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In most forms of racing, cornering speed is the key to winning. On the street, precise and predictable handling is the key to high performance driving. However, the art and science of engineering a chassis can be difficult to comprehend, let alone apply. Chassis Engineering explains the complex principles of suspension geometry and chassis design in terms the novice can easily understand and apply to any project. Hundreds of photos and illustrations illustrate what it takes to design, build, and tune the ultimate chassis for maximum cornering power on and off the track.

Hand-selected by racing engineer legend Carroll Smith, the 28 SAE Technical Papers in this book focus on the chassis and suspension design of pure racing cars, an area that has traditionally been - farmed out - to independent designers or firms since the early 1970s. Smith believed that any discussion of vehicle dynamics must begin with a basic understanding of the pneumatic tire, the focus of the first chapter. The racing tire connects the racing car to the track surface by only the footprints of its four tires. Through the tires, the driver receives most of the sensory information needed to maintain or regain control of the race car at high force levels. The second chapter, focusing on suspension design, is an introduction to this complex and fascinating subject. Topics covered include chassis stiffness and flexibility, suspension tuning on the cornering of a Winston Cup race car, suspension kinematics, and vehicle dynamics of road racing cars. Chapter 3 addresses the design of the racing chassis design and how aerodynamics affect the chassis, and the final chapter on materials brings out the fact that the modern racing car utilizes carbon construction to the maximum extent allowed by regulations. These technical papers, written between 1971 and 2003, offer what Smith believed to be the best and most practical nuggets of racing chassis and suspension design information.

Maurice Olley, one of the great automotive design, research and development engineers of the 20th century, had a career that spanned two continents. Olley is perhaps best known for his systematic approach to ride and handling. His work was so comprehensive that many of the underlying concepts, test procedures, analysis, and evaluation techniques are still used in the auto industry today. Olley’s mathematical analyses cover design essentials in a physically understandable way. Thus they remain as useful today as when they were first developed. For example, they are easily programmed for study or routine use and for checking the results of more complex programs. Chassis Design – Principles and Analysis is based on Olley’s technical writings, and is the first complete presentation of his life’s work. This new book provides insight into the development of chassis technology and its practical application by a master. Many examples are worked out in the text and the analytical developments are underpinned by Olley’s years of design experience. COMPLETE CONTENTS Maurice Olley – his life and times Tyres and steady–state cornering – slip angle effects (primary) Steady–state cornering– steer effects (secondary) Transient cornering Ride Oscillations of the unsprung Suspension linkages Roll, roll moments, and skew rates Fore–and–aft forces Leaf springs – combined suspension spring and linkage Appendices Comprehensive and well–illustrated with over 400 figures and tables, as well as numerous appendices.

This textbook draws on the authors’ experience gained by teaching courses for engineering students on e.g. vehicle mechanics, vehicle system design, and chassis design; and on their practical experience as engineering designers for vehicle and chassis components at a major automotive company. The book is primarily intended for students of automotive engineering, but also for all technicians and designers working in this field. Other enthusiastic engineers will also find it to be a useful technical guide. The present volume (The Automotive Chassis – Volume 1: Component Design) focuses on automotive chassis components, such as:• the structure, which is usually a ladder framework and supports all the remaining components of the vehicle;• the suspension for the mechanical linkage of the wheels;• the wheels and tires;• the steering system;• the brake system; and• the transmission system, used to apply engine torque to the driving wheels. This thoroughly revised and updated second edition presents recent developments, particularly in brake, steering, suspension and transmission subsystems. Special emphasis is given to modern control systems and control strategies.

This work serves as a reference concerning the automotive chassis, i.e. everything that is inside a vehicle except the engine and the body. It is the result of a decade of work mostly done by the FIAT group, who supplied material, together with other automotive companies, and sponsored the work. The first volume deals with the design of automotive components and the second volume treats the various aspects of the design of a vehicle as a system.