Performance Trends, Inc.

Producing Quality Computer Tools for Racers and Engine Builders since 1986

Roll Center Calculator v4.0 for Windows XP/Vista/Win 7, 8, 10

Computer Program to Simulate and Analyze Front Suspension (Double A Arm, McPherson Strut, Straight Axle) for Camber Gain, Roll Center, Wheel Rate and More.  New Plus version lets you add many types of Rear Suspensions for Handling Analysis.

to see what is new in Version 4.0.

to see what is new in Version 3.6.

 

Overview:

The Roll Center Calculator lets you input, view, save, analyze and compare either Double A Frame or McPherson Strut front suspension geometry. The options for entering your geometry specs include: enter X & Y coordinates (distance and height from the car's center-line at the ground), enter some X & Y coordinates and angles & lengths of arms, or retrieving one of the examples which comes with the program.

Once entered, the program will display calculated parameters like Instant Centers, Roll Center, King Pin Angle, Wheel Rate, Scrub Radius, and Camber Gain (the amount Camber will change for a certain amount of Dive and/or Roll). Then click on Yes for Show Dive & Roll and adjust Dive and/or Roll and watch Roll Center and Instant Centers move, camber change, and spring deflection. Spring deflection is useful to reproduce track conditions shown by your shock indicators.

Check out our Roll Center Calculator Comparison Table to compare Roll Center Calculator with our other Suspension Analysis programs.

 

Options:

The program has several options, including:

  • McPherson Strut suspension analysis.

  • Straight axle with panhard bar suspension analysis.

  • Shimming option for double A Arm suspensions, either in or out.

  • "Draw Big" option to draw and print the layout to a larger scale to more easily see details.

  • Draw in imaginary "extension" lines to show how the Instant Centers and Roll Centers are arrived at.

  • All dimensions, angles, lengths and Camber (if requested) are updated as you adjust other dimension (handy for McPherson Strut camber adjustments.)

  • Change the definition of Camber Gain or use our standard definition of the amount of camber change for 1" of Dive.

  • Adjusting the starting point, ending point, number of points, and whether Dive or Roll will be displayed in Rows or Columns.

  • Selecting whether the Baseline conditions in the Camber Table are simply the previous Camber Table results, or whether they are some specific condition you have saved.

  • Tire Scrub (lateral tire patch movement) as the car goes through dive and roll.

  • Calculation utility screens to determine spring, torsion bar and anti-roll bar rates.

  • More Details screen lets you more exactly locate the single 2-D frame mounts from the 2 actual frame mounts.  This screen also lets you calculate Anti Dive, and important handling parameter.  See pic below.

The program is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, Win 7, Win 8, or Win 10 which means it is easy to use and you will be able to print the results on most any printer, usually in color if your printer supports it.

 

Version 3.6's new features for the Standard Roll Center Calculator include:

  • More Details screen shown above and listed in Options above.
  • Tire Scrub calculation listed in Options above.
  • Straight Axle with panhard bar (listed in Options above) and Double A Arm with Torsion Bar springs.
  • Swing Arm calculation.
  • More use of color in the screen to identify Left and Right inputs and input fields from results fields.
  • In addition to Camber changes, you can now produce a table and graph of Roll Center position for various amounts of Dive and Roll.
  • You can now shim the Double A Arm upper arms on the frame up and down (in addition to in and out), as listed in Options above.
  • Option to Hide Spindle Angle output.
  • Tire Track input has been simplified from the previous 3 inputs of Rim Width, Rim Offset and Hub Distance.
  • Better Vista, Windows 7, 8 and 10 compatibility.

 

New Plus Version's Features:

The Plus version lets you include 8 types of rear suspensions on your car.  Once you have both the front and rear suspensions defined, and some basic vehicle info, the software can now make some handling predictions.  These features include:

Rear Suspension screen lets you describe 8 different types of rear suspensions.  Suspension types include Trailing arms (which includes 3 links) and truck arms with coil springs, torsion bars, Jacob's ladder and panhard bars, leaf springs, and various 4 links (like Metric, Chevelle and late model Mustangs).

