Testing and Improving Stability: Part 3
In my first two posts on testing directional stability, I used first a cellphone with angle measure and then a Scangauge reporting steering angle from my car’s OBD system to try and measure changes in its stability. That worked okay but I had no way of logging data to verify that what I thought I saw on the gauge reflected a real change. Not anymore. I bought an OBD Bluetooth scanner that connects to an app that can log hundreds of different parameters through the car’s computers. In this first test, I’ll see if I can use it to record steering angle in a crosswind as I’ve been doing. To see just what it can show, I’ll first move my car’s center of gravity around and record the differences. How to Calculate the Position of Your Car’s Center of Gravity Figuring out where your car’s center of gravity sits longitudinally (that is, its location between the front and rear axles) is quite simple. All you need are front and rear axle weights, something you can get at any truck scal