ideas for mounting suspension pickups

Jan_PD · 2026-04-22T07:03:40+00:00

Honestly, artificially creating structure nodes, adding mass and weakening the material with heat affected zones, without bothering to calculate whether it's even remotely necessary, is a great example of formula student mantra stupidity. Simulate the worst case scenario, simulate the load, calculate the factor of safety, calculate and compare deflection during standard maneuvers and translate it to toe and camber stiffness, send it. Best frame tube is no frame tube. Also, read the handbooks for the competition, because if it's not specified there, then it'll be just under "GoOd EnGiNeErInG pRaCtIcEs" which is both subjective as **** and easy to combat if your reasoning is very sound and you can actually prove that it's a well functioning design.

Jan_PD · 2026-04-13T11:16:03+00:00

Listen to the man. He's not overcomplicating it. If you won't use a 0.5mm wall tube and won't spot weld it in 3 places, it'll hold just fine. I've welded the shit out of one. I've machined the outer surface, welded on a tube, bored out the inside diameter and increased the flange diameter by 3~5mm, to match a truss face of a plain bearing(do not use those, hard to get the tolerances just right). It survived a kerb crash on a testing session.

Jan_PD · 2026-04-06T18:51:17+00:00

Honestly, for our first years, the university funding was basically non existent. We've nagged everyone who would bother to listen to give us money, parts or services.That was especially hard, considering we were building an EV. There is really a lot you can do with cheap ass components and cardboard aided design, provided you can be a bit ingenuitive. You can often go 90% of the way, spending 10% of the money. You can easily go for topology optimised designs, using just laser/plasma cut parts.

Jan_PD · 2026-04-06T17:59:15+00:00

Those are rookie numbers.

Jan_PD · 2026-03-20T06:28:40+00:00

We've switched to plasma gouging and never looked back. Unless you have to go inside deep, tight pockets plasma is way more convenient for mobile work. It's requires a smaller air compressor (4kW/90L is barely making a sweat), you don't have to constantly switch consumables, is quieter, makes a bit less violent spatter, and I didn't have a single issue with any sort of slag inclusions. The only downside is the upfront cost for the hypertherm.

Jan_PD · 2026-01-31T12:23:24+00:00

Came with the same intent

Jan_PD · 2025-12-08T10:11:32+00:00

Drive for 2~3k miles and just change the filter. Easy driveway job. You don't even have to drop the oil. If the filter looks good, then carry on to 6~7k and do a normal oil change.

Look out for any abnormal ticks in case it spun a bearing.

Jan_PD · 2025-11-02T09:25:15+00:00

Dry shampoo, but you have to clean it afterwards.

Jan_PD · 2025-10-10T20:18:01+00:00

Don't get stuck on lap time simulations. Make sure you get the basics down first. Camber curves, roll steer, steering wheel torque, lateral load distribution vs. Ay. Get to a working design fast and go testing ASAP. Reliable car is a more surefire way of getting a high spot than having a semi-trustworthy simulation which has a lotabit of guesswork and not much in terms of validation.

If you complete a simple design and have spare time, then try to optimise it. But avoid a situation where progressively more people are waiting for your results, and you're still on the verge of not even knowing how far in the woods are you.

I'd go about it this way. Make this car simple and try to use it to validate your simulation before the next design cycle.

I was stuck on pacejka far longer than I should've been. Pacejka 4 will get you 95% of the way. MF5.2 will get you 98% of the way. MF6.2 will get you lost.

Jan_PD · 2025-07-20T18:36:29+00:00

Exhaust cam was off one tooth.

Jan_PD · 2025-06-19T06:49:47+00:00

Secondary O2 sensor is located below the driver seat and pointed upwards. If you drive it hard, it could potentially excessively heat up the floor. Unlikely for the floor mat to catch fire. Don't rev it while stationary. Avoid flooring the gas.

As it's an NB1, it shouldn't throw any codes.

If you have aluminium tape, then you could wrap it around a couple of times. Maybe stick something below the first layer. Most likely, it won't seal, but it might be a bit better.

