The Scope of this Blog

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) is responsible not only for automotive design and tooling standards but also the somewhat popular collegiate racing series, Formula SAE (FSAE).

As a first year team involved in FSAE, there is obviously a lot of work to be done. We must  religiously refer to the official FSAE Handbook AND build a competitive car that is cheap and effective. Everything (including framing, ergonomics, aerodynamics, suspension, braking, engine, electronics, even cost) must be studied and implemented in the most effective manner to ensure success at competition.

This blog looks to cover at least some of that journey that is arduously traveled within the first year, including some of the mountains to climb and some of the pitfalls to avoid. 

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Differential Choice

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     One of the biggest, most influential design decisions that can affect the driving performance of a car is the rear differential. The type of differential a team will choose practically decides how the car will handle and what kind of suspension and track width/length the car will need in order to perform well within competition.      In short, a rear differential in your everyday vehicle serves to make sure your tires don't slip every time the vehicle needs to turn, thereby extending tire life by reducing tire wear. This is because there is a different distance each wheel has to travel within a turn. In order to make sure each wheel travels a different distance in the same amount of time, there must be a speed differential between the wheels so that the wheels don't slip or suffer premature wear over time.      A secondary (and particularly important) purpose for choosing a rear differential is the ability to limit the amount of slip each tire has under acceleration an
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