Formula SAE (FS EV) kart

[Functional Artist]

Thinkin' of buildin' a Formula SAE style/type of a kart

" Formula SAE is a student design competition organized by SAE International (previously known as the Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE). The competition was started in 1980 by the SAE student branch at the University of Texas at Austin after a prior asphalt racing competition proved to be unsustainable.

The concept behind Formula SAE is that a fictional manufacturing company has contracted a student design team to develop a small Formula-style race car. The prototype race car is to be evaluated for its potential as a production item. The target marketing group for the race car is the non-professional weekend autocross racer. Each student team designs, builds and tests a prototype based on a series of rules, whose purpose is both ensuring on-track safety (the cars are driven by the students themselves) and promoting clever problem solving. The prototype race car is then, judged in a number of different events."

Formula SAE - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

"Electric Vehicles
A separate class for electric vehicles was introduced back in 2010 in order to prepare prospective young engineers for future technologies such as electric drivetrains and in order to advance the innovation process. This class focuses on ecological aspects without dropping the attractiveness of a sporty style of driving. It is a quite remarkable fact that the fastest electric vehicles cars already provide equal performance compared to the best race cars with combustion engines. After having built three Formula Student cars with conventional combustion engines, the team switched to the newly established electric class and managed to compete among the top teams right from the start.


Events
A Formula Student competition consists of so-called static and dynamic disciplines. In the static events the engineers have to present their car and their development process to well-known judges from the economy, the automotive industry and prestigious racing series like Formula One. Disciplines being judged are:

• ENGINEERING DESIGN Judgement of technical aspects, the construction and key attributes of the car.
• COST Financial planning of the whole car, including manufacturing.
• BUSINESS PLAN Presentation in order to convince a potential investor of a profitable business idea using the self-developed race car.

The dynamic events reveal the driving performance of the prototypes. Every discipline puts different abilities of the cars to the test:

• ACCELERATION An acceleration race over 75m distance with a standing start.
• SKID PAD Cornering on a track shaped like an eight to test the lateral acceleration of the car.
• AUTOCROSS Qualifying for the Endurance, the fastest lap time wins.
• ENDURANCE & EFFICIENCY An endurance race over 22km distance, including one driver change. The Efficiency scoring rates the consumed amount of energy in relation to the total time."

Formula Student | AMZ Racing

www.electric.amzracing.ch

Something like these



...

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

Simple: build a chassis to spec, source a Tesla motor, BAM! FA style SAE kart! Should be faster too lol

 

[Functional Artist]

Simple: build a chassis to spec, source a Tesla motor, BAM! FA style SAE kart! Should be faster too lol

OK, if it's that simple, you do one
...& I'll do one
...then, we'll race 'em

 

[Karts of Kaos]

I thin that it would be a super cool build! I think that it would be very expensive though.

 

[Kartorbust]

I'd think it'd be a fun project. Pretty much 1 lap is just three quarters of a mile longer than a lap around the Nurburgring Nordschleife. I think it was about 2 years ago, that the Calgary F-SAE team was in Lincoln, in fact they were working on their kart right across the street from my work. The race was being held in Lincoln. Looked like fun though.

Curious to see what you bring to the table.

 

[Functional Artist]

Here's some more info

"Formula Student Rules
All Formula Student vehicles are to be completed before all track events.
Absolutely NO fabrication will be allowed at the track events.
FS officials reserve the right to disqualify a team if the officials believe there is a safety hazard present on the team’s vehicle.

