F1 Gear Ratios

THR · 7 Jan 2006, 20:18 (Ref:1496947)

i have just been reading the proposed 2008 F1 regs off the fia's website.

one of them says
gears must be at least 12mm thick in the gearbox.
i guess 1st is a lot fatter, and 2nd.. but the rest i guess are the same.

now all the gears ive seen, f3 say, are more like 14mm thick, and only transmit 200bhp tops!
so, how thin actually are the gears in the f1 gearboxes now!?
12mm seems awfully thin to me as it is!!

ubrben · 8 Jan 2006, 19:50 (Ref:1497451)

Quote:

Originally Posted by THR

i have just been reading the proposed 2008 F1 regs off the fia's website.

one of them says
gears must be at least 12mm thick in the gearbox.
i guess 1st is a lot fatter, and 2nd.. but the rest i guess are the same.

now all the gears ive seen, f3 say, are more like 14mm thick, and only transmit 200bhp tops!
so, how thin actually are the gears in the f1 gearboxes now!?
12mm seems awfully thin to me as it is!!

It's not surprising at all really. I suspect it will be the fatigue life of the gear that dictates the width rather than the operating stress so you can easily make it narrower. The F3 gear will almost certainly be designed to last a hell of a lot longer than an F1 ratio.

I assume this is the intent of the regs, i.e. to prevent ratios that are designed to last less than a race distance.

Ben

THR · 9 Jan 2006, 19:51 (Ref:1498060)

yea they are supposed to last 3 gp in 2008.

imull · 12 Jan 2006, 17:34 (Ref:1499996)

metallurgy in F1 will make most junior forumlae looks like Blue Peter engineering by comparison...

avsfan733 · 14 Jan 2006, 05:32 (Ref:1501002)

also consider that f3 (afaik) is still shifted by hand which puts a heavier tooth load on things by jerking it. the f1 gears see very little shock loading which is a very good thing. the lubrication is also controlled to probably the mL/hr or something ridiculous on an oil that costs $1000/L.

Chucky · 14 Jan 2006, 06:26 (Ref:1501008)

Quote:

Originally Posted by avsfan733

also consider that f3 (afaik) is still shifted by hand which puts a heavier tooth load on things by jerking it. the f1 gears see very little shock loading which is a very good thing.

Sorry but your wrong there. Being shifted by hand has very do with any sort of shock loading. It's the ECU'st shift strategy that determines that. And even the Bosch spec unit has a good setup.

kmsport · 4 Feb 2006, 06:40 (Ref:1515268)

3 race meetings per gear set...really?

1200Datto27 · 4 Feb 2006, 07:41 (Ref:1515285)

I can't see teams liking this rule, could you imagine the compromises involved in having Monaco, Silverstone and Canada grouped like this year? are they allowed to change diff ratios as well, or are they combined in the "gearbox"?

Raglanparade · 4 Feb 2006, 09:50 (Ref:1515307)

Well if Monaco and Canada had to be done on the same ratio it would be interesting.

Set up a car to top out at Monaco... and it will top out halfway down the back straight at Canada

THR · 4 Feb 2006, 21:47 (Ref:1515650)

i think they mean rebuild a gearbox... bearings.. dogs.. actuactors etc...

bet most of um change the whole lot, send it back to the factory, and have the lot ripped out and redone!! would make it reliable then i guess.. they are going to have to beef it up a bit now which will make it a bit slower.. and cheaper i guess.

i cant see the gearbox on the cars being a huge cost tho really!! only the casing is mega money.. the cogs and stuff aint THAT special is it?? not with a huge budget anyway!?

zefarelly · 6 Feb 2006, 11:48 (Ref:1516500)

whats wrong with Blue Peter Engineering ? the Americans swear by it

my gears are only 1/2" thick

ss_collins · 6 Feb 2006, 11:57 (Ref:1516506)

I've read the rules a consulted a few people in the know and yes it means using the same ratio fo three tracks.

Could be interesting - see who sacrifices Canada and Sillystones to win in Monte Carlo (worth far more in media value)

avsfan733 · 7 Feb 2006, 15:45 (Ref:1517326)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chucky

Sorry but your wrong there. Being shifted by hand has very do with any sort of shock loading. It's the ECU'st shift strategy that determines that. And even the Bosch spec unit has a good setup.

I totally disagree...if you are banging gears and such not only the gear teeth but the dogs must be made beefier. F1 chassis's don't mis-shift, over rev and for the most part they don't break traction.

Part of the reason they have gotten so thin is the internal dogs on the gear....there was an article a while back in Race Car Engineering on this

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