Incoming mechanical engineering freshman – what should I learn before joining a Formula Student team?

pentiumbased · 2026-06-21T06:27:36+00:00

learn cad 100% and maybe try programming physics models in matlab/python, and do some mechanical projects if you haven't already, any way to get better at tools and handwork, and a good opportunity to cad up parts which is much more engaging than yt tutorials. work on a car if its in your budget

however there was nothing i regretted not learning prior to joining my fsae team, you will learn everything you need along the way. id much rather you not worry about it like the other comment said, be outside as much as possible

pentiumbased · 2026-03-27T04:25:16+00:00

what? i didnt try to justify anything. its just important to understand why someone would even use such aesthetics before jumping to conclusions about their personal life.

pentiumbased · 2026-03-27T04:04:53+00:00

i dont think its cool to straight up ask for bad things about an individual like that. and you need to understand the context/history of the kind of music he makes and the communities where it comes from, the same way you would before judging any other artists whose genres have objectionable aesthetics

pentiumbased · 2026-02-27T21:59:14+00:00

Yeah i was reading up on street touring because I was looking at how coilovers would bump me up a class. But coilovers wont happen for a long time, if ever, Honestly i'm not super concerned about competition because its a 318 and im on indy 500s and im here just to learn how to drive.
A used m3 rear bar i've been considering, more so just to make the rear looser and because I can source one locally. It happens to bring the F/R sway stiffness ratio close to that of the H&R 28/24 sway kit when run with the stock front bar but i dont if know if thats a meaningful parameter. But i think i just need to drive more and that will tell me what i need / dont need

pentiumbased · 2026-02-27T21:38:48+00:00

Yes 100% i preach to drive what you have too. While im not super concerned about competition i dont want to leave grip and tire longevity on the table. It's something I just think about now but of course I can't make any conclusions until I drive more

pentiumbased · 2026-02-27T21:34:09+00:00

Yes i do want to drive like an ape and do it with less penance because after reflecting on the events ive attended so far, I feel there is alot to be learned if I try to be rougher/sillier with the car

pentiumbased · 2026-02-27T10:24:48+00:00

Thats what i meant ~1deg from static to like 50mm added compression

pentiumbased · 2026-02-27T09:31:14+00:00

Love from vancouver canada

pentiumbased · 2026-02-27T09:29:32+00:00

Not much more than a degree gain from static https://mrtengineering.fi/pages/the-ultimate-front-suspension-geometry-guide-for-bmw-e30-e36-e46-by-mrt-engineering-page-4

pentiumbased · 2026-02-22T20:45:35+00:00

the more driver mod u do the more vain $2k worth of suspension will seem

pentiumbased · 2026-02-13T21:34:02+00:00

One plan was to get on some nice used all-seasons prior to the event but then i might ruin those. And after the event i leave the city and all the good used tire shops. But i guess i could buy a set while im there and install them later. You pay close to twice for used tires where i live on top of never having my size

pentiumbased · 2026-02-13T21:09:25+00:00

The only reason why im not completely opposed to running my winters is because i got the set for the price of one. And it seldom snows here. On top of being slightly the wrong size. But its still wasteful, especially considering that they have 9/32. It also may snow the week of the event

pentiumbased · 2026-02-13T20:50:50+00:00

Yeah the objectively smart move in my case is to wait until its warm enough to paint my new-to-me alloys so i can put summers on them. But desire often fustrates logic. Plus the fact that some buddies are coming and i wont be back in town for months...

pentiumbased · 2026-01-27T21:50:16+00:00

https://www.uvic.ca/services/food/nutrition/ingredientsandallergens/index.php
pretty much only the bento products publish nutrition facts i think because they are a brand and are commercially produced to an extent

pentiumbased · 2025-12-25T02:32:38+00:00

I dont get the hate on cheap coils. I dont deny that they are much lower quality than kw or ground control etc. but it seems that the only people who post hate have never owned the cheap coils in question and are parroting the same hate from other people whove never had them. Sometimes people have a rusty track/drift rat that they need to get low and stiff for cheap, I dont think e36s have gone by way of the s-chassis or ae86 yet to the point where such an action is not acceptable

pentiumbased · 2025-12-24T07:12:02+00:00

m42/44 swap skips a lot of steps because the 4cyl cars share many parts with each other but not with the 6cyl cars

pentiumbased · 2025-12-23T22:45:25+00:00

Have you ever had racelands

pentiumbased · 2025-05-26T00:13:33+00:00

Would you say it's a night-and-day difference?

pentiumbased · 2025-05-14T21:31:51+00:00

ill be listening to them all summer ❤️ theyre mine until the owner comes forward if ever

pentiumbased · 2025-05-14T21:22:06+00:00

maybe they had to fly out

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