Having set the corner weights correct for the first time (left / right on both axles less than 2% difference with me in it) and having driven it today I am really amazed at the improvement in feel! It was really bad (left front wheel (LHD car) had 46kg more load than the right one) but I didn't expect this great improvement.

So it got me thinking. If I would make two mini-cyclinders and us them to replace the adjustable spring seat on the front shocks. Link them up with a valve between. Then whenever I have a passenger or a lot of luggage or whatever I find a flat floor, open the valve, let the cylinders settle, close the valve and both front wheels are perfectly adjusted for weight.

The attached picture shows how these cylinders could look like. In Aluminium they should weight less than 0.3kg per wheel and have 10mm of adjustment in them.

Am using this to learn alibre design better but it is completely idiotic or might it be something?

Rgrds,

Mies.
Rescued attachment Top spring seat.jpg

I think thats a great idea. it would solve alot of handling issues especially if someone had an idea for a "locost MPV" haha

Or do what I am doing for the next project, fit air ride suspension shocks and a compressor.

Re compensating for passenger weight I think it might have the oposite effect from what you intend.

My feeling about corner weight adjustment is that other than ride height, the ONLY thing you can adjust by moving spring seats up or down is the diagonal balance, i.e. removing any effective 'twist' in the chassis. I don't see how you can move weight around by making such adjustments, other than by creating a diagonal imbalance, which is what your system is doing, effectively undoing all the good work you've just done.

If you think about it you're balancing the weight across the two front wheels by creating an imbalance across the two rear wheels - surely not what correct cornerload adjustment is about.

Bugger, I'm hopeless at explaining things sometimes - maybe somebody with a better command of English than me can have a go....!

Geoff.

You see it exactly how i see it.

Think the op is missunderstanding what is required having been slightly misled.

I am with JoelP & GeoffT the key thing is digonal balance a unlike a perfect single seater race car a Locost is nowhere near symetrical. One side of the car will always be heavier ie has more mass than the other. This affects both braking and acceleration, interms of down force (weight) and inertia.

The only way to share weight around is to move heavy items such as the battery and fuel tank to counter balance other heavy items such as the driver.