No. These are the prices to buy license and download the software. I believe we pay it just once. I mean, it is not an annual license but license with not due date.
This is when having a mechanic/tuner can be helpful. Or just asking questions on this forum! There are many instances were a chassis change can have two completely opposite effects depending on the rest of the setup and driver variables.
Personally, this software seems like a waste of money. You can get almost everything you could ever want out of the data just by downloading your data and learning to analyze it or having someone help you analyze it in the free RaceStudio software AiM provides.
This software sounds nice in theory, but in the end, if your driver can’t describe the kart’s handling inefficiencies and you need full-on software to report simple things like “understeer” or “oversteer” or “the tires are going off”, you’re only going to get to a certain level anyway. The driver needs to develop the skills necessary to feel the kart’s handling issues and convey them to the tuner or to make the adjustments themselves.
A stopwatch, tire pressure gauge, and a basic understanding of handling can get you 95% of the data that this software supposedly can provide.
It’s good that you’re taking notes and looking for trends in setup and handling. Unfortunately, track conditions, tire conditions, and all the other variables at play can make things confusing and difficult to find trends or answers to some of the handling questions. Plus, there is a wide array of handling adjustments, and each one can have side-effects on other parts of the kart, so it can be tricky to isolate the adjustment’s effect.
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Tj gets to the point quicker. But, that’s where I was headed. Before messing with the engine tuning, start hammering on that mechanical chassis tuning.
Widen rear, see how that changes things. Then go narrow.
Add caster. Take it away. Etc.
Learning what all these things do is free and more immediately useful than trying to make the engine perfect. That’s a fun project but you need to get a handle on the chassis dynamics and stuff first, as a) it’s free, and b) it makes a difference day to day.
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Dom, I agree with you when you say about chassi setup x engine tuning, due to that the module of the software I am interested in is the chassis and tyres analysis, it does not analyze engine. The engine tuning is made by an expert that provide services to me.
Ok ok. I thought the point of the software was to dial in engine stuff. If it’s a thing to help with setup, it seems expensive. You can take it one adjustment at the time and learn to feel changes.
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I’m with TJ on this. There’s no way this software is going to be worth the price of admission. There are too many variables, and too many intangibles for there to be a one size fits all model.
Start with a baseline setup as recommended by the manufacturer, and make small changes from there, documenting the differences you notice, as well as difference to lap times. In a sense you’ll begin to build your own database of what works and what doesn’t for various conditions. There are plenty of free resources out there that can help to inform you as well.
Most drivers are going to benefit much more from having some proper driver coaching, as the driver is the most important piece.
Work hard, take notes, repeat. Laps laps laps laps laps laps laps.
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I agree TJ. I have one but I want to learn also. Not to be independent but to help him on setup as he built his knowledge on the “trial and error” style. So, I want to bring some science and theory to the talk during our training and race discussing about chassis setup.
I´ve watched all youtube AIM videos and I had an expert teaching me to analyse all info RaceStudio provides. There are very few analysis I can´t make there, but I´ll give you an example of the training session of this weekend.
First run
Best lap time: 40"140
Setup
Engine: 2 stroke IAME 125cc
Pinion: 10 teeth
Sprocket: 76 teeth
Flexible for exhaust: 8cm
Tyres: more than 100 laps
Tyres pressure: 12psi after session
Front end track: 1 ring each side
Rear end track: 140cm
Front hubs: aluminium
Hear hubs: aluminium
Front wheels: aluminium:
Rear wheels: magnesium
Rear axle: medium hardness (84)
Front torsion bar: neutral
Front end height: low
Rear end height: high
Caster: full
Camber: 1
Toe: zero
Conditions
Asphalt: no/few rubber
Weather: dry
Environment temperature: 22ºC
Data
Average engine temperature: 42ºC
Average of front outer tyre temp: 68ºC
Average of front inner tyre temp: 78ºC
Average of rear outer tyre temp: 62ºC
Average of rear inner tyre temp: 72ºC
Max speed: 110km/h
Max rpm: 16.525
Second run
Best lap time: 40"546
Setup
Engine: 2 stroke IAME 125cc
Pinion: 10 teeth
Sprocket: 76 teeth
Flexible for exhaust: 8cm
Tyres: less than 50 laps
Tyres pressure: 12psi after session
Front end track: 1 ring each side
Rear end track: 140cm
Front hubs: aluminium
Hear hubs: aluminium
Front wheels: aluminium:
Rear wheels: magnesium
Rear axle: medium hardness (84)
Front torsion bar: neutral
Front end height: low
Rear end height: high
Caster: full
Camber: 1
Toe: zero
Conditions
Asphalt: no/few rubber
Weather: dry
Environment temperature: 26ºC
Data
Average engine temperature: 49ºC
Average of front outer tyre temp: 66ºC
Average of front inner tyre temp: 78ºC
Average of rear outer tyre temp: 65ºC
Average of rear inner tyre temp: 73ºC
Max speed: 112km/h
Max rpm: 16.682
By analyzing RaceStudio graphs, we realized we were loosing time on breaking zones and corner exists. Speed in the final of straight and middle of corners were better but not enough to compensate losses in breaking zones and corner exits. We realized decreased G force on axle X when exiting corner. As it was the first time we were using high rear end height and we felt a decreased traction as well, we decided to decrease the rear end height to middle and we got the same lap time as you can see below.
