Tag Archives: driving

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Understanding weight transfer and how it can benefit your driving

The topic this time is a bit technical, namely weight transfer. However, throughout this article, we will use the term “weight transfer” because it is easier to understand for car enthusiasts.

But what is weight transfer? The transfer of weight from where to where? And how does it affect driving, so much so that it can differentiate performance?

In short, weight transfer is the distribution of the vehicle’s weight when accelerating, braking, or turning. It always reacts, regardless of whether you are driving fast or slow, whether you are driving a performance car or an everyday car.

However, weight transfer may not be too critical in everyday driving, but when driving sports cars, understanding and controlling weight transfer can make the difference between smooth and controlled driving, and driving that can be unsettling for passengers.

The physics behind weight transfer – the center of gravity

Every object has a center of gravity. This is where all the weight is concentrated. In a car, the center of gravity usually lies around the middle of the car, but the exact location depends on the type of car.

For example, the Aston Martin DB12. With a front mid-engine configuration and rear-wheel drive, its center of gravity is slightly towards the front. But cars like the Ferrari F8 Tributo with a rear mid-engine have a more balanced center of gravity towards the middle.

Front-engine cars like the Toyota Vios, Perodua Myvi, Mercedes A-Class, and Audi A5 have their center of gravity slightly towards the front. However, the Mazda MX-5, despite having a front engine, has its center of gravity in the middle because it uses rear-wheel drive.

When you accelerate, turn, or brake, the forces applied cause the car’s weight to shift around its center of gravity. This is weight transfer.

The impact of acceleration on weight transfer

Imagine you’re driving a sports car. When accelerating and pressing the pedal firmly to the floor, you’ll notice the back of the car being pushed down and the front rising. This situation is called squat, caused by weight transfer from the front to the back.

For rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive cars, this squat will increase the weight on the rear wheels, allowing the car to accelerate better. The weight concentrated on the rear wheels gives them better grip.

But for front-wheel drive cars, the weight transfer during acceleration does not have much of an effect.

The same principle applies when braking. Weight transfer causes the weight to shift to the front, also known as dive.

Then, when turning, weight transfer shifts the weight to the outer side; for example, a right turn will cause the weight to shift to the left side of the car. This weight transfer also leads to body roll.

Understanding this concept is important and will help you drive better, especially during spirited driving on the track.

Here are some more specific effects of weight transfer:

Acceleration – During acceleration, a lot of weight shifts to the back, increasing grip on the rear tires, but also reducing the grip on the front tires, causing the car to tend to oversteer.
Braking – When you brake, the weight shifts to the front tires, increasing grip and braking performance. The car can turn more responsively, but the reduced weight on the rear tires can make the car more prone to oversteer.
Turning – When turning, the outer tires have more grip. However, the car can still understeer or oversteer depending on the car’s configuration, type of differential, and input from the driver.

Knowing and understanding the concept of weight transfer will not automatically make you faster. Instead, you should be more aware of the car’s condition at all times. Provide linear inputs (acceleration, braking, steering) and avoid sudden inputs. Aggressive inputs can cause the car to lose balance and the tires to lose grip.

The higher the speed of the vehicle, the more smoothly and carefully you need to give inputs. The car will respond well within its limits, and as a result, you will become faster and safer.

TIPS

These 6 driving hacks might help you reduce traffic congestion and accident risks

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WHAT comes to mind when thinking about driving during festive seasons or school holidays? Traffic congestion and higher accident rates, right? This is due to the increased number of vehicles on the road as many people have plans for vacations with family or friends.

The issue is that most of the congestion or traffic jams and accidents should not occur if our drivers are more disciplined and use common sense while driving, rather than solely relying on instinct. So this time, we would like to share six (6) ‘driving hacks’ that can be adopted to reduce the risk of congestion and road accident risks during the holiday season.

It is important to remember that these sort of ‘hacks’ are not too strange or new, but rather common things that we all already know and have learned. We will simply explain in more depth why practicing them will reduce congestion and the risk of accidents.

1. Maintain a distance from the car ahead

Just another common advice, isn’t it? Before you yawn from drowsiness, let us explain. Do you feel great because you’ve managed to aggressively squeeze in front of the car ahead?

Actually, this aggressive tailgating practice is not the smartest to adopt. Even if you ask professional racers, they do not drive closely on the road.

This is because by driving too close, you are likely to brake suddenly and repeatedly, triggering a domino effect for traffic flow, especially on highways.

Have you ever stopped in the rightmost lane of a four-lane highway? And when you move, you see that nothing is happening? Yes, this is the result of the “great” guy who tailgated 25 cars in front.

2. Avoid driving too slowly in the middle lane

“Hey, why can’t I drive slowly? Where are you in such a hurry to go?” Well, you can drive slowly, no one will be angry, but in the left lane, right? Not the middle lane.

For example, if there are three lanes on the highway, there should be THREE different speeds. But when you drive slowly in the middle lane, at the same speed as the left lane, there are only two different speeds on that highway. This causes unnecessary congestion.

What’s the point of building a three-lane highway if it operates the same as two lanes, right?

Even worse if it’s a four-lane highway, but three lanes with the same speed, only the right lane is a little faster. The reason? The slow driving gang in the middle lane. Congratulations.

