Hi, This is admittedly a bit of a nitpick, but I'm bothered by the description given for the preload torque in the diff settings. I know that it doesn't really matter much because most people understand its use anyway, but the preload most definitely is not the minimum amount of torque "above which" the diff starts shifting torque to one side (sorry, I'm writing this from memory, so the exact wording escapes me, but it is along these lines). The preload is the amount of torque that can be shifted to one side in a limited slip diff regardless of any other setting of the diff. Or, in other terms, the preload is the minimum amount of torque difference on the output shafts required to turn the shafts relative to each other (i.e. "unlock" the diff). Again, I don't think that anybody is essentially "mislead" by the current description, it's just incorrect
I don't agree that it's wrong, I just think the wording is a bit confusing. From the perspective of the physics engine, the game only begins 'shifting torque' from one wheel to the other after this preload threshold is met. Maybe?? Diffs are definetly not easy to work on in RF2.
I know that diffs are a hard topic, and I really anticipated some discussion about them after my comment Open diffs don't shift torque. Any. The same torque goes to both output axles. In order to "shift torque", you need some locking. The preload in the locking diff is the "intrinsic shiftable torque" so to say. So a locking diff with preload will always be able to shift the amount of the preload to the gripping axle - but no more, unless some other mechanism (e.g. power or coast setting) is involved.
Ok I think I know where you're coming from. It seems as though the skippy preload description is backwards, and that it should instead say that the wheel speed difference begins to change above that torque threshold.. While I've got you here on topic, could you please elaborate on the Nm/radian/s for the differential? What does that mean in both the sim and in real life? I've seen salisbury differentials in real life rated as 60nm or 120nm - what does this mean?
I'll admit I was slightly confused as I thought you were referring to the comment in the hdv files, but I see what it says in the UI now, which really requires a knowledge of the context and the probable meaning in order to make sense at all: "The amount of torque required before the differential starts shifting torque to one side" The description in the skip barber hdv is much more accurate: "preload torque that must be overcome to have wheelspeed difference"
That's the "viscous" type locking, so the amount of slip-limiting torque that will be applied per rad/s difference in rotational speed of the output shafts. (So the actual unit is Nm/(rad/s), or Nm*s/rad, if we omit the parenthesis). This is not applicable to "salisbury" types, AFAIK. I don't know what salisbury types are exactly (or how they differ from clutch pack diff, if at all), so I can't comment on the rated torque (but my guess would be the preload).
My point is exactly that the latter is correct, while the former in not, and it doesn't depend on "context".
OK, understood, didn't mean to sound harsh . Now the question is, will the description change? Being a software developer myself, I know that such documentation bugs are very low priority
about a year ago, they mis-spelled something in one of the Setup descriptions. It was spotted almost immediately, but took several Q releases to get it corrected. Just an FYI.
It's taken me far too long to realise, but I've just found out that the nm/r/s 'viscous' setting in the spread sheet is completely optional, and the power and coast settings are completely functional by themselves throughout their full range when both pump and nm/r/s are set to 0. So the salisbury type/clutch pack diff, requires no viscous or pump in order to simulate correctly, and the viscous/pump settings are specifically for simulating viscous diffs, and act in some roundabout way way like a damper does to a spring. The pump setting is just 'how much of a % of the maximum **** nm/r/s viscosity'. In practice, it sort of acts like a yaw acceleration damper. God damn if only this was clear in the spreadsheet. 3 years later and rf2 diffs finally makes sense. I realise now that RF2 diff is actually very simple, but the descriptions (any description I've found on the internet) are terrible - including this one probably haha. I made this little simhub overlay which shows rear wheel speed difference. Essentially it's just (LRWheelRPM/RRWheelRPM)³ The graphical representation is cubed simply to show smaller wheel speed differences more clearly. If you're turning and the inner wheel bar is higher, then you're loosing drive to wheel spin. @Lazza Any ideas how to get the torque figures at each rear wheel? This would be a nice addition as it would actually show directly the operation of the diff. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sRD9z4IPJzyY5rjytTsrXUqqbb5KUxsu/view?usp=sharing
