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If you are asking somebody else to do the design work for you I would advise that rather than try and become an expert your self to second guess them, that you make sure the person you have gone to has a very good track record of building competitive vehicles with a similar specification to yours.

If you have already done this then it is unlikely you are going to know more about the subject than the expert you have already gone to.

By all means soak up all the knowledge you can find but bear in mind you are paying this guy (company) a lot of money for his expertise and his experience.

johnnymolloy wrote:thanks for the input guys

i am spending money, quite a bit so thats why im on here making sure im getting what i pay for i think ill have to have a look a them books

I can only echo the advice of Luke. A little bit of knowledge has the potential to cause massive confusion. Try to get to know the company's experience instead. The simplest question to ask is "have you done a clean sheet project like this before". If their answer is very short - I'd start to worry. If they can tell you a list of similar projects and how they went - I'd feel somewhat reassured.

Basically, there is a BIG difference between designing a suspension and constructing a suspension. One requires a welder and a grinder. The other requires some smarts and a calculator. If you want to have a decent suspension, you need to be working with a company with some experience in both fields.

I'd be asking your shop to give you a set of target kinematic curves. E.g. bumpsteer, camber gain, roll centre height, anti-dive, anti-lift as well as your steering geometry of caster angle, caster trail, scrub radius and KPI. Even if its scribbled on a napkin - it at least shows that they will put some thought into the kinematics.

On the other hand, if they don't have, can't give or don't want to give you this info (whats a scrub radius?) - I'd say you are in deep deep shìt and I would bail out now...

yes thats exactly what i was thinking leave the expert stuff to the experts

really appreciate the advice just want to build this thing the best i can the first time around

johnnymolloy wrote:yes thats exactly what i was thinking leave the expert stuff to the experts

really appreciate the advice just want to build this thing the best i can the first time around

Experts now there is a thing
Considering that most developments that are possible have already been done decades ago it must be no surprise that the usual design direction for a new vehicle is to copy what has gone before.

johnnymolloy wrote:yes thats exactly what i was thinking leave the expert stuff to the experts

I think Tim's point is more to make SURE that they're experts in design, not just fabrication.

You mentioned the car will have 800hp and large amounts of downforce. With this combination I think the most important considerations with suspension adjustments are those that have an effect on aero performance.

riff_raff wrote:You mentioned the car will have 800hp and large amounts of downforce. With this combination I think the most important considerations with suspension adjustments are those that have an effect on aero performance.

so what adjustment have an effect on aero performance?

As an aside - can I ask why the interest in doing "your own" car rather than buying an existing chassis?

had this shell from when i parted the car out and also the rules for the competition i want to compete in dont allow full tube frame cars