Mass dampers

[fastback33]

I'm sorry i know this has come up before and i DID do a search but there was just too many threads to sift through for the answer(s) i'm curious about.

My question is how do mass dampers work? It is obviously something to do with the suspension of the car, but i don't understand why it is banned??

BTW first post, glad i found this place!!

[Giblet]

Quite simply, there was weights on springs inside near the nose of the car with springs suspending them.

When the car would hit a bump or curb, a good portion of the up and down motion was absorbed by the damper, keeping the car level.

Unfortunately for Renault, the FIA determined that the main of the effect of the car was keeping it level, and thus more aerodynamically effecient.

SInce the weights move, and the FIA considers them aero parts, they were banned as movable aero is not allowed.

This item has been in debate ever since, and Renault figured they were good for at least a few 10ths per lap. They helped ever aspect of the car by keeping the in better contact with the road, which I guess means they were also braking and mechanical grip and launch control devices, which are all banned.

[modbaraban]

Welcome to the forum, fastback33.

This should answer your question.

At the time the F1 circus arrived at Hockenheim, Renault and Alonso were building up a comfortable lead in the championship. However, the FIA decided to interfere and decided to ban the innovative mass damper solution that was used and approved by the FIA since the Brazilian GP of 2005. Although Renault managed to win the title, Pat Symonds recently said that the fuss seriously hampered Renault's progress towards the end of the season.
The mass damper itself was in fact a movable mass inside the nosecone of the car. About 9kg mass could therefore be considered sprung mass, a considerable advantage over the other teams. The device was particularly effective on kerbstones and in acceleration where the inertia of the mass would effectively pull the nose down to the track and increase front end grip.

[manchild]

http://estaticos.elmundo.es/elmundo/200 ... damper.swf

Click on Comenzar to start animation

[countersteer]

Am I the only one that thinks the logic to ban the mass damper system on the basis of moveable aerodynamics was just a bit too long and tortured? Given that arguement, anything that settles the car (springs, dampeners, etc.etc.) could be outlawed.

Not to say it wasn't illegal. It appears to me to quite blatantly violate the rule against moveable ballast. Wasn't Ken Tyrrel disqualified by having a box to which he added lead shot that was determined to be moveable ballast?

Can someone explain to me why it wasn't outlawed on that point?

Thanks in advance...

[Giblet]

Other examples of outlawed tech I have seen (active suspension for example) are more often outlawed at the close of the saeason, not midway in the season.

Many people feel the techical aspect of it was secondary to the politics surrounding it.

The car was cleared by the FIA at the beginning of the season, then they changed their minds.

The cars are divided into weigtht categories, sprung and unsprung. Since the car is considered sprung weight, and wheels unsprung (I think), suspension pieces and dampers are allowed this way.

[Tom]

I don't think Tyrell got in trouble for movable ballast, its the fact they added ballast (in the form of lead weights dropped into the cooling I believe) to the car during pit stops when they were only allowed to add coolant.

Thanks for that animation MC, and everyones descriptions. Helped me understand alot better too.

[fastback33]

Interesting, and thanks for the info guys, aswell as the welcome.