Changes for 2019-20 are underlined and in RED
Formula STOCK
Suspension: Solid front/rear axle only
Engine: Briggs & Stratton 16 HP Vanguard V-twin ONLY. To further clarify, we are accepting engines in the 3054 (horizontal) and the 3057 (vertical) model line. No other engine will be allowed. NO power adders or modifications to the engine allowed, except for wiring extensions, throttle and choke connections. Engine must have a throttle return spring attached directly to the throttle shaft arm. Disconnecting the governor is allowed.
Transmission: Centrifugal Clutch or CVT - MAX PRICE: $500
Max Overall Tire Diameter: 24”
Wheelbase: 81” – 87” measured from center of front spindle axle to center of rear axle.
Width: 54” to 70” measured to the outside edge of the mounted tire.
Ground Clearance: 2” MIN – 4” MAX

Formula MODIFIED
Suspension: Solid axle or suspension is allowed
Engine: Any industrial engine manufacturer allowed. Horsepower - manufacturer advertised - 18.6 HP MAX. NO power adders or modifications to the engine allowed, except for wiring extensions, throttle and choke connections. Engine must have a throttle return spring attached directly to the throttle shaft arm. Disconnecting the governor is allowed. Timing may be adjusted +/- 5 degrees from factory stock.
Engine Redline: Open to match safety requirements of engine used
Transmission: Centrifugal Clutch/CVT/Multi-gear: Transmission MUST utilize some type of clutching mechanism to allow the engine to idle.
Max Overall Tire Diameter: 24”
Wheelbase: 81” – 87” measured from center of front spindle axle to center of rear axle.
Width: 54” to 70” measured to the outside edge of the mounted tire.
Ground Clearance: 2” MIN – 4” MAX

Formula PROTOTYPE
This class is designed to allow students more flexibility with the design of their vehicle. Teams are encouraged to research proper chassis design (roll over protection/driver safety is paramount) suspension geometry, weight balance and braking capability. Teams are also encouraged to keep an open dialogue with Formula Student officials with their designs.
Body: Teams must use a full fendered body shell design OR open wheel body shell.
Suspension: Independent front suspension with independent rear or multi-link rear suspension REQUIRED.
Engine: Any engine manufacturer allowed as long as it's based on a four stroke industrial engine. Horsepower - 35 HP MAX. It is highly recommended that teams document engine power with dynometer results in case they are questioned by another team. Teams are also allowed to experiment with hybrid drive systems as long as the total combined horsepower is no more than 35 HP.
Engine Redline: Open to match safety requirements of engine/drivetrain used
Transmission: Centrifugal Clutch/CVT/Multi-gear – transmission MUST utilize some type of clutching mechanism to allow the engine to idle.
Max Overall Tire Diameter:

• 21" OD for prototype body shell
• 24" OD for open wheel designs

Wheelbase:

• 80” – 81” for prototype body shell
• 80" to 90" for open wheel designs

Width:Due to the increase in allowed horsepower, teams are required to build a wider vehicle to reduce the chance of rollover.

• 68” to 72” measured to the outside edge of the mounted tire.

Ground Clearance: 2” MIN – 4” MAX"

Rules

Formula Student Rules 2022-23 All Formula Student vehicles are to be completed before all track events. Absolutely NO fabrication will be allowed at the track events. FS officials reserve the...

www.formulastudentusa.com

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

Say what? I've seen the UT Arlington FSAE car (best in the nation BTW), and they used a sportbike engine, definitely NOT an industrial engine. You sure that's the Formula SAE rules?

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

Yeah that's a totally different organization Kevin, THIS is the SAE Formula website: https://www.fsaeonline.com/ They actually have a class for electric *wink wink.
They have the 2021 rules for public review BTW. https://www.fsaeonline.com/cdsweb/gen/DocumentResources.aspx
Chew on that.

 

[Functional Artist]

Yeah that's a totally different organization Kevin, THIS is the SAE Formula website: https://www.fsaeonline.com/ They actually have a class for electric *wink wink.
They have the 2021 rules for public review BTW. https://www.fsaeonline.com/cdsweb/gen/DocumentResources.aspx
Chew on that.

