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5 25 Ne ls o n R is ing L n. #9 09 S a n Fr a nc i sc o CA 94158, U SA D ub o v 49 5/ 1 1, 03 1 0 4 L ipt ov sk M i kul , S K

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Instructions and Examples of how to use the Weight Distribution Calculator

provided by Barani Design

Calculator can be found at www.baranidesign.com on the resources page.

Example Problem 1. Effect of fuel load on racecar weight distribution:

Lets take a formula racecar which burns through about 10 gallons (~70lb) of fuel per race. 1. We weigh the car with an empty tank and note the location of the center of the fuel tank is 60in aft for front axle and 3in right of the centerline. ORIGINAL RACECAR SPECIFICATIONS WHEEL BASE = Average TRACK = Original Component Weight = 101 in 59.75 in 0 lb Front Left Wheel Load = Rear Left Wheel Load = Original fore/aft Position of Component = 174 lb 270 lb 60 in Front Right Wheel Load = Rear Right Wheel Load = Original right/left Position of Component = 200 lb 239 lb 3 in

2. With 70lb of fuel, the fuel component weight will go from 0 for an empty tank to 70lb for a full tank. NEW Component NEW fore/aft NEW right/left Position 70 lb 60 in 3 in Weight = Position = = 3. As we can see, filling the car with fuel moved the CG back from 58.221to 58.352in behind the front axle and from 0.169in on the left to .064in on the right of the car centerline. The weight distribution shifted aft by 0.2% and the weight of the car jumped from 883lbs to 953lbs.

Example Problem 2. Effect of a 220lb driver vs 160lb driver on racecar weight distribution:
Lets take the same formula racecar as above and change the driver from a slender 160lb man to a husky 220lb man. 1. We weigh the car with the 160lb man get the corner weights. Then we note the location of his belly button, 35in behind front axle as his center of gravity. ORIGINAL RACECAR SPECIFICATIONS WHEEL BASE = Average TRACK = Original Component Weight = 101 in 59.75 in 160 lb Front Left Wheel Load = Rear Left Wheel Load = Original fore/aft Position of Component = 174 lb 270 lb 35 in Front Right Wheel Load = Rear Right Wheel Load = Original right/left Position of Component = 200 lb 239 lb 0 in

2. Assuming the heavier drivers center of gravity to be 2in more forward due to his strong legs, we change the New Component Weight to 220lb and NEW fore/aft Position to 33in behind the front axle. NEW Component NEW fore/aft NEW right/left Position 220 lb 33 in 0 in Weight = Position = = With the new driver, the CG moved forward to 56.277in behind the front axle and the weight distribution shifted forward from 42.4% to 44.3%. The weight of the car jumped from 883lbs to 943lbs, and the front suspension has to cary an extra 44lb of load.

Example Problem 3. Effect of moving battery on Radio Controled (RC) Airplane center of gravity location:
weight-distribution.docx 10 June 2011 Page 1 of 2

BARANIDESIGN
E L E G A N C E I N E N G I N E E R I N G

5 25 Ne ls o n R is ing L n. #9 09 S a n Fr a nc i sc o CA 94158, U SA D ub o v 49 5/ 1 1, 03 1 0 4 L ipt ov sk M i kul , S K

Te l U SA : +1 -478 -22 7-2 64 4 Fa x : +1-925-905-4142 info @b ara nid es ig n.co m w ww.ba r a n i desi g n.c o m

Lets take a tail dragger airplane, like a P-51D Mustang. 1. Measure the weight of the airplane on the main landing gear and at the tail wheel...left wheel= 750grams, right wheel= 700grams, tail wheel= 200grams. 2. The distance between the main gears and the tail wheel is 50cm and side to side between the two main gears its 20cm. 3. Our battery pack weight is 80grams and its Original position is in the nose, 7cm ahead of the main landing gear and 3cm to the left of the centerline. ORIGINAL VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS WHEEL BASE = Average TRACK = Original Component Weight = 50 cm 20 cm 80 g Front Left Wheel Load = Rear Left Wheel Load = Original fore/aft Position of Component = 750 g 100 g -7 cm Front Right Wheel Load = Rear Right Wheel Load = Original right/left Position of Component = 700 g 100 g -3 cm

4. We want to replace the battery pack with a larger one that weighs 150grams but to fit it we have to reposition it to 3cm behind the main landing gear and 0.5cm to the right of the centerline. NEW Component NEW fore/aft NEW right/left Position 150g 3.0 cm 0.5 cm Weight = Position = = 5. As we can see, our CG moved back from 6.061 to 6.401cm behind the main landing gear and from 0.303 to 0.108cm on the left closer to the centerline. We can also see the airplane weight jumped from 1650 to 1720grams.

Problem 4. Effect of adding ballast to a racecar.

weight-distribution.docx

10 June 2011

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