Nook balancing a automobile has been a kind of issues that appeared off-limits to the common automotive DIY fanatic.
Yow will discover a variety of digital scales from a velocity store like Summit Racing; nonetheless, a ‘first rate’ set will set you again at the very least $1,000, and a higher-quality set will value double that.
You should utilize the toilet scale hack, the place you jack the automobile up and decrease it on a set of low cost toilet scales. I even tried this again in 2020 with Venture Tough, my ER34 Nissan Skyline GT-T, and had… average success.
To do that accurately, you have to guarantee you’re engaged on a wonderfully flat floor. The automobile must be as degree as doable whereas on the scales – i.e., on some form of platform – and also you want a method to calm down the arms after jacking the automobile as much as transfer the scales into place.
It’s fairly the dance, and there are a number of variables the place issues can go incorrect. Considered one of my scales broke as a consequence of going far past the utmost weight restrict of 130kg (286lbs).
So, measuring the burden in any respect 4 corners, making any changes, and having to carry out the entire circus once more made this system removed from sensible. It appeared like devoted digital scales have been nonetheless the one viable method.
Or Is It…
Quick-forward a couple of years, and I found a YouTube channel known as SuperfastMatt. Matt’s movies are as humorous as they’re insightful, and one known as I Invented a Higher Solution to Weigh Your Automobile. And it’s Cheaper, Too. discusses how you need to use leverage and a little bit of math to calculate the burden at any given nook.
You’ve got a supporting block through which a beam rests on. The supporting block is a ‘X’ distances away from the toilet scale. You’d then place the tire on the beam, and that weight transfers throughout the beam to the size. The load might be considerably smaller, which shouldn’t max out the size. If you understand the space from the supporting block and the space to the size, you may calculate the precise weight with the worth proven by the size.
Seeing that I nonetheless had my analog scales from the primary try and a workable platform I designed for aligning automobiles, I figured I’d let my internal engineer again out to play and provides this a shot. Earlier than going full ship, I made a decision to check it on a small scale with an outdated battery from the household Honda Stepwgn.
I first weighed the battery to know my goal— roughly 9.8kg (21.6lbs). The decision on these scales go away loads to need.
I subsequent created a platform that may have the beam degree with the toilet scale. I recorded the size (92.2cm). We are going to name this ‘L’.
Then I positioned the battery on the beam and bought a studying of two.9kg (6.4lbs). Nice! I’ll name that ‘Fa’ for now. Now, to calculate the distances.
In contrast to the drawing, the power of the battery isn’t a single level on the beam, thus I made a decision to take the common of utilizing a distance from in entrance of and behind the battery – one closest to the size (L2) and one closest to the supporting block (L1). I’d subtract the 2 and divide it by 2.
(L2-L1) /2 = Lm
(39cm-15.5cm) / 2 = Lm
11.75cm = Lm
With what I’m calling ‘Lm’, you may subtract that quantity from L2 and get the battery’s ‘middle’ level of power. I’ll name this worth ‘Lf’.
L2-Lm= Lf
39cm-11.75cm= Lf
27.25cm= Lf
With Lf now decided, I can divide it by the whole size of the beam. If you understand the space relative to the beam, you may divide that quantity by the burden on the size to calculate the burden. I do know it’s getting a bit wild right here…
Fl=Lf /L
Fl=27.25cm / 92.2cm
Fl=.2955
I realized this on the full-size check, however I attempted to maintain as many numbers after the decimal place as doable to extend accuracy. It does make a distinction. With Fl, we are able to lastly calculate the burden of F.
F= Fa / Fl
F= 2.9kg. / 2955
F= 9.81kg
That is an error of 0.10%, which greater than proves the accuracy of this mathematical check. With this strong proof of idea, it was time to scale up.
Full Steam Forward
With Venture Tough able to go, I made a decision to do an alignment, as I’d use the identical platform rig for the nook balancing.
For shaken, I needed to reinstall some OEM components, which threw my alignment out of whack.
Bringing the automobile to my home from its storage spot was one of many sketchiest drives of my life. I adjusted my laser degree to degree the platform with shims.
I used to be now able to nook steadiness Venture Tough. I bought my toilet scale out and ensured the beam and platform have been degree…
…And instantly bumped into an issue. Though I had calculated that if my bar have been 184cm lengthy, I’d have loads of house to drive on the beam and never max out the toilet scale, the burden deflected the beam a lot that it touched the bottom. Two extrusion bars weren’t going to work.
However how about three? Seeing that I had further extrusions from numerous initiatives at that very same 184cm size, I made a decision to strive that earlier than reducing the beams to a smaller dimension. I used to be nonetheless afraid that if I had lower the beams too brief and pushed too far on the beam, it could max out the size, and I’d threat breaking them.
Even with three beams in place, they nonetheless bowed like loopy. This wasn’t going to work. I then remembered that I may transfer the size nearer to the automobile and use a wedge piece of wooden for the beams to relaxation on to switch the load, successfully shorting the size of the beams. All I wanted to do was zero out my scale and check out it.
With my present size (L) now shortened to 108.3cm from 184cm, the beam hardly deflected and will proceed with the experiment. The studying on the size was 42.5kg (93.7lbs) (Fa).
It was now time to calculate the assorted lengths as I had completed with the battery. Nevertheless, it was harder to inform the place the contact patch was on the beam. I used a small sq. ruler and slid it below the tire till it couldn’t transfer anymore, after which marked the beam. I did this for each side to get my L2 and L1 calculations.
