Car's weight shift with torque & angular momentum

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around understanding how torque and angular momentum affect the weight distribution on a car's tires, particularly during turning maneuvers. Participants explore the relationship between these physical concepts and their implications for tire downforce and weight shifts.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses difficulty visualizing which tires will be pushed down based on the car's angular momentum and torque, suggesting that the two right wheels will carry more weight.
  • Another participant questions whether the current discussion differs from a previously linked thread about forces on wheels in an accelerating vehicle.
  • A participant believes that using the right-hand rule with angular momentum and torque can determine the direction of the car's lean, although they express uncertainty about the application of this rule.
  • Another participant explains that when a car turns left, the ground exerts a left centripetal force on the tires, resulting in increased downforce on the right side tires due to the generated torque.
  • This participant also notes that the stiffness of the suspension affects the distribution of downforce between the right side tires, although the total downforce remains unchanged.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the application of angular momentum and torque, and there is no consensus on the correct interpretation of these concepts in relation to tire weight distribution.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about the car's dynamics and the specific conditions of the scenario are not fully articulated, which may affect the clarity of the discussion. The relationship between torque, angular momentum, and tire forces remains complex and is not resolved.

DanielBailey
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I am having trouble visualizing which two tires of a car will be pushed down based on the angular momentum and torque of that car. Let's say if its angular momentum is point OUT while its torque is pointing UP in relations to the picture below.

My guess is it's the two right wheels of the picture below.

What I think is the angular momentum wants to go where the torque is in other words "the torque is pushing the angular momentum" you can figure out which way the car is leaning more and figure out which tires of the car carries the most weight at that point in time.

Picture:
1653250683.png
 
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If the car is turning to the left, then the ground exerts a left centripetal force onto the tires, below the center of mass which generates an outwards torque on the car, causing the right side tires to experience more downforce than the left side tires. If the suspension in the roll direction is relatively stiffer at one end then the other, then the stiffer end right side tire will experience more downforce than the less stiffer end right side tire. The sum of the downforce on the right side tires isn't affected by the stiffer end effect, just the distribution of the downforce.
 

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