3. Don’t be ashamed to sit on the left

This is a continuation of the previous ‘lifehack’, if we feel like driving slowly, chill out, use the left signal, and switch to the left lane. “Isn’t the left lane just for buses and trucks?” Heavy vehicles are prohibited from being in the rightmost lane, but for us ordinary passenger car drivers, it’s no problem to be in the left lane. There’s a difference.

If you feel like driving slowly, want to chat vigorously with the passengers, or ask someone at home to pass you snacks, this is the lane for that. Not the middle lane.

4. Accelerate in the merging lane BEFORE entering the main lanes

This is also an important lifehack. Did you know that the entrance merging lane to the highway is the most underused? Many are in a rush to get to the right lane but are still crawling, causing the cars in the main lane to brake for them.

As a result, another domino effect. You can see examples on the main highway during peak hours or the start of holidays. Traffic congestion near the merging lanes, then flowing smoothly again. Cars from the merging lane rush to enter the right lane even though the lane is still long. Any prizes for who gets to the right lane first?

Ideally, accelerate, signal right, and merge at the same speed. Not signal, merge casually, and then speed up. It’s tiring to teach one by one…

5. Looking far ahead

This ‘lifehack’ is actually one of the defensive driving techniques. Use whatever we can to see far ahead. Perhaps we can look ahead through the front car mirror, or maintain our distance. When we are too close to the front car, it’s more difficult for us to see what’s ahead of it.

For example, we can be prepared to slow down before the car in front hits the brakes. This is crucial for smooth traffic flow. Imagine if all drivers maintained distance, looked far ahead, and avoided sudden braking, surely the traffic flow would be smooth even with many cars.

6. Matching speed with traffic flow

Finally, the key to smooth driving is to drive at a speed that matches the traffic flow. Not too fast and not too slow. Driving too fast in heavy traffic, other drivers will think you’re possessed, and believe me, they’re all cursing you. If it’s an emergency, that’s a different story.

But driving too slowly is also dangerous because other cars have to change lanes a lot to “avoid” you. Like a stone rolling in a fast-flowing drain. Don’t be in your own world, driving as you please, “as long as you don’t exceed the speed limit,” it said. Follow the traffic flow, be aware of the surroundings.

How about the six driving ‘lifehacks’ we shared? If you’re not sure, it’s okay. Take a deep breath, and reconsider while driving during the holiday season. And try to observe the causes of congestion that occur. Drive safely!

TIPS

Warming up engines: Do you perform it correctly?

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THE issue of engine warm-up has been debated for a long time, from casual conversations at coffee shops, hanging out at TT gatherings, to discussions in internet forums and Facebook groups.

Why is it necessary to warm up the engine? Is it just a fad, or does it serve a real purpose? We will attempt to explain this with an easy-to-understand explanation and relate it to several common situations we encounter.

Warming up the engine has been a practice since 30 to 40 years ago, when carburetor engines used a choke to mix air and petrol for combustion. In cold weather, petrol doesn’t vaporize, and since the carburetor doesn’t have a temperature sensor, it cannot adjust combustion efficiently and effectively. More fuel is used during this time. Therefore, the engine needs to be warmed up before driving.

For most modern cars that we drive today, their engines are equipped with sensors to precisely calculate the air-fuel mixture ratio. This ratio is also adjusted based on the temperature.

Therefore, in cold weather, engines with electronic fuel injection systems will inject more fuel (burning rich) to ensure proper combustion until the engine reaches the ideal temperature. This process is much faster compared to older engines with carburetor systems.

How long should you wait before driving?

The simple answer is to start the engine, wait just a little while, and then drive immediately. You actually don’t need to wait 15 or 20 minutes to warm up the engine. It’s just a waste of fuel.

Do you have deep pockets and don’t care about the cost of fuel? Well, a mechanical engineer from the Argonne National Laboratory reported that fuel is a solvent and can thin the engine oil on the cylinder walls if the engine is left idling for a long period.

As you may understand, if there is less oil on the cylinder walls, there will be more friction, and various components can be damaged or have their lifespan shortened if we warm up the engine for too long.

According to a representative from Volvo who conducted cold weather tests in the Arctic, they stated that new cars do not need to have their engines warmed up. “It’s best to start the engine for a short time to build fuel pressure, and then drive as usual,” they said.

But don’t start the engine and immediately press the accelerator hard. After about 20 or 30 seconds of starting the engine in the morning, you can slowly drive out of the housing estate, then a few turns before accelerating on the main road.

What about a car that’s been left unused for a long time?

There are times when we leave a car unused for a long period, regardless of the reason. This also raises the issue of warming up the engine, which means starting the engine briefly before leaving the car again.

But what is the correct way to warm up the engine, start and let it idle for 10 minutes? The answer is that the above method is not correct. If you have a car that is rarely driven, the best way to warm up the engine occasionally is to start the engine, drive it out of the house, and drive slowly in the surrounding area. There’s no need to do it for a long time. 10 or 15 minutes is enough.

This method is better because not only does the engine components move, but the fluid and oil in the transmission system also move around the entire area, as well as the tires and axles, everything moves. So, the grit and lubricating oil can be spread evenly.

To revisit the initial point of the article, merely warming up the engine by idling in place is less effective and can even jeopardize some components.