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Even with the rapidly evolving computational tools available today, suspension design remains very much a black art. This is especially true with respect to road cars because there are so many competing design objectives. In a racecar some of these objectives may be neglected. Even still, just concentrating on maximizing road-holding capability remains a formidable task. This paper outlines a procedure for establishing suspension parameters, and includes a computational example that entails spring, damper, and anti-roll bar specification. The procedure is unique in that it not only covers the prerequisite vehicle dynamic equations, but also outlines the process that sequences the design evolution. The racecar design covered in the example is typical of a growing number of small open wheel formula racecars, built specifically for American autocrossing and British hillclimbs.

A 1996 Kawasaki ZX-6R motorcycle has been converted from a four-carburetor intake and non-load sensitive ignition to a programmable electronic fuel injection system for performance enhancement. Throttle response and power delivery are greatly affected by proper fuel and spark management. Quick throttle response and smooth power delivery are particularly important in motorcycle road-racing applications. In order to achieve this a programmable engine management system is necessary. Due to turbulent air flow phenomena the fuel requirements of an engine can oscillate throughout the engine speed range. These airflow efficiencies are dependant upon many items including intake size and shape, camshaft design, exhaust design, surface roughness of the intake and exhaust ports, etc. In order to achieve proper air/fuel ratios, relative to rider demand, the current setup is not optimal.

A prototype engine intake design incorporating a required 20-millimeter restrictor is currently being evaluated for the 2001 Formula SAE competition. The engine is a 600 Honda CBR F4 four stroke. This carbureted stock engine was converted to fuel injection, requiring complete intake redesign. The primary difference from the stock intake design is the use of dual plenums, which prevents charging losses due to overlapping intake valve events. The throttle body and venturi design have also been improved. Preliminary test results are presented to validate design calculations and indicate potential for improvements.

Aerodynamic drag directly impacts the fuel economy attainable by a vehicle. In the Formula SAE competition (FSAE), fuel economy is a factor during the endurance phase. The focus of this paper is to study the effects of aerodynamic drag and how it impacts the fuel economy of a FSAE racing style vehicle. The Lawrence Technological University (LTU) 1999 and 2000 cars will be used in this study to evaluate various methods to reduce drag and improve fuel economy. Empirical methods will be used and the study will be limited to the effects of form and interference drag.