Quote from: "MR2man"200bhp? how do they cope with the body roll at high speeds and the ability to change lanes on the motorway whilst keeping the steering wheel straight?
I have major issues with the handling on this car at high speeds, can anyone help? Stabilizers, there appear to be some stock ones on the car anyway? There must be a solution, any ideas????
I would say that if you are experiencing handling that feels dangerous or worrying, something is very broken..
As an example - bodyroll (http://www.mr2.net/gallery/elvingtonsept2005/slides/DSC_2180.html), that's me, taking a 90 degree left hand hairpin at probably 40mph.. it felt safe, controlled, and while there was some roll the car stayed totally planted and would only skip out if I wanted it to (or entered the corner at silly speeds).
We're perhaps drifting OT, but:
What wheels are you running? I notice it's 17's - same width all round, or staggered as per the stock setup?
Are you running stock suspension - what age, how many miles? Shocks tend to die quite quickly on these cars (circa 50,000m is not unheard of) so perhaps the shocks are dead..
There are many folks here (and in the US) running 200bhp and over (hell, there's one out there with a reputed 400+bhp) and nobody has reported any handling problems, aside from it being a little tail happy if you're too eager with the go pedal in the wet..
[edit] Photo thanks to Mark Nias [/edit]
Or there's always this, which definately puts function ahead of form s:lol: :lol: s:lol:
(linked rather than pictured in case of copyright)
http://monkeywrenchracing.com/mwrmr2_s.html
Quote from: "MR2man"200bhp? how do they cope with the body roll at high speeds and the ability to change lanes on the motorway whilst keeping the steering wheel straight?
Can't speak for others, but after this morning's scare on the motorway I can confirm that mine doesn't cope at all s:? :? s:?
Quote from: "MR2man"I have major issues with the handling on this car at high speeds, can anyone help? Stabilizers, there appear to be some stock ones on the car anyway? There must be a solution, any ideas????
I'm with you all the way on this point matey s:wink: :wink: s:wink: There are member and strut bracing options available that I'm sure will help tighten things up. I'm on a '99 with high mileage and bog standard apart from turbo and corky plate, so perhaps my shocks are stuffed too.
.... you've worried me now Aaron - maybe something's broken s:? :? s:?
Quote from: "spit".... you've worried me now Aaron - maybe something's broken s:? :? s:?
If your idea of high miles and mine are the same, it's likely just your shocks being a bit worse for wear..
Of course, your idea of dangerous handling and mine could also be very different s:) :) s:) Hard to say..
Are you coming to Anglesea? You could always take one/all of us out for a spin so we can give opinions (or lend me your keys.. mwahAhAHaHAHAh.. *ahem* I mean.. *coughs*)
s:) :) s:)
Honestly, I think (certainly in stock form) the Mk3 handling is pretty docile.. OK, add another 60bhp+ and it'll get a bit livelier for sure, but I wouldn't have thought dangerous.. (If I had £3k I'd find out for myself, for sure s;) ;) s;) )
[OT hijack]
Quote from: "aaronjb"Are you coming to Anglesea? You could always take one/all of us out for a spin so we can give opinions (or lend me your keys.. mwahAhAHaHAHAh.. *ahem* I mean.. *coughs*)
Anyone who can offer some insight is welcome to have a drive Aaron - I'm just not clued up on what to look for when it comes to the springy bits and high speed lollopiness (is that a word?). I haven't signed up for Anglesey cos I don't have the confidence/skill to blat around, but I'll call you next time I'm passing Slough.
[/OT hijack - sorry]
Quote from: "spit"Anyone who can offer some insight is welcome to have a drive Aaron - I'm just not clued up on what to look for when it comes to the springy bits and high speed lollopiness (is that a word?). I haven't signed up for Anglesey cos I don't have the confidence/skill to blat around, but I'll call you next time I'm passing Slough.
(Good point, we'll stop hijacking the post now s:) :) s:) )
You should sign up - honestly, it's the absolute best way of increasing your confidence, I guarantee it s:) :) s:) (And it's fantastic fun)
Anyway - feel free to call in if/when you're passing s:) :) s:)
And now, we return to your scheduled programming..
