Weight / Balance

RobC76

RobC76

Well-Known Member
Posting this for opinions of much smarter people than I. Thanks for all you guys do to help this community have successful builds!

I’m contemplating moving all coolant to side pods in front of rear tires much like a few have done. Pipe dream would be to mold fiberglass pods to cover them.
I’m worried about front weight and honestly afraid of removing weight from the front. I think I’m using a lithium lightweight battery behind passenger seat as well. Thought of even putting fuel cell in nose as long as it was in a blattered race car cell. The issue with this obviously is fuel burn will keep lightening front end and drastically change setup constantly.
On another note I thought of using a nine lives wang about 1/2 way up into where radiator was but the advantage of this at low speed will be minimal.
Thanks again for listening to all my silly ideas!
 
RobC76

RobC76

Well-Known Member
Also while we are on this subject. Does anyone agree that the rear wing is not very effective with full glass and a roof?
Mount on cage above roof similar to a few of the ideas I’ve seen on the forum?
 
C

Chubbs

Well-Known Member
I don't know if I quite understand....you're worried that front will be too light? But you've also removed the heaviest thing up there (the battery), and put it behind the seat? Or are you trying to lighten the front end further?

If i understand your concern (front too light), it seems your solution is counterproductive, but maybe I don't understand what you're trying to do.

I personally would not locate the fuel tank at the front, for the same reasons you mentioned (the weight changes). As it is, the fuel tank is pretty close to the cars center of mass, so varying fuel loads don't really affect the handling at all that I have noticed.

Locating the heat exchangers in side pods is more effective for cooling, but does not help with the rear weight bias of the car. Those are solving two separate issues. In stock form, the Intercooler heat exchanger is located behind the radiator, and it takes a lot of radiator heat, reducing its effectiveness. Locating in side pods helps with that, but I'm not aware of people doing it for weight reasons.
 
C

Chubbs

Well-Known Member
Oh, and as for your comment about the rear wing, I agree it has limited effect behind a full windshield. I put a wing on my car because I liked the look. I always thought the car looked a little naked without it. I am currently constructing a carbon wing that's wide enough to extend over the rear wheels, that I'm hoping will have effect....but the car doesn't really need more downforce in the rear anyway.

IMO, the wing is really just for looks. A wing in the front would be helpful though. I run a splitter up front, and I can feel a difference with and without it, but it's not a huge difference.
 
RobC76

RobC76

Well-Known Member
Chubbs said:
I don't know if I quite understand....you're worried that front will be too light? But you've also removed the heaviest thing up there (the battery), and put it behind the seat? Or are you trying to lighten the front end further?

If i understand your concern (front too light), it seems your solution is counterproductive, but maybe I don't understand what you're trying to do.

I personally would not locate the fuel tank at the front, for the same reasons you mentioned (the weight changes). As it is, the fuel tank is pretty close to the cars center of mass, so varying fuel loads don't really affect the handling at all that I have noticed.

Locating the heat exchangers in side pods is more effective for cooling, but does not help with the rear weight bias of the car. Those are solving two separate issues. In stock form, the Intercooler heat exchanger is located behind the radiator, and it takes a lot of radiator heat, reducing its effectiveness. Locating in side pods helps with that, but I'm not aware of people doing it for weight reasons.
Click to expand...
To Clarify:
Yes I’m worried about moving weight from the front.
I do realize the battery is the heaviest thing up there but I want to eliminate the long cables going to the battery and I figured if I used a lithium behind seat it wasn’t really moving all that weight but eliminating weight even though it’s removing it from where I’m trying not to.
I think the tank needs to stay where it is. Agreed
I’m talking about also moving the engine radiator as well as the A2W cooler to side pods. This effectively would eliminate all of the weight in the front of chassis. That’s my concern, I could leave the battery yes but I’d rather not. I just don’t want to bolt lead in the car. I want to go swimming but I don’t want to get wet lol.
 
Desert Sasqwatch

Desert Sasqwatch

Goblin Guru
Rob, removing weight from the front end is not a good plan. Nearly every builder on the forum has commented about the front end lifting/being 'squirrely' at higher speeds. If anything you want to add weight to the front end where possible. Like @Chubbs maybe I'm not understanding your end goal? Myself, I've added most weight in front and lost weight in the rear.

Mounting a wing to the rear edge of the roof is definitely a positive in at least 2 ways. One, the entire wing will see MUCH cleaner air across its entire surface - especially if a flat roof panel is added to help direct and flatten the air before it reaches the bottom surface of the wing. Second, the downforce it generates is right above the center of gravity and provides nearly equal force to both ends of the vehicle. This in essence has a self-balancing effect which will not over force the rear of the car and then must be balanced with bigger front end downforce (a wing) on the front end. With this roof wing setup, it is easier to add front end downforce, in moderation (a splitter) to achieve the feel wanted so the front end doesn't feel light at speed. Plus there is less weight (a smaller wing and front splitter) and less aerodynamic drag - every little bit helps.
 
RobC76

RobC76

Well-Known Member
Thanks, Maybe some tractor weights up front lol.
Seriously though I understand what you are saying here.
 
RobC76

RobC76

Well-Known Member
Does anyone have corner weights on a completed Goblin that they feel handles decent?
Might help me figure out a few things.
thanks
 
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