I think their the same organization
...just the one I posted was for Formula SAE USA
...& the one you posted was for the Formula SAE International

Thanks! I was lookin' for the 2021 Formula SAE rules
...& Wow! it's a frickin' "Gold Mine" packed with great info

Here is some stuff I noticed on the Formula SAE USA site
(I'll make/post more notes when I read thru the actual rules)

"Vehicle widths and wheelbases are set to ensure a safe and stable vehicle.
All frame members shown on the model must be present in the completed chassis.
All drivetrains must maintain a high level of safety. Proper guarding, insulating and mounting is highly stressed.
Teams are encouraged to calculate their gear ratio to give their vehicle a top speed, at engine redline, in the range of 45-50 MPH. This gives the vehicles the proper gear ratio for the autocross style timing course. It is recommended that a team work with a slower gear ratio and work their way up as they test their vehicle under track conditions.

Roll Bar Tubing: 1 ½” round mild steel tubing, 0.083” (14ga) or thicker for the main roll bar tubes. Roll bar tubing must be a single continuous piece. NO SPLICING ALLOWED. Driver’s helmet should not be excessively forward of the roll bar protection when seated in the vehicle. Bend radius minimum is 3"
TEAMS - please make sure your driver's helmets is located withing the roll bar "cage" area and not excessively forward of the front bars.
Bracing: 1” round or square mild steel tubing, 0.083” (14ga) wall thickness or thicker.
Floor: 0.0747” (14ga) mild steel sheet, stitch welded to the bottom frame rails or 5052 aluminum - riveted to the bottom with a 2" spacing, using stainless steel rivets. The minimum weld stitch pitch should be no more than 1-3.
Prototype floor may be allowed to use alternative flooring techniques, provided the floor retains appropriate margins of safety.
Body Shell: The only approved body shell materials are: fiberglass, Kevlar, carbon fiber or 0.032” aluminum sheet. Aluminum must either be polished or painted.
Appearance: All FS vehicles must be painted, gel coated, or powder coated with school and sponsor decals appropriately placed. Bare metal frames will not be allowed.
Decals must be placed in a position where they are easily seen from both sides of the car.
Firewall: .032” or thicker aluminum or mild steel sheet must be used for a firewall between the driver and the engine compartment. The firewall must extend all the way to the body shell. Teams must try to make all reasonable efforts to fully seal the driver’s compartment from the engine compartment. Teams should try to keep all gaps to less than ½”.
Safety Harness: All teams must use a 5-point safety harness, installed to safety harness manufacturer’s specifications. Harnesses must be in good working order with no frays or cuts. If harness is passing through the firewall, clearance the firewall to eliminate possible harness damage.
Kill Switch: Two paddle type kill switches are required. One switch shall be located in easy reach of the driver’s right hand and labeled appropriately. The second switch shall be located on the left side of the rear roll bar but above the body shell. This location is shown on the chassis model. The switch will be marked with contrasting color to the body so it is easily seen by FS officials. Both switches must be demonstrated to effectively shut off the engine.
Steering:
Rack and Pinion ONLY, no go-kart steering allowed.
Steering Wheel: Steering wheel must be either a continuous round or “D” shaped wheel. No butterfly style steering wheels allowed.
SUGGESTIONS:
Rear axle bearings should be placed as close to the inner side of the wheel hub as possible to limit axle bending/twisting. Some teams have run up to a total of four bearings across the rear axle.
Chrome Moly Steel axles suggested. Low quality axles have bent under load.
Gear ratios: A good rule of thumb is to start with an overall gear ratio of 8:1 and then gear for the existing track conditions and individual vehicle response.
Chain tensioning devices: Use a sliding engine base set-up to adjust chain tension. There was a much higher incidence of thrown chains when using idler sprocket assemblies.
Install shaft collars on both sides of the rear hub assemblies. This is extra insurance to keep the hubs in place on the axle.
Fasteners: Teams should try to use at least grade 5 or higher fasteners, with nylock nuts, when possible."

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

Kevin, that link is for formula STUDENT, the link I gave is Formula SAE!! They’re very different! Formula SAE cars never use industrial engines, and virtually none of the rules are the same! Someone please back me up, I think Kevin’s a bit confused.
If you look at the about page on your link, it says it was started by two Wisconsin teachers, and is a high school program. Formula SAE is a college program, and at the bottom of the page of the link I gave, it says that it's a PROGRAM of SAE international.

 

[Functional Artist]

Confused? Hmmm...
Well, here is some info to chew on

I just Googled it

"Formula SAE is a student design competition organized by SAE International (previously known as the Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE). The competition was started in 1980 by the SAE student branch at the University of Texas at Austin after a prior asphalt racing competition proved to be unsustainable.

The concept behind Formula SAE is that a fictional manufacturing company has contracted a student design team to develop a small Formula-style race car. The prototype race car is to be evaluated for its potential as a production item. The target marketing group for the race car is the non-professional weekend autocross racer. Each student team designs, builds and tests a prototype based on a series of rules, whose purpose is both ensuring on-track safety (the cars are driven by the students themselves) and promoting clever problem solving.

The prototype race car is judged in a number of different events. The points schedule for most Formula SAE events is:[1]

In addition to these events, various sponsors of the competition provide awards for superior design accomplishments. For example, best use of E-85 ethanol fuel, innovative use of electronics, recyclability, crash worthiness, analytical approach to design, and overall dynamic performance are some of the awards available. At the beginning of the competition, the vehicle is checked for rule compliance during the Technical Inspection. Its braking ability, rollover stability and noise levels are checked before the vehicle is allowed to compete in the dynamic events (Skidpad, Autocross, Acceleration, and Endurance).

Large companies, such as General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler, can have staff interact with more than 1000 student engineers. Working in teams of anywhere between two and 30, these students have proven themselves to be capable of producing a functioning prototype vehicle.[2]

The volunteers for the design judging include some of the racing industry's most prominent engineers and consultants including the late Carroll Smith, Bill Mitchell, Doug Milliken, Claude Rouelle, Jack Auld, John LePlante, Ron Tauranac, and Bryan Kubala.

Today, the competition has expanded and includes a number of spinoff events. Formula Student is a similar SAE-sanctioned event in the UK, as well as Formula SAE Australasia (Formula SAE-A) taking place in Australia. The Verein Deutscher Ingenieure (VDI) holds the Formula Student Germany competition at the Hockenheimring.

Formula SAE has relatively few performance restrictions. The team must be made up entirely of active college students (including drivers) which places obvious restrictions on available work hours, skill sets, experience, and presents unique challenges that professional race teams do not face with a paid, skilled staff. This restriction means that the rest of the regulations can be much less restrictive than most professional series.

Students are allowed to receive advice and criticism from professional engineers or faculty, but all of the car design must be done by the students themselves. Students are also solely responsible for fundraising, though most successful teams are based on curricular programs and have university-sponsored budgets. Additionally, the points system is organized so that multiple strategies can lead to success. This leads to a great variety among cars, which is a rarity in the world of motorsports.

In 2007, an offshoot called Formula Hybrid was inaugurated. It is similar to Formula SAE, except all cars must have gasoline-electric hybrid power plants. The competition takes place at the New Hampshire International Speedway.

Formula SAE has relatively few performance restrictions. The team must be made up entirely of active college students (including drivers) which places obvious restrictions on available work hours, skill sets, experience, and presents unique challenges that professional race teams do not face with a paid, skilled staff. This restriction means that the rest of the regulations can be much less restrictive than most professional series.

Students are allowed to receive advice and criticism from professional engineers or faculty, but all of the car design must be done by the students themselves. Students are also solely responsible for fundraising, though most successful teams are based on curricular programs and have university-sponsored budgets. Additionally, the points system is organized so that multiple strategies can lead to success. This leads to a great variety among cars, which is a rarity in the world of motorsports.

The engine must be a four-stroke, Otto-cycle piston engine with a displacement no greater than 710cc. An air restrictor of circular cross-section must be fitted downstream of the throttle and upstream of any compressor, with a diameter no greater than 20mm for gasoline engines, forced induction or naturally aspirated, or 19mm for ethanol-fueled engines. The restrictor keeps power levels below 100 hp in the vast majority of FSAE cars. Most commonly, production four-cylinder 600cc sport bike engines are used due to their availability and displacement. However, there are many teams that use smaller V-twin and single-cylinder engines, mainly due to their weight-saving and packaging benefits.

The suspension is unrestricted save for safety regulations and the requirement to have 50mm total of wheel travel. Most teams opt for four-wheel independent suspension, almost universally double-wishbone. Active suspension is legal.

Complex aerodynamic packages, while not required to compete at competition are common among the fastest teams at competition. With the low speeds of the FSAE competition rarely exceeding 60 mph (97 km/h), designs must be thoroughly justified in the design judging event through wind tunnel testing, computational fluid dynamics, and on track testing. Aerodynamic devices are regulated through maximum size and powered aerodynamic devices are outlawed.

There is no weight restriction. The weight of the average competitive Formula SAE car is usually less than 440 lb (200 kg) in race trim. However, the lack of weight regulation combined with the somewhat fixed power ceiling encourages teams to adopt innovative weight-saving strategies, such as the use of composite materials, elaborate and expensive machining projects, and rapid prototyping.

The majority of the regulations pertain to safety. Cars must have two steel roll hoops of designated thickness and alloy, regardless of the composition of the rest of the chassis. There must be an impact attenuator in the nose, and impact testing data on this attenuator must be submitted prior to competing. Cars must also have two hydraulic brake circuits, full five-point racing harnesses, and must meet geometric templates for driver location in the cockpit for all drivers competing. Tilt-tests ensure that no fluids will spill from the car under heavy cornering, and there must be no line-of-sight between the driver and fuel, coolant, or oil lines."

Formula SAE - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Functional Artist]

Well, maybe... (I did post the same link twice)

Moving on...
I've read thru the Formula SEA rules, several times (thanks again to JT)

It refers to a SES (Structural Equivalency Spreadsheet)

"F.2 DOCUMENTATION

F.2.1 Structural Equivalency Spreadsheet - SES
F.2.1.1 The SES is a supplement to the Formula SAE Rules and may provide guidance or further details in addition to those of the Formula SAE Rules. F.2.1.2 The SES provides the means to:
a. Document the Primary Structure and show compliance with the Formula SAE Rules
b. Determine Equivalence to Formula SAE Rules using an accepted basis

F.2.2 Structural Documentation
F.2.2.1 All teams must submit a Structural Equivalency Spreadsheet (SES) as described in section DR - Document Requirements

F.2.3 Equivalence
F.2.3.1 Equivalency in the structural context is determined and documented with the methods in the SES
F.2.3.2 Any Equivalency calculations must prove Equivalency relative to Steel Tubing in the same application
F.2.3.3 The properties of tubes and laminates may be combined to prove Equivalence.
For example, in a Side Impact Structure consisting of one tube per F.3.2.1.e and a laminate panel, the panel only needs to be Equivalent to two Side Impact Tubes.

F.2.4 Fabrication Vehicles must be fabricated in accordance with the design, materials, and processes described in the SES."

I looked on the Formula SEA website & found it, in the Series Resources, under SES templates
...but, when I down loaded it, everything is really small, clustered & basically unreadable

If anyone can post a readable link to a 2021 SES template, it would surely be appreciated

 

[Functional Artist]

Another question:

Why do formula cars have/require "four wheels that are not in a straight line"

"V - VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS

V.1 CONFIGURATION
The vehicle must be open wheeled and open cockpit (a formula style body) with four wheels that are not in a straight line."

