Rep Power: 315

Hey guys

I've got a decently tuned suspension setup (see below), but no matter what I do, I seem to be heavily suffering from some severe understeer

My tires are pretty crappy, so I'm thinking that's a big piece of the puzzle, but what other suggestions can you guys make, that will make my car handle more neutral?

Some people get confused with the terminology, so let me lay down MY understanding:
UNDERsteer is when you are trying to make the turn, but it feels like you're under steering (ie: you're not going to make the turn), whereas
OVERsteer is when you've cranked the wheel, and the backend kicks out, and you have to countersteer (drifting is an example, and it happens more frequently in RWD or AWD vehicles).

so, if anyone can give some advice (driving tekniques, tuning, etc), I'd greatly appreciate it!

Cheers


Suspension setup:
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Front sway bar: 27mm (progress)
Front strut bar: Neuspeed
Front X-Brace: Neuspeed
Rear sway bar: 22mm (DC5 type-R)
Rear strut bar: Cheap no-name from tornactive (should I upgrade this?)
Rear tie bar: skunk2

Endlinks: Hotchkis
Bushings: polyurethane greasable from energy suspension

Coilovers: KW variant 2's (adjusted with about a 1.75-2" drop all around -- I didn't measure)

Tires: 205/40/17 Dunlop FM901's (Garbage for solo II)
Wheels: Motegi MR7's (HEAVY!!!)

Camber/Caster/Toe: All within stock specifications

 
Rep Power: 380

the quickest way to reduce Understeer that I can see is if you swap your Front sway bar with the stock one....(or you could make it adjustible and put it at a weaker setting) Also you could add some camber on the front.

When is your car understeering? Corner entery, mid corner, or Corner Exit? How smooth are you with the controls? Are you smooth or do you jerk the wheel? Alot of handling problems stem from Driver error. I know we all like to think we are great drivers, and it has to be the car that wrong. But think of this, Driver error is the cheepst problem to correct... A book you may want to pick up is "Secrets of Solo Racing" It helped me greatly when I started to autocross.

 
Rep Power: 0

That's what I was thinking.

I hope you didn't throw on the anti sway bars without knowing the results they give.

 
Rep Power: 315

SlammedBlueEM2: no worries, I'm down with suspension theory. and d00d, put down the hatorade. Derogatory comments won't keep this site alive and well.

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Zzyzx: it seems like it's mostly at the corner exit, or corner entry. I think I'm a spazz with the gas. I got a friend to ride with me, and he said that I was punching the gas a bit too much too early.

hrm...

But thanks Zzyzx, I think that book will be my next online purchase!

 
Rep Power: 380

If your Understeering on corner entry and exit then there may be 2 things goin on that you can easily correct. and Yes your friend is correct with one of them. If you get on the gas to soon coming out of a corner you can get what's calld Throttle induced understeer. easy thing to correct for. Think of it this way, You're steerig wheel is in control of the throttle... how much you have the wheel turned Determins how much gas you can give the car. The more the wheel is turned, the less gas you can give it. As Far as understeer on corner entry, How fast are you with the Steering wheel? You may be turning the wheels faster then the car can react to them. The key to Performance driving is being smooth. Make the car Flow through the corners, smooth transitions, No Jerkyness! So, Slow down your hands and be smooth with all the controls (Steering wheel, Gas, Break, clutch, shifter) Any thing you do jerky can upset the balance of the car.

 
Rep Power: 315

zzyzx: a ha, great advice as usual.

I think I'm too fast/spastic with the wheel and the gas...I gotta relax.

I just placed an order for the magical book...hopefully it will help me out!

Thanks again for the great tips!

Cheers

 
Rep Power: 380

Definitly a good book to have.
once you get the being smooth part down, you'll notice that when you take turns, it will feel like you're going slower. But you will actually going faster. Its wierd, but its true.
and you'll stop doing this.


Thats some serious understeer you got there........ Come in to the corner a little too hot?

I do the same things some times...... Its hard to be calm and smooth when all your thinking about is WHeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..................

 
Rep Power: 0

You are trippin. I said...

You are trippin.

 
Rep Power: 315

oh man, that was SUCH a fun course! that was actually at the end of it. It was a U-turn, and I came in WAY too hot hehehehe

I was scared of hitting the apex cone, so I pushed it a little through the corner and smoked the outside one instead

but...it sucks, cuz I had to downshift into first at three spots in that course, and that was one of them

so there was quite a bit going on in that corner...but I think I should have downshifted earlier, rather than smoking the pilon hehehehe

oh well, all in good fun hehehe