Handling Ratings for finding the 'Transition Handling Rating', the amount for Front Lateral Load Distribution (FLLD, or the percent of the weight transfer which occurs in the front suspension) lets you analyze handling.

Detailed Suspension Analysis reports list many suspension and handling calculations.

Feature to automatically find a desired Front Lateral Load Distribution handling rating.

Roll Center Calculator Plus Features (Note: Roll Center Calculators are versions of Circle Track Analyzer with limited features
)

Plus Version's Rear Suspension Screen

Screen to Automatically Find Front Lateral Load Distribution

 

 

New v4.0 Features:

The new v4.0 has several new features, including:

  • More accurate, more realistic Force Based Roll Centers. You can select to use or compare to the previous Kinematic Roll Center if you want.  See picture below.
  • You can enter Bump Spring details and watch their effects on spring forces. 
  • You can enter Ride Height details and watch Ride Height change through dive, roll and squat.  See picture below.
  • Greatly improved calculation utilities for Roll Bar Rates.  See picture below.
  • The program lets you watch how much ball joint angle changes on the front suspension so you can see where ball joint bind may be a problem.  See picture below.
  • You can include picture files which are displayed on the screen, and you can include in your printouts.  

New Force Based Roll Center picture from User Manual

 

More Detailed Roll Bar Calculator picture from User Manual

for a PDF of all the new v4.0 features.

 

 

What You Need:

Computer with Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10.

 

What You Get:

Program CD, PDF user manual (printed manual optional), example suspensions preloaded.

IMPORTANT:  The Roll Center Calculator and Roll Center Calculator Plus are simplified versions of our popular Circle Track Analyzer.  This gives you many more features, and allows you to easily update to more advanced features in the future.  The Circle Track Analyzer deals with the entire vehicle and includes many analysis features.  If you purchase the Circle Track Analyzer, you get ALL features of these 2 smaller programs and much more.  

  • The Roll Center Calculator is just the Front Suspension Screen of the Circle Track Analyzer.
    Roll Center Calculator Main Screen.gif (10440 bytes)  Click image to enlarge
  • The Roll Center Calculator Plus is just the Front Suspension Screen, Rear Suspension Screen, and the Transition Handling screen of the Circle Track Analyzer.
    Roll Center Calculator Plus Main Screen.gif (18703 bytes)  Click image to enlarge

 

More Information, Download Demo:

to go to our Demo Downloading page to download a FREE Roll Center Calculator Demo. This demo is for the full Circle Track Analyzer.  When you start the demo, it asks if you want to see just the Roll Center Calculator, Roll Center Calculator Plus or full Circle Track Analyzer..

 

to view Readme.doc file of recent changes.

to view PDF file of user manual with Adobe Acrobat (tm).  

to view the Roll Center Calculator Comparison Table to compare Roll Center Calculator with our other Suspension Analysis programs.

 

To Order:

Roll Center Calculator Standard - Our DOWNLOAD ONLY option. If you only want the unlocking code and DO NOT want a CD shipped, click on Add to Cart below. You will not be charged shipping.

$119.95


Roll Center Calculator Standard - If you want a CD shipped to you, click on Add to Cart below. There will be shipping charges added to your order. You can still download the demo and get your unlock code sooner with this option.

$119.95 plus shipping
To order a CD of Roll Center Calculator Standard with a PRINTED manual, click on Add to Cart. Manuals are included on the CD's but in PFD format. You can still download the demo and get your unlock code sooner with this option.

$154.95 plus shipping

Roll Center Calculator Plus - Our DOWNLOAD ONLY option. If you only want the unlocking code and DO NOT want a CD shipped, click on Add to Cart below. You will not be charged shipping.

$169.95


Roll Center Calculator Plus - If you want a CD shipped to you, click on Add to Cart below. There will be shipping charges added to your order. You can still download the demo and get your unlock code sooner with this option.

$169.95 plus shipping

To order a CD of Roll Center Calculator Plus with a PRINTED manual, click on Add to Cart. Manuals are included on the CD's but in PFD format. You can still download the demo and get your unlock code sooner with this option.

$204.95 plus shipping

Call 248-473-9230. Visa and Mastercard accepted.

 

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