Here y'go s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
Quote from: "spit"Or there's always this, which definately puts function ahead of form s:lol: :lol: s:lol:
(linked rather than pictured in case of copyright)
http://monkeywrenchracing.com/mwrmr2_s.html
Not quite what you're looking for MR2man, but its another unique solution, and good if you can't decide what size tips to go for!
I think we've been over this high speed handling issue several times...or was it at SC...anyway, it is an issue for some. Even with proper tyre pressures, alignment, shocks...
Mine went away with the Sportivo and Stage1 bodykit. Firmer ride and less air under the car.
There are lots of twin centre exhausts available. Ricoh, Zees etc..
Check out euroroadster.co.uk
Do you mean http://www.euroroadster.com Adam?
Well remembered Tem......http://www.spyderchat.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=9641
I didn't consider air travel under the car....and come to think of it, its only since install that things have gone noticeably worse. It probably doesn't help that my engine is twisting around more and there's a girt big scoop behind the back wheels s:? :? s:? Cue the Rat clearance test.....
(http://img342.imageshack.us/img342/6341/car219ga.jpg)
MR2man - from the article & what Tem and Aaron have said (a pair of wise Gentlemen s:bowdown: :bowdown: s:bowdown: ) it looks like there is no easy answer.
Tyres, bracing, airflow and suspension wear - presumably steering wear too - all play a part.
I wonder if there's an easy way to canvass '2 owners to try and prioritise this list? It would certainly help the substantial number of us with problems.
Ste, how old is your 2?
Quote from: "markiii"Ste, how old is your 2?
Yes, its a likely factor for me Mark! 1999 MR-S with 70,000 miles, so looking for worn parts is where I should start before investing in bracing? It passed the (*ahem*) MOT 2 weeks ago though s:shock: :shock: s:shock:
As mentioned earlier, I'd appreciate if one of you gurus in the know could have a look at it for me.
if it's a 99 I'll tell you several bits that will be missing
1. look under the bumper, there should be a rubber airdam that runs most of teh width of the bumper. it's about an inch thick and sits about 6-8 inches under teh car
2. Bet you don't have the plastic spats that sit in front of teh rear wheels?
3. Might not have teh plastic spats that sit in front of teh front wheels?
thess were added sometime before 2001 and weren't even on my 2001 car
cost is very low to fit them, and they transformed my highspeed handling
Thanks for re-threading this guys. MR2man did raise the handling issue but I'm mindful that the drift from Exhaust discussion was getting a bit much.
I'll have a ferret under the car at lunchtime Mark, thanks.
....but I do know I've got the front spats - wondered what they were for s:wink: :wink: s:wink: Not sure about the rears and the bumper bits though
it's too difuse the airflow at high speed around the tyres and prevent, nose and lift.
I have part numbers and costs somewhere if you need them.
Quote from: "markiii"1. look under the bumper, there should be a rubber airdam that runs most of the width of the bumper. it's about an inch thick and sits about 6-8 inches under the car
I think I'm missing this one...do you have a pic of it?
Quote2. Bet you don't have the plastic spats that sit in front of the rear wheels?
Don't have these either, so please do give the part numbers. s8) 8) s8)
rubber front splitter 76851-17070 (03 part number but fits ALL years) approx £7 from memory
nuts for above 90179-06286
bolts for above 90119-06827
Rear Wheel Spats 58741-17020 58742-17020
from memory teh most expensive bits are teh nuts and bolts
Thanks! s8) 8) s8)
Quote from: "markiii"1. look under the bumper, there should be a rubber airdam that runs most of the width of the bumper. it's about an inch thick and sits about 6-8 inches under the car
I just reread that. Since the TRD Stage 1 lip is the width of the bumper and about an inch lower, would this even fit with it? Nor make any difference on top of that.
(come to think of it, it must fit, cause the bodykit fits to cars with this without removing it, right?)
That would surely explain why the bodykit made a difference. s8) 8) s8)
it should do bearing in mind where it's located,
if someone can host I'll take some pics tonight for you.
Quote from: "markiii"if someone can host I'll take some pics tonight for you.
That would be great, thanks.
You can upload them here:
m http://imageshