Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikester
Actually, he is correct- this I DO have experience with as a 21 yr instruments, flight controls and navigation technician. Any rotating mass is inertial mass subject to gyroscopic precession due to Newton's laws of motion (objects in motion tend to stay in motion). With the clutch engaged, everything from the clutch to the wheels technically becomes inertial mass... which is why lightening everything from the wheels to the flywheel to the crank to the pulleys etc makes a difference in how the car responds.
Lighter is not always better- depends on the application. For instance, in drag racing, to a point, heavier is better as more mass tends to stay in a rotational state longer than a lighter one. However, I highlighted 'to a point' because there is also the work required in pushing the total mass of the car down the track- in which case, heavier is NOT better aft of the flywheel lol. This, I believe is where the differentiation as you stated between driven mass (clutch back) and inertial mass (Flywheel fwd) comes into play... but really, it's all inertial mass once put into rotation... Silly point I suppose... but being a geek, it sorta caught my attention  |
Potential energy vs Kinetic.
Drag racers use 40lb flywheels but Carbon Fiber Driveshafts.