If someone changed the set up on our cars to induced oversteer rather than understeer, what would the results be? Would be be doing 360's at every turn since our cars are FWD and would not handle a oversteered car as well as a RWD? Thanks

 

More like 180s. A FWD car can handle a decent amount of tail swinging as long as it doesnt come on too aggressively to cause a snap effect. Stiffer rear sway bars and spring rates can induce a more oversteery car, but go too far and the car will be uncontrollable. A car that gently swings out and is correctable is going to be very fast in the hands of a skilled driver. In fact, many FWD race drivers prefer a car that exhibits lift-throttle oversteer to allow them to enter corners faster by having the car rotate at corner entry. A little bit of throttle control and counter steer will allow them to carry more speed through the corner allowing for faster lap times.

This is not a setup that is appropriate for daily use as uneven pavement, road crowning or water/oil on the roads can cause you to lose control and hurt yourself an/or others.

 

Thanks, good information i tried searching the effects of oversteer for a fwd car.

 

Great info as always by the Instigator dude

You can improve the handling with stiffer springs and rear bar without to much danger if done moderately.

I have alot of experience with oversteering so am comfortable with more than most would want on the street but it only occors if I really go hard at it which is perfect for me.

I use practially zero rear camber and when autocrossing will sometime dial in some rear toe out, never on the street though.

For most, the stiffer bar and rear springs will be just about right.

Rick

 

One more thing, please do not overly lower your car, that will destroy a huge amount of the handling capability. I run 1" gap over my tires to the fender openings which works really well. My tires are shorter than stock, the lowest I would have a tC on stock diameter tires is 3/4" but even then you may be reducing the handling capacity.

This is not something I pulled out of my ****, I have completed measured every aspect of the suspension geometry and know abosolutely I am correct, been modding imports now for nearly 40 years;)

Rick

 

great input by both guys, as always
i take everything you both say seriously and try and put it towards my driving ability

i have been driving/semi-racing for a good 5years, but you can never know everything, especially in this sport!

again, great input

 

So what springs / bar would you recommend? I hate understeer with a passion and want to virtually eliminate it.

 

Start with stiffening the rear up with either the Progress or Hotchkis rear bar. The stock shocks and springs are quite soft so a spring/shock or coilover setup will also help. A FWD car will always exhibit some level of understeer since the front tires are being asked to accelerate, brake and steer the car so by undertanding the inherent issues, you can adjust your driving to avoid undeersteer inducing situations.

 

Whatever Rick (raamaudio) says is usually either 100% right or so confusing b/c it's filled with technical knowlegdge it's GOTTA be right.

lol :D

 

I think somebody else here is posting more usefull info on this thread than I am;)



Rick

 

I have the TRD Rear Sway, Lowering Springs, Shocks; Hotchkis Front Strut Bar, and Ingalls Rear Strut Brace. You're not going to be doing any "Drifting"...



...But the car does slide nicely around corners, especially at moderate speed.

 

great info ^^.

 

Anyone wanna talk about LFB?

 

That is somethingn I am having alot of trouble learning after 38 years of almost always RWD, old dog, new trick syndrome they call it, lol!

Rick

 

wider tires on the front help as well. generally more track oriented FWD cars have wider in the front. helps the back end come around a little better when going through turns.

 

I agree but nice to be able to rotate tires front to back to get more time out of them. Notice I said time, not miles;)

Rick

P.S. Some use the same size tires but different width wheels for the reason of less rubber on the ground, seems odd but it has proven to work, maybe the size tires they wanted were not being manf.

 

well if you are going to be doing track racing, then buy another set of rims. you don't want to drive up on your new tires that are made for the track.

 

so would you want slighly smaller or slightly larger gap if you had 18 inch wheels? or would it be the same? i dont know if the diameter changes or if the tire just gets more low profile to compensate? thanks

 

If you want your speedometer to read correctly you match up the tire diameter to the stock on, no matter if running 15,16,17,18, 19 or 20" wheels.

Tire diameter is what is important here, not wheel(though real performance wheels are not overly large in diameter)

If the diameter tire is smaller than stock then increase the gap to compensate. If taller than stock, then less gab is recommended.

Since the car is already geared a bit to low I would tend to slightly larger diameter tires which gives less gap yet still helps keep the geometry in check.

But, the car will not sit quite as low, always a but here and there in doing such things!

Rick

 

do you happen to know what kind of offset you can use on the tc? and a common combo for 18" wheels? for tire and wheel size? thanks!!!