(L2-L1) / 2 = Lm
(20.5cm-1.1cm) / 2 = Lm
9.7cm = Lm
It wasn’t till I completed measuring every little thing that I noticed there was a neater method to decide the tire’s contact patch…
You may press a bit of flat scrap wooden wherever towards the tire and mark out the L2 and L1 of the tire contact patch utilizing the identical methodology. Amazingly, this methodology matched my numbers for the entrance tires (9.7cm) however was barely larger within the rear (10cm). These can be the Lm values used within the calculations.
Seeing that I can immediately calculate Lm from the tire contact patch, my new equation is now this.
L2-Lm = Lf
20.5cm -9.7cm = Lf
Lf = 10.8cm
We now take Lf and calculate the power relative to the space on the beam.
Fl=Lf / L
Fl=10.8cm / 108.3cm
Fl=.0997
Once more, maintain as many locations as doable within the calculations. I saved the whole quantity on my calculator (0.099722992). Then, we are able to calculate the power of the automobile at that nook.
F= Fa / Fl
F= 42.5kg.0997
F= 426.18kg
And similar to that, one nook is completed! Subsequent, roll the automobile again a bit, transfer the size to the following tire, drive up, and crunch these numbers.
When you get the cling of it, every nook takes about 5 minutes. After all, if in case you have a number of scales and beams (I used to be nonetheless cautious and determined to not get extra beams to do that), you would do that entire course of in a single shot.
Listed below are the values that I got here up with after all of the calculations. In keeping with the shakensho, my Skyline ought to weigh 1,460kg (3,218lbs). I’m unsure how they bought that quantity (moist, dry, full tank of gasoline, and many others.), however I shouldn’t be too far off.
Think about a brilliant light-weight (learn: barely flimsy) FRP entrance hood, no spare tire, and some different bits right here and there, and the whole calculated weight is fairly rattling shut. Ideally, I’d take Venture Tough to a spot the place I can drive and weigh the automobile, however that should wait till it’s handed its shaken inspection.
What can we do with this newfound details about Venture Tough‘s steadiness? A nook steadiness reveals your car’s weight distribution, which may then be manipulated to optimize dealing with. For many who are lifeless critical about getting the very best lap time, you’ll manipulate this distribution by bodily eradicating weight or including ballast in strategic places to get nearer to that ‘ideally suited’ 50/50 distribution entrance to again and left to proper.
We will manipulate how a lot weight a nook receives by elevating or decreasing it. Nevertheless, as one motion impacts all the opposite corners on the identical time, it isn’t doable to alter the entrance, rear, left, and proper weight percentages. So until I bodily take away, shift, or add weight, Venture Tough can have these values.
Entrance Weight % =54.06%
Rear Weight % =45.95%
Left Weight % =53.23%
Proper Weight % =46.77%
Be aware: I didn’t simulate my physique weight (84kg/185lbs) or disconnect the sway bars. In good apply, you completely ought to do that when organising a race automobile or a automobile with extremely stiff springs. Minor tweaks can have an even bigger impact, and also you don’t need unintentional preload within the sway bars. Though Venture Tough has adjustable sway bar finish hyperlinks, and I’ve dialed them in for no preload, it isn’t a race automobile. We’re nonetheless doing this with toilet scales no matter what number of variables we restrict.
What we can do is get our cross-weight to a perfect 50/50 scenario. At the moment:
(Entrance Proper (kg) +Rear Left (kg)) / Complete Weight (kg) = Cross Weight %
(351.83kg+340kg) / 1439.27kg =Cross Weight %
48.07% = Cross Weight %
Anytime you’ve gotten a cross weight above 50%, you’ve gotten a wedge. Something under 50%, like Venture Tough, is a reverse wedge. Realizing this, you may comply with these guidelines to regulate the trip peak to get nearer to a 50/50 distribution.
RAISING anyone nook will INCREASE the burden on that nook and barely have an effect on all different corners.
LOWERING anyone nook will DECREASE the burden on that nook and barely have an effect on all different corners.
Cross weight ABOVE 50% = DECREASE weight (peak) on FR/RL or INCREASE weight (peak) on FL/RR. – Wedge
Cross weight BELOW 50% = INCREASE weight (peak) on FR/RL or DECREASE weight (peak) on FL/RR – Reverse Wedge
Thus, I ought to work on rising the peak on the Entrance Proper – Rear Left or lowering the peak on the Entrance Left – Rear Proper. That is the place every little thing turns into hella-tedious. You additionally have to resolve how set you’re within the car’s trip peak. Once more, the stiffer the springs, the stronger the impression minor changes will make. Nevertheless, in case you are lifeless set on how the automobile appears to be like, you may need to compromise that fifty/50 distribution.
And that’s so that you can resolve. For me, as soon as I get Venture Tough again on the street, I’ll do that once more and goal to get that fifty/50 cross weight distribution. I additionally wish to check a couple of extra suspension initiatives and experiments.
This goes to point out that in case you’re not afraid of a bit little bit of math, you may unlock potential and information that may in any other case be locked behind costly gear. It did take some refinement, and this nonetheless gained’t be as correct as a very good set of digital scales, however in contrast to my first try at nook balancing with scales, it was successful.
Digital scales would nonetheless be wonderful, although…
Ron Celestine
Instagram: celestinephotography
