How to Make Your Car Handle: For Improved Handling, Safety, Performance

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To make your car handle, design a suspension system, or just learn about chassis, you'll find what you need here. Basic suspension theory is thoroughly covered: roll center, roll axis, camber change, bump steer, anti-dive, ride rate, ride balance and more.

How to choose, install and modify suspensions and suspension hardware for best handling; springs, sway bars, shock absorbers, bushings, tires and wheels. Regardless of the basic layout of your car—front engine/rear drive, front engine/front drive, or rear engine/rear drive—it is covered here.

Aerodynamic hardware and body modifications for reduced drag, high-speed stability and increased cornering power; spoilers, air dams, wings and ground-effects devices. How to modify and set up brakes for maximum stopping power and handling.

The most complete source of handling information available. "Suspension secrets" explained in plain, understandable language so you can be the expert.

Table of Contents

THE DESIGN PROCEDURE

GENERAL INFORMATION ON HANDLING

How tires affect handling | The dynamics of cornering | Understeer, oversteer, neutral steer | Factors affecting tire grip | Transient handling characteristics | Fore-and-aft weight transfer | Suspension systems | Roll centers | Centrifugal force and maximum cornering speed | Lateral weight transfer | Weight transfer in chassis tuning | The effect of body roll | Frame structure | Aerodynamics

SUSPENSION TUNING

Ride height | How to adjust ride height | Cars with coil springs | Cars with leaf springs | Cars with torsion bars | Other designs | Weight distribution | Caster | Toe | Squaring the chassis | Camber | Bump steer | Roll steer | Preparing for testing | Troubleshooting handling at the test track | Aerodynamic testing | Tuft testing | Brake testing

CHASSIS MODIFICATIONS

Tires | Tire size selection | Wheels | Wheel types | Springs | Shock absorbers | Anti-roll bars | Locating devices | Stiffening the frame | Changing the CG location | Changing the polar moment of inertia | Brake system modifications | Aerodynamic devices | Making things adjustable | Steering modifications

SPECIALIZED RACING VEHICLES

Oval track racing | Drag racing | Off-road racing | Speed record vehicles | Ground effects

Future trends | Suppliers list | Index