magnetic shocks

[rubberboy]

I saw this magnetic dampner system on tv and was wondering if anyone else has ever heard of them. There called magnetorheological dampners and Rod Millen made them for the military. Check it out web page (http://www.rodmillen.com/Mroads.htm)

[KitRacer]

http://www.race-dezert.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=chitchat&Number=81047&page =0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=21&fpart=1#Post81150

[Ramsey_ElWardani]

Two weeks ago I went to a Cadillac test driving opportunity at El Toro on the runway. I drove all of the new Cads including the XLR which is built on the new Corvette ZO6 platform and really handled awesome. Their new SUV is the SRX and it has Magnetic Ride Control (http://www.cadillac.com/cadillacjsp/models/featureDynamic.jsp?model=srx&feature=ridecontrol) The SRX substantially out handled the X5, ML350 and Lexus RX300. They had a demo that consisted of two syringes joined together where the needles would go. They had MR Fluid in them. If you depressed one of the syringes the fluid transfers to the other, extending it. By placing a magnet on or close to the body of one of the syringes, you could modulate the force needed to transfer the fluid. If the magnet was place at the junction of the two syringes, it full locked the movement. In the SRX they are controlling the dampening up to 1000 time per second. This is very promising technology, in my opinion, for our sport.

[TRDshaunTRD]

Definitely promising for our sport, and a very cool display to explain its use! Can't wait to see it used on unlimited cats and then developed for use with lower budgets! I say give it 3 years before we can get our hands on it.

[Chris_Wilson]

I wonder if this fluid is being used in WRC differentials for computer control of torque bias?

[jeff]

WRC cars have been using something similar to this for a while (pre-2000). Japanese manufacturers were pretty into it and some of the european teams went with electro-hydraulic systems. The buzz word is usually "active differentials" and if you search GOOGLE.COM for active differentials with WRC thrown in you'll get tons of information.

Aloha

[ntsqd]

AS I recall the Audi Quattro's of the early 90's were using something like this. They are the first I know of.
Jeep Quadra-Trac's use a silicone fluid in the center diff, but there is no 'active' control of the bias.