 

[chimmike]

Another question:

Why do formula cars have/require "four wheels that are not in a straight line"

"V - VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS

V.1 CONFIGURATION
The vehicle must be open wheeled and open cockpit (a formula style body) with four wheels that are not in a straight line."

short of it being described somewhere in the FSAE info, the intent for that is best answered by the conglomerate themselves. I suspect it's for educational purposes, rather than having 4 wheels basically in a rectangular shape, you'd end up with a lot of similar cars. This variation helps students learn the differences in handling characteristics, suspension design, and other things?

 

[Functional Artist]

short of it being described somewhere in the FSAE info, the intent for that is best answered by the conglomerate themselves. I suspect it's for educational purposes, rather than having 4 wheels basically in a rectangular shape, you'd end up with a lot of similar cars. This variation helps students learn the differences in handling characteristics, suspension design, and other things?

I would think that there's gotta be more to it
...'cause Formula & Indy cars have been around way before this student competition

So, looking thru the 2020 rules further, it say's

"V.1.2 Wheelbase
The vehicle must have a minimum wheelbase of 1525 mm

V.1.3 Vehicle Track
V.1.3.1 The track and center of gravity must combine to provide sufficient rollover stability. See IN.9.2
V.1.3.2 The smaller track of the vehicle (front or rear) must be no less than 75% of the larger track."

...but, there's not much more info on the subject

 

[Functional Artist]

Doin' more research

Car Handling Basics, How-To & Design Tips
Introduction
“Handling” is the term used to describe the fundamental behavior of a vehicle being driven. It is often described in terms of the response a car has to driver input. For example, the car pushes (or has understeer) in a corner or the car is loose (or has oversteer) in a corner.
What is being described is the response of the vehicle from a combination of factors including how the weight is distributed in the car, how the suspension reacts to the driving forces, and how the tires contact the road surface.
By understanding the physics of handling, we can visualize the behavior of the car we are designing or working on to optimize its performance. In our guide below we touch on the various elements that make up car handling.

Weight Distribution
The positions of the components in a vehicle determine how its weight is distributed while it is standing still. This Static Weight Distribution will also affect the way it handles on the track. The tires connecting the vehicle to the track provide friction with the road surface and impart turning, braking and acceleration forces into the suspension (if any) and chassis. The Weight Transfer due to these forces largely dictates whether the vehicle handles as expected.
Track width
Track width, as shown in diagram TW1 below, is the width of the car, measured between the centers of the tire contact patches. The track width is important because it determines how much weight is transferred by the mass of the car in cornering.
Wheelbase
The wheelbase of a vehicle, as shown in diagram WB1 below, is the distance between the front and rear wheels, measured at the centers of the wheels. The wheelbase is important, because it determines the weight transferred by the mass of the car in acceleration and braking as well as the yaw characteristics in turning.
Static Weight Distribution
Every part of a vehicle has mass and depending on where that mass is located relative to the tires, it will affect the how much weight is on each tire.
Static weight distribution is defined by two ratios:

• A ratio of the total weight on the front or rear tires of the vehicle.
• A ratio of the total weight on the left and right tires of the vehicle.

CG Location
Knowing the weight distribution, front to rear and left to right, we can pinpoint where the CG (Center of gravity is located along the length (Longitudinal) and width (Lateral) of the car. The CG indicates the point that you could balance the car on if you were to jack it up underneath that point.
CG Height
Static weight distribution is just a 2D (Two-dimensional) concept, until we take into account the height from the ground of the same components described above. The CG height is determined by where the mass of the vehicle components are located vertically.

Weight Transfer
All of the above characteristics come together when a vehicle starts accelerating, turning and decelerating. Each of these driving operations is asking the vehicle to change its momentum in one way or another.
By accelerating, the driver is asking the vehicle to increase its momentum in a forward direction. By decelerating, the driver is asking the vehicle to decrease its forward momentum. By turning, the driver is asking the car to change the direction of its momentum from that which it’s already headed in.
Each change is brought about by the tires in contact with the road. The tires make the change (Spinning faster, slowing down or turning) and the rest of the vehicle reacts to the change and (hopefully) assists the tires in maximizing their grip. This is where weight transfer comes in.