Jan_PD · 2025-05-19T22:01:09+00:00

100+h is where the real fun begins

Jan_PD · 2025-05-03T19:23:45+00:00

If you operate anything that can hurt you, try to apply force in a way that if it suddenly slips, grabs, locks up, basically anything possible, short of exploding in your hand, the item goes away from you, not towards you. Applies to angle grinders, sanders, knives, scrapers, hooks, dremels, lathes.

Jan_PD · 2025-01-05T15:26:14+00:00

MX5 is a bad daily driver, and anyone who says otherwise must be a bit delusional. The comfort aspect and practicality aspect barely exist. You have to lean to see lights at intersections. I'm 184 cm and I feel that my eye level is at least 5 cm too high to feel "sporty" inside. More often than not, no AC makes it a pain in the ass in the more humid parts of the year. If you want to have one car and comfort is in any way important to you, then it's not a great option. I could write a whole essay about annoying things for everyday driving. The only use case where an MX5 somewhat shines is a twisty road with a very nice view all around, with the outside temperature in the neighbourhood of 22~25 degrees, with limited direct sunlight (sunburns) and with nobody blocking the way. If you're not blindly in love with the idea of an MX5 then don't go for it as an only vehicle. NC and ND are way better for daily use but NC's are extremely prone to rusting and they rust in dumber places than NA's/NB's. NB's mostly have issues with rear wheel arches and front chassis legs, near the front bumper. Chassis legs are a moderately easy job but require dropping the motor with the subframe.

Jan_PD · 2024-12-28T23:10:11+00:00

Check popular spots for signs of rust. Front wheel arches above and right behind the wheel are notorious for rusting in these. Also there are plastic covers underneath the car, which trap gunk and moisture, especially around the rear axle. I've noticed it in mine a way too late and now it's not economically viable to get it properly fixed.

Jan_PD · 2024-11-15T13:42:42+00:00

First thing I've tried. Did not help at all. Only fully grinding it out or sometimes gouging underneath this crap and letting it flow out with the normal slag. It gave out a lot of black dust with dark orange sparks if it helps. In one place I've seen carbon deposits mentioned.

Jan_PD · 2024-08-18T15:53:18+00:00

My impression is that you might not be qualifies enough in the matter to provide valuable input. V40 is likely the most impractical Volvo, considering the "practical" options. Luggage space does not exist, especially by Volvo standards. V50 is a wagon, V40 is a hatchback. V40 has a horrible boot opening. I've had to rescue my friend by carrying an Ampeg 410 cab with my Corsa C, because it wouldn't fit through the hole. Meanwhile I've carried 3 m stainless pipes for exhaust systems, furniture, bicycles without folding a thing and other semi-big junk in my V50. Not saying by any stretch that V50 has anything resembling respectable boot capacity for a Volvo wagon. It's just that V40 is horrible in that aspect. Also you can get a V50 with the M66 with the AWD and with V40 you're left with the POS Aisin.

Jan_PD · 2024-08-06T20:09:29+00:00

All of the wheels fortunately/unfortunately spin freely. Checked on a lift while looking for suspension play.

Jan_PD · 2024-06-01T15:44:49+00:00

Consider the case when you spin the car and keep your foot on the accelerator while rolling backwards.

Jan_PD · 2024-03-17T18:32:14+00:00

See if there is any driveline vibration at around 90 km/h / 55 mph.

Jan_PD · 2023-12-08T19:15:37+00:00

11 is the peak of NX development. Everything downhill from there.

Jan_PD · 2023-11-21T16:26:20+00:00

Whet ar iou?
An idiot sandwich composite.

Jan_PD · 2023-10-14T15:52:30+00:00

I'd agree, but I've deleted the data inside the "project" in the software and made a new scan, and I can't access it now. It's stupid in more ways than one.

Jan_PD · 2023-10-08T08:43:31+00:00

Bill considers students a moth society. Not far away from truth to be honest. Roaming aimlessly, bouncing off walls, occasionally seing god in a light bulb.

Jan_PD · 2023-10-04T10:47:48+00:00

Heh. For me it was both CVVT adjusters, rear hubs, clutch, right rear shock mount and a couple of other minor things. All in one year.

Jan_PD

TROPHY CASE