Using your body weight in cornering

[Nortad]

Hello y´all

I´ve been hearing contradicting versions of how to use your body weight to help the grip in corner. I´ve always thought you should lean to the outer side of the corner to maximize grip in the outer rear tyre, but while watching the World Cup guys in Braga, they didnt look like they were leaning to the outside, but to the inside of the corner, and later while talking to some mates there was some who defended outside lean, while others the inside lean.

So which one is the best?

Cheers

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Nortad

Hello y´all

I´ve been hearing contradicting versions of how to use your body weight to help the grip in corner. I´ve always thought you should lean to the outer side of the corner to maximize grip in the outer rear tyre, but while watching the World Cup guys in Braga, they didnt look like they were leaning to the outside, but to the inside of the corner, and later while talking to some mates there was some who defended outside lean, while others the inside lean.

So which one is the best?

Cheers

In most cases you'd lean towards the outside for two reasons :

o Karts don't have a differential so in order for the fixed rear axle to be able to traverse a corner you either need to be sliding it, or have the inside rear wheel 'light' or off the ground. This is also why karts run with so much caster. If you increase the weight on the inside, by leaning in, you'll be working against that and make the kart more difficult to get around the corner.

o Increasing the weight over a specific wheel will enhance it's adhesion. That's why Formula One cars use wings etc... When a kart goes through a corner, the wheel under maximum load and providing most of the grip will be the rear outside. You will want to place as much weight as possible over that in order it enhance its adhesion and this can be done by leaning out.

... of course others may have a different opinion (!)

[Nortad]

Originally Posted by davyboy

In most cases you'd lean towards the outside for two reasons :

o Karts don't have a differential so in order for the fixed rear axle to be able to traverse a corner you either need to be sliding it, or have the inside rear wheel 'light' or off the ground. This is also why karts run with so much caster. If you increase the weight on the inside, by leaning in, you'll be working against that and make the kart more difficult to get around the corner.

o Increasing the weight over a specific wheel will enhance it's adhesion. That's why Formula One cars use wings etc... When a kart goes through a corner, the wheel under maximum load and providing most of the grip will be the rear outside. You will want to place as much weight as possible over that in order it enhance its adhesion and this can be done by leaning out.

... of course others may have a different opinion (!)

thats exactly what i thought and always did, but visually it seemed like the world cup guys where leaning towards the inside (maybe a optic illusion caused by them tilting their heads towards the corner)

anyway, thanks for confirming that for me

Cheers

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Nortad

thats exactly what i thought and always did, but visually it seemed like the world cup guys where leaning towards the inside (maybe a optic illusion caused by them tilting their heads towards the corner)

anyway, thanks for confirming that for me

Cheers

The natural tendency is to lean your head into a corner to counter the lateral G pulling it out and often it can appear that from the chest upwards the body's tilted inwards, but you'll probably find that their ribcage is pressed firmly against the outside of the seat to load it in that direction.

[Peat]

Yep, its probably just the head tilting. Also, alot of guys load the chassis by pushing the steering wheel, could have something to do with it.