Understanding How Torque and Horsepower Are Leveraged

The concepts of torque and horsepower have always been a bit confusing yet I would like to leverage those concepts for us to help us meet our transportation needs more efficiently. Simply put motor vehicles are a means of transportation of weight going some distance in an allotted amount of time.

I found this video to be as good and explanation in 3 minutes I could imagine.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/fgLNO3ThGD4?rel=0
Just like when you were a kid you only had so much strength in you legs so if like me you had a one speed bike. You quickly discovered the bigger 20 inch tires are harder to pedal going up hills, bigger tires require more torque or twisting force. So my little brother has a little stingray with 16 inch wheels he could zoom right up the hills, but once on a level or down hill road I would blow right by him because those bigger tires covered more distance with a single rotation of the pedals. So with gearing on a bike you get the best of both worlds. The same is true with motor vehicles.

If you want economy weight is a giant factor both on a bike or your car. Try putting a 200lb back pack on and pedal up hill a bit. So carrying around all that stuff you don’t need is costing you both in gas and wear and tear on your vehicle. So no matter how much torque and horsepower you have most of it will be used on start moving weight.

However once you are going highway speeds 80% of the energy is now used moving air. So you wonder why big SUV get bad gas mileage, they are both heavy and push a lot of air. Yet if you need the space to or the utility it’s worth paying for the energy.

Getting back to horse power and torque, to me the easiest example to look at is motorcycles. Harley Davidson has long been know for great torque, the long stroke engines will go up a steep hill and you wont have to change the throttle. You see the results at the stop light of the long stroke vibration and the throaty sound that the bikers love. The torque is tremendous and when you pull on the throttle you know you are on something.

Japanese bikes however are usually short stroke low torque high revving little sewing machines. Because they rev so high they get their horsepower after takeoff and you may have to crank the throttle going up hill but like the big wheel bicycle on the way down they will blow by the Harleys. They also get better economy much smoother less noise and vibration.

So what does this have to do with cars? If you remember we used to see a lot of straight 6cyl engines, (even straight 8s back in the day). Like the Harley they had great torque but because of their long stroke resulting in poor fuel economy high noise and vibration the shorter stroke less thirsty V6 and V8 engines no rule the day. However if you are trying to tow or haul big loads torque is still the way you make that happen. So there are trade offs just like in life as the prophet Jeremiah found out with his lack of horsepower dilemma.

Note the answer God gives Jeremiah that doesn’t at first seem to have anything to do with the wicked prospering. God know the Jeremiah’s real question is, “Why am I not getting the traction with my messages that the evil prophets get?” It is a matter of horsepower and torque.

Jeremiah 12 New King James Version (NKJV)
Jeremiah’s Question
12 Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead with You;
Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments.
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?
2 You have planted them, yes, they have taken root;
They grow, yes, they bear fruit.
You are near in their mouth
But far from their mind.
3 But You, O LORD, know me;
You have seen me,
And You have tested my heart toward You.
Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,
And prepare them for the day of slaughter.
4 How long will the land mourn,
And the herbs of every field wither?
The beasts and birds are consumed,
For the wickedness of those who dwell there,
Because they said, “He will not see our final end.”
The LORD Answers Jeremiah
5 “If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you,
Then how can you contend with horses?
And if in the land of peace,
In which you trusted, they wearied you,
Then how will you do in the floodplain[a] of the Jordan?
6 For even your brothers, the house of your father,
Even they have dealt treacherously with you;
Yes, they have called a multitude after you.
Do not believe them,
Even though they speak smooth words to you.

Jeremiah needed to trust in God not men, trust God not peace of the land of Anathoth. He was caring the added weight robbing him of both torque and horsepower, the weight of misguided trust.

God knew the horsepower of Jeremiah’s enemies and the turning force required, (torque). God also knew the distance Jeremiah would need to travel and the time allotted, (horsepower). Yes Jeremiah was going to need the ultimate HorsePower, He rides a White Horse and has a name on His thigh know only to Him who rides the horse. For the horsepower to play in the big leagues you need all your trust in Him.