Then I remembered I left the front Konis' on full stiff...wonder how this would have raised the number.
All in all, it was quite informative...seeing as I have not ruined my car compared to the original 'FE1 Soft Ride Suspension'!
By the way, some folks were getting .93 in the wet...I'm was floored at the stickiness available!
I nearly got vertigo/dizzy after nearly 3 laps each way, but the car did wonderfully. We did wet and dry runs.
The wet resulted in .821 lateral force and dry was .977. The dry I could feel the front push considerably. Then I remembered I left the front Konis' on full stiff...wonder how this would have raised the number.
All in all, it was quite informative...seeing as I have not ruined my car compared to the original 'FE1 Soft Ride Suspension'!
By the way, some folks were getting .93 in the wet...I'm was floored at the stickiness available!
Race Director
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 12,430
Likes: 914
From: CONCORD NC
Re: Anyone Do Skid Pad Testing? (No Go)
I've only been on one skidpad, at Summit Point. While I found it usefull in showing the difference in handling from car to car (push-like-a-pig BMW vs a tail-happy Vette, for instance), I didn't find it usefull for setup. I think it could be good for verifying tire temps for alignment/pressure, but not much else.
I've always found that the transitions are where you find speed. Trail-braking, throttle oversteer, and all of the nuances in between, can only be tested under a variety of combined corners.
I've always found that the transitions are where you find speed. Trail-braking, throttle oversteer, and all of the nuances in between, can only be tested under a variety of combined corners.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,727
Likes: 38
From: Fremont CA
Re: Anyone Do Skid Pad Testing? (davidfarmer)
Read MArk Donahue's book: Unfair Advantage, they were devotees to skidpad testing. Yes it works, they tested everything from the Trans Am cars, Indy, and the Turbo Panzer 917-30 Wunderkar on their skidpad. I would love to be able to find a skid pad area to test on that is bigger than my abandoned parking lot that I use on "midnight testing sessions" right now. You can do the same with a piece of string and a scrap of sheetrock or chalk to create your own skidpad if you can find a friendly lot. I use a 25ft radius for my testing for autocross set-ups (measure the rope at home and tie 2 knots 25ft apart for refrence.) You lay the rope down, run over it with the front tire to anchor it, and start defacing the parking lot with the sheetrock or chalk (fake the final radii when you run into tire interference.) Again, I am giving up another speed secret to my competition. You need an in-car accelerometer like the Gtech (I use an old Valentine Research data tool.)