Third run
Best lap time: 40"561
Setup
Engine: 2 stroke IAME 125cc
Pinion: 10 teeth
Sprocket: 76 teeth
Flexible for exhaust: 8cm
Tyres: less than 50 laps
Tyres pressure: 12psi after session
Front end track: 1 ring each side
Rear end track: 140cm
Front hubs: aluminium
Hear hubs: aluminium
Front wheels: aluminium:
Rear wheels: magnesium
Rear axle: medium hardness (84)
Front torsion bar: neutral
Front end height: low
Rear end height: middle
Caster: full
Camber: 1
Toe: zero
Conditions
Asphalt: no/few rubber
Weather: dry
Environment temperature: 27ºC
Data
Average engine temperature: 49ºC
Average of front outer tyre temp: 70ºC
Average of front inner tyre temp: 83ºC
Average of rear outer tyre temp: 68ºC
Average of rear inner tyre temp: 76ºC
Max speed: 112km/h
Max rpm: 16.626
What I can´t understand is why lap time increased so much (0.5" is an eternity in a 40" track) from first to second and third runs if we were using better tyres with better engine and tyres temp. Tyre manufacturer says the best is between 70ºC and 85ºC. Besides that, I consider myself a very consistent driver and the GPS map showed no track line changes.
With the confusing in our minds we concluded we had a problematic chassis frame or our carburetor lost pressure. This last training session is still a mystery for me.
As I do not have too much time for training session due to my work, I believed the software could help me avoid so much time loss while I am still learning theories to support my mechanic on chassis setups.
So you changed a variable in that you raised the rear end. The other variable is higher ambient temp by 5 degrees. But then you lowered the back again and see same lap time.
You are seeing tire temps increase as well. By 2-5degrees. You are getting an extra 2 mph down straight and slightly higher rpm.
This sounds like the kart was faster as the air temp increases but you also are showing higher heat on tire and slower absolute laptime.
I’m guessing that maybe there’s a driving inefficiency in that your kart appears faster in a straight line in slower 2nd run and is hitting higher rpm. Increased tire heat may be you asking a bit more of the tire in second run and losing speed to sliding/not being as hooked up.
You also indicate that you went from a worn set in round 1 to a newer tire in Round 2. Yet you are slower on the grippier tires while being faster in a straight line.
Track gets greasier as it heats up? You start driving harder?
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The track I was at that day has a very old and poor asphalt. I don’t know if it gets greasier as it heats up. I don’t feel that. But it is always the same in this track, I mean, between 9am and 10:30am we always have better lap times. Between 10:30h and 12pm we never improve lap times. The difference is always 2 or max 3 tenths of second.
Not really. I always try to have a “clean” driving, but sometimes I need to adjust myself to the new kart behaviors. For example, when we started the day with the rear end high I felt some instability on breaking zones, but I felt more comfortable on corner. So I could be back on throttle earlier. Besides that, I didn´t see too much differences in the driving style.
Well as the track goes from cold to warm it gets grippier but usually as air warms you lose a bit of power. In the later part of the day, as air cools, engine can get a bit happier and track is still warm. But that’s not what we are seeing.
We are seeing you get slower as track and air temps increase and as your tires got changed from old to new.
Track could have gotten greasier.
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What I realized during the last 4 years going to this circuit is that, when air and track temp warm we lose power but we do not have better grip. So, your conclusion makes sense to me when you say the track gets greasier, because if the asphalt gets warmer too, we should have a better grip, but we don´t fell it. Interesting! Thanks for that @Bimodal_Rocket
It’s a thought, but I am far from expert. Anyways, there’s all sorts of variables.
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When reviewing the data, what was the comparison like for minimum apex speeds? What was the delta graph showing when comparing the laps from the first and second session? Those two pieces right there will give you a good indication of where the time went and why. Combine that with what you’re feeling on-track and you should be able to figure out why you slowed down 0.5.
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3rd run was with rear end height in the middle. It seems it gave me condition to have greater minimum apex speeds.
Maybe, when we’ve put better tires in the 2nd run with the rear end still high, we increased too much the rear grip and the kart became binded. Reducing the height for the 3rd run brought the grip closer to the ideal and gave conditions to have better speed in the middle of corners. Makes sense?
It’s possible. Typically if the ride height is too high you’re going to feel something from the kart. Was it hopping or bouncing at all in the corners? Did it feel like it reacted too quickly on turn-in? Was there any noticeable change in handling from one session to the next?
How did the kart feel from session to session? The data isn’t going to tell you everything you need to know on its own, so I would be sure to have a subjective component for each of your sessions if you don’t already. Driver feedback can help provide context for how a change was better or worse, and provide direction on what further adjustments may be helpful.
No
Not really. Actually, turn-in was ok, but turn-out was understeering.
Very small difference. Mainly in breaking zone and exiting corners.
I did a different analysis now. I added the quickest corner of each session instead of considering best corner speed in the best lap. Looking to the figures of the whole session I had a different perception. It seems I got better corners at 1st run which was with worse set of tires. I am still considering an issue in the carburetor or chassis frame besides the air temperature influences to help me understand the higher lap time after changing tires.
I did the same for straights
And the results says me that, reducing rear height at 3rd run improved performance in corner but got worse on straights. In general, nothing were enough to beat the performance of the 1st run in the morning when air temp were lower.