Tire Inflation System

Last years dispute regarding the inflation system concerned the use of engine vacuum to speed up deflation. The complaint was that this marginally increased air induction into the engine as it was downstream of the regulation induction restrictor, thereby enhancing performance---albeit very negligibly. Has the deflation system been changed to abandon engine vacuum assist? Anybody know? Has an electric vacuum pump been fitted instead, or just an increase in size of deflation line?

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Permalink Reply by TOG on December 7, 2012 at 3:22pm

The quote below is all that really matters, IMO. - From RG and his press release:

" The A.S.O and the team agreed on a pre-check inspection of the Dakar HUMMER prior to being approved to race. Once the detailed inspection of the Dakar HUMMER and its air-inflation system by A.S.O. officials, the team was approved to officially race the 2013 Dakar Rally."

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Permalink Reply by mark roye on December 7, 2012 at 6:01pm

I'm more interested in the technical than the "legal". Even with the approval, the nature of the system is fascinating from the engineer's perspective, as well as how to fit it into the confines of the rules.

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Permalink Reply by alan4s on December 7, 2012 at 9:35pm

+1
Techy stuff is interesting.

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Permalink Reply by Greg Jones on December 9, 2012 at 12:53pm

I think the other complaint lodged last year was that the tires didn't necessarily start the day with nitrogen in them, something more like nitrous oxide. So when you deflate, you get a little boost. (redneck 'push-to-pass' to go with the redneck turbo charger) Somebody did the math about how much the tires would hold, how much energy would be contained in them and what percentage of the overall energy required to complete a stage would be - it wasn't much!