Acceleration Weight Transfer
To demonstrate acceleration weight transfer, let’s use the rear wheel drive car in diagram WT1 below as an example. The Center of Gravity (CG, the point where the mass of the car is centered) is always going to be above the ground. It will also always be located between the front and rear tires.
When you hit the accelerator pedal, the rear tires apply a forward acceleration. The reaction to the forward acceleration is the rearward shifting of the car’s mass (centered at the CG point) to the only point in the rear where that mass can go—the rear tire contact patch. An analogy might be the CG point “Falling” toward the rear tire contact patch. In either perspective, the shifting of the mass adds weight and traction to the rear tires.
In the acceleration process, the rearward shifting of the car mass also “Lifts” weight off the front wheels an equal amount. What weight the front tires lose, the rear tires gain.

Deceleration Weight Transfer
The opposite of the acceleration weight transfer takes place during deceleration. The diagram WT2 below shows the same car as diagram WT1. The CG point is in the same place, so nothing has changed except the fact that the car now has momentum and we wish to dissipate that momentum by braking.

When you hit the brake pedal, the four tires slow down creating a negative acceleration. The reaction to the negative acceleration is the forward shifting of the car’s mass (centered at the CG point) to the only point in the front where that mass can go—the front tire contact patch. The shifting of the mass adds weight and traction to the front tires while simultaneously “lifting” weight off the rear tires.

Turning Weight Transfer
When a car turns, the weight transfer that takes place happens both laterally (or across the car’s track width) and longitudinally (along the car’s wheelbase). For simplicity sake, we’ll focus here only on the lateral weight transfer.

Just like with acceleration and deceleration explained before, the Center of Gravity (CG, the point where the mass of the car is centered) is always going to be above the ground. It will also always be located between the left and right tires (Within the track width).
...let’s look at how turning causes weight transfer. Let’s assume the car is moving and has forward momentum in a straight line (As shown by the black arrow in WT3). As you turn the steering wheel, the tires change angle from straight ahead to the steering angle (Shown by the yellow arrow). The car’s mass, due to the momentum will wish to keep going in a straight line, but the tires connected to it are forcing it to turn.
...when the car turns, the forward momentum causes the mass of the car to shift to the only place it can go—the outside tires. The car “Rolls” onto the outside tires, adding weight and traction to those tires, while simultaneously “lifting” weight off the inside tires, reducing their traction.

Car Handling Basics, How-To & Design Tips ~ FREE!

FREE Tutorial on How Car Handling Works PLUS Tips on How To Improve Handling For Maximum Traction. Learn About Oversteer and Understeer ** CHECK IT OUT **

www.buildyourownracecar.com

 

[Functional Artist]

Here's some more/additional info, that wouldn't fit in previous post

"Why is Weight Transfer Important?
The tires on a car generate grip because of the vertical loading on them. Generally speaking, the more weight loading we place on a tire, the greater the traction it will provide.
However, this is not entirely true because tires do not provide a linear amount of friction (traction force) compared to the vertical loading. The law of diminishing returns applies, and so as more and more weight is loaded onto a tire, the traction it provides increases at a slower rate.
This becomes important because we have four tires (at least on most racing and road vehicles), and if possible, we want to have each tire produce the most grip possible. Therefore, we (usually) need to design our vehicle to transfer the minimum amount of weight from the “unloaded” tire to the “loaded” tire for maximum grip. Transfer too much weight and the useful traction provided by “unloaded” and “loaded” tires is diminished.
For example: Let’s say we’re turning a corner, and in the process the outside “loaded” tire has 400 lbs of vertical load. The inside “unloaded” tire has 100 lbs of vertical load. Using the graph above, the total traction available would be 300 lbs + 100 lbs = 400 lbs.
Now, let’s say we lowered the CG, and turn the same corner at the same speed. The outside “loaded” tire now has 300 lbs of vertical load. The inside “unloaded” tire has 200 lbs of vertical load. Using the graph, the total traction available would be 250 lbs + 180 lbs = 430 lbs.
The lowered vehicle would give better traction and turn the corner better.

