Engineer to Win: Understanding Race Car Dynamics

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Is titanium for you? Can better brakes reduce lap times significantly? How do you choose the right nuts and bolts? Which is more important, cornering or straight-line speed? Why did it break again? Engineer to Win not only answers these and many other questions, it gives you the reasons why.

It's no secret that lost races and crashes are caused by what is usually referred to as mechanical failure. Poor designs, incorrect manufacture and assembly, unreasonable demands, and negligent maintenance all lead to the dreaded mechanical failure. Practicing the advice in Engineer to Win will spare you from many of racing's common faults and hazards.

Included in this book are tips on selecting the right metal or metal alloy grade for racing components and choosing the ideal final treatments to give parts the desired strength, hardness, and longevity. Bolts and other fasteners are also investigated along with the best methods of joining metal. Author and world-renowned racing guru Carroll Smith shows the way to faster lap times via aerodynamic improvements and explains the importance of limited slip differentials.

With nearly 300 illustrations and photos, Engineer to Win provides greater understanding of the race car's engineering, from Formula One through NASCAR, CART, IRL, Formula Ford, SCCA, Le Mans, and even autocross. With Engineer to Win, Smith is constantly at your side. Surely a winning combination.

Table of Contents

• Introduction to metallurgy
• Plastic and elastic deformation of metals
• Iron and steel making
• Alloying and heat treatment of steels
• Historic overview of man's production of iron and steel
• Non-ferrous metals and their metallurgy — Composite materials
• Metal fatigue — Or why things break
• Threaded fasteners — An educated re-look
• The joining of materials — Riveting, bonding & welding
• Plumbing revisited
• Braking system
• Pre- and postnatal care for the racing wheel and tire
• Springs and shock absorbers
• Load transfer and suspension geometry
• Gearbox and final drive
• Changes in the world of vehicle dynamics
• Tools and tips
• Beancounting for the non-beancounter
• Bits and pieces
• Corporations that the racer should know about
• Recommended reading

Carroll Smith is also the author of Carroll Smith's Nuts, Bolts, Fasteners and Plumbing Handbook.