Enjin
09-07-2008, 04:33 PM
so I was thinking about this... polyurethane foam vs. rollcage.
the foam in question is:
http://images.grainger.com/images/products/4KK28.JPG
this is the foam recommended by the guy who did the writeup on freshalloy. after doing some research, it is relatively less dense than those used in other cars, such as the q45 and the rx8.
it has a density of 1.75 lb/ft., whereas other foams can be 4, 8, or 16 lb./ft.
the question is: is that the best density for chassis reinforcement? how does the density affect the overall handling of the car? is denser always better?
the followup question is: given this, is a cage necessary? is it an AND thing, or is it and OR thing?
it's given that these do the same thing, which is stiffen the car torsionally, allowing the force from driving to be transferred to the suspension rather than the chassis. the only thing is that the cage allows the driver more protection than a foam.
it's understood that there is really no such thing as TOO stiff when it comese to chassis rigidity, but there is such a thing as cost vs. effectiveness.
thoughts? experiences?
the foam in question is:
http://images.grainger.com/images/products/4KK28.JPG
this is the foam recommended by the guy who did the writeup on freshalloy. after doing some research, it is relatively less dense than those used in other cars, such as the q45 and the rx8.
it has a density of 1.75 lb/ft., whereas other foams can be 4, 8, or 16 lb./ft.
the question is: is that the best density for chassis reinforcement? how does the density affect the overall handling of the car? is denser always better?
the followup question is: given this, is a cage necessary? is it an AND thing, or is it and OR thing?
it's given that these do the same thing, which is stiffen the car torsionally, allowing the force from driving to be transferred to the suspension rather than the chassis. the only thing is that the cage allows the driver more protection than a foam.
it's understood that there is really no such thing as TOO stiff when it comese to chassis rigidity, but there is such a thing as cost vs. effectiveness.
thoughts? experiences?