Understeer/Oversteer
When a car runs out of grip at the front of the car while turning a corner, it is said to have “Understeer”. As shown in Diagram OU1 below, it is essentially turning less than it should because its front tires have reached the limit of their traction before the rear tires reach theirs.
When a car runs out of grip at the rear of the car while turning a corner, it is said to have “Oversteer”. It is essentially turning more than it should because its rear tires have reached the limit of their traction before the front tires reach theirs.
As discussed above, both these conditions are the result of how much weight is being transferred from the inside “unloaded” tires to the outside “loaded” tires. If more weight transfers and overall tire efficiency drops, overall grip at that end is reduced.

Polar Moment of Inertia
Although CG is the center of the mass of the entire vehicle, each component of the vehicle has its own mass and location as well. This is important because the further from the CG the components are, the harder it is to rotate or turn the vehicle. Each component is said to have its own polar moment of inertia.
If we use the analogy of a baseball bat, the concept becomes clearer. The longer the bat and the heavier the tips of the bat, the harder it is to swing it. It has a high polar moment of inertia. With an especially short bat that is heavy, we can still swing it in a fairly short time. It has a low polar moment of inertia. However, make the bat longer, and it takes us longer to bring our swing up to speed.
The same applies to a car. The farther away from the CG the heavy components are, the slower the vehicle will want to change direction.

Circle of Traction
The circle of traction is a handling concept that involves how a race car or any vehicle uses the total traction available to it. If a car is braking using every bit of traction it has, it won’t have any left to turn a corner. Likewise, if a car is using every bit of traction it has to turn, it won’t be able to brake or accelerate without losing traction and sliding."

If interested, there are diagrams, pics & graphs, on the site, that helps to explain all of these concepts further

 

[landuse]

Thanks FA. Good read!

 

[Functional Artist]

Another question:

Why do formula cars have/require "four wheels that are not in a straight line"

"V - VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS

V.1 CONFIGURATION
The vehicle must be open wheeled and open cockpit (a formula style body) with four wheels that are not in a straight line."

Thinkin' about it more, many vehicles have different front & rear track widths (I think that's what "wheels that are not in a straight line" means)
...like farm tractors, airplanes, race cars, dragsters etc.
...but, probably for very different reasons

I asked Google & I got
" Its very much a case of balance. Rear tyres need grip to put down power, and front need to have a good reaction to steering inputs. Therefore rears are wider to handle the power, fronts are more narrow to apply steering forces. It is that simple."
...but, it seems like their referring to tire width, not the track width.

Then, referring back to the Build your own Race Car info, I notice

Track width
Track width, as shown in diagram TW1 below, is the width of the car, measured between the centers of the tire contact patches.
The track width is important because it determines how much weight is transferred by the mass of the car in cornering.

Which kinda explains it
...but, I still don't understand why, it is "specifically required", for these Formula SAE vehicles to have different track widths
(the rules don't specify whether front or rear)

I understand that having different track widths, effect the steering &/or breaking of the vehicle
...but, is/was their "goal" to increase vehicle stability?
...or enhance steering &/or breaking?

...or maybe, to reduce potential G Forces?

 

[Functional Artist]

Still doin' some figurin' & research on this concept
&
Whilst lookin' around, I found Grimsel

Check 'er out
...she's 200HP (50HP per wheel) of Bad AZZ ness
Here's a kool Virtual assembly video

&
a Technical tour