What is mechanical grip?

[greg]

Could someone tell me what mechanical hrip is exactly, and why it isn't the same as normal grip.

[drspeed]

Mechanical grip is 'just' grip made between the friction of tire rubber and abrassive road surfaces. I guess it could be call that normal grip. Anything other than that that adds more grip on top of that such as traction control or downforce would not be called 'mechanical grip'.

[Beostar]

hmm. i have a different view on it. (could be wrong tho)

I always thought mechanical grip is the grip you create using stuff like traction control, better suspension, dampers and so on.

And other grip is created based upon aerodynamics?

It would seem more logical cause why would it be called mechanical if it has nothing to do with real mechanical structures?

Or am I on a wrong track here?

[Tomba]

well.. in my point of view, mechanical grip is the part that you have left when you would replace the chassis body with a completely neutral box, that does not create any lift of downforce.

Of course, traction control is a problem, since you could consider that to be "electronical" grip (found that one myself )

[Beostar]

hehe
so we have electronical grip , mechanical grip, aerodynamical grip.
Anyone care to add to this list

[scarbs]

Mechanical grip asI understand is the inherent grip in the car, to this grip we add aerodynamic grip (downforce) and some add chemical grip (tyre compound). Mechanical grip is felt at low speed, before aero grip dominates at higher speeds. It is a result of the suspension geometry\compliance and weight distribution. Hence off the grid mech grip is Maximised by the electronics, traction control doesnot create grip, it only make use of what you've got.

[Monstrobolaxa]

I have too agree with Scarbs....

[Beostar]

But I'm guessing there isn't a real defenition for mechanical grip?

Scrabs do has a point there. And prolly is right

[xpensive]

Scrabs is absolutely right. And there is a simple definition, as "mechanical grip" is everything except grip generated by aerodynamic downforce, imagine driving the car in vacuum.

[Roland Ehnström]

imagine driving the car in vacuum.

Oh, this gave me a glimpse of the future: In order to reduce cornering speeds and, most importantly, energy costs, the tracks (as well as public highways) will be completely covered by transparent semi-vacuum tubing. The cars will be electric powered and the drivers and team personell will wear oxygen masks, etc. The crowd would watch the races from outside the tube, in complete safety.

[Ogami musashi]

The mechanical grip is a partial variable of the grip equation.

The grip aviable is the tyre's friction coefficient times weight plus downforce
Grip=Cf*(weight+downforce)= Cf*weight+Cf*downforce

Thus mechanical grip is considered to be the first member of the second form of the grip equation that is the tyre's friction coefficient (the "quality of the tyre) times the weight on it, by weight we hear mass and accelerations from load transfers.

Aero grip is a bit weird as despite needing the tyre's grip coefficient to exist, we only consider the aero loads that is downforce.

Thus the simple definition of mechanical grip is the grip fournished by the car without downforce as scarbs said.

[Conceptual]

imagine driving the car in vacuum.

Oh, this gave me a glimpse of the future: In order to reduce cornering speeds and, most importantly, energy costs, the tracks (as well as public highways) will be completely covered by transparent semi-vacuum tubing. The cars will be electric powered and the drivers and team personell will wear oxygen masks, etc. The crowd would watch the races from outside the tube, in complete safety.

As long as the cars get to use the tube as banking, and overtake using the ceiling, I would be at every race!