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How many G's can a car pull?

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  • How many G's can a car pull?

    Next time you hear an astronaut talk about taking 3 G's in liftoff & re-entry think about this post

    Low performance cars;

    Let's put it this way; even an old Datsun 510 sedan can pull .6 G in both cornering and braking, and they had rubber bands for tires
    Wreck: up to 300 G's, but 10 - 30 is more common

    high-performance street cars (A/B/C limited by DOT-legal tires);

    Acceleration: 0.9 - 1.4 G's (also gearing dependent)
    Braking: 0.8 - 1.3+ G's
    Cornering: 0.9 - 1.5 G's
    Wreck: up to 300 G's, but 10 - 30 is more common

    in a Formula 1 car;

    Acceleration: 2.0 - 2.2 G's
    Braking: 5+ G's
    Cornering: 4 - 5 G's
    Wreck: highest survived by a human - 179 G's; David Purley in 1977 @ Silverstone; 173 km/h (108 mph) to 0 in a distance of 66 cm (26") after his throttle jammed wide open & he walled. He lived, but was never the same. Some up to 300+ G's and they don't survive.

    and on/in a drag bike or dragster;

    Acceleration: 4 - 5+ G's (as in 0-60 in ~0.7 seconds for bikes)
    Braking: 4+ G's (parachute)
    Cornering: not applicable - straight line racing.
    Wreck: see F1 cars
    Last edited by Dr Mordrid; 16 August 2007, 17:58.
    Dr. Mordrid
    ----------------------------
    An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

    I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

  • #2
    Originally posted by Dr Mordrid View Post
    Let's put it this way; even an old Datsun 510 sedan can pull .6 G in both cornering and braking, and they had rubber bands for tires
    Yup, but a Datsun couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding.

    Theoretically, a tyre-road contact cannot exceed 1 g except if there is cogging (ie the tread grips irregularities in the road surface; if the rubber is soft and has a low hysteresis, no tread is required for cogging.) Elastomers are a fine science.
    Brian (the devil incarnate)

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Brian Ellis View Post
      Theoretically, a tyre-road contact cannot exceed 1 g except if there is cogging (ie the tread grips irregularities in the road surface; if the rubber is soft and has a low hysteresis, no tread is required for cogging.) Elastomers are a fine science.
      Yup, sure shows the difference between theory and practice

      Even 'back in the day' we had to use head cradles to prevent neck strain caused by those lateral G's. Whip around 20 hard curves/lap and eventually your neck is a noodle.
      Dr. Mordrid
      ----------------------------
      An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

      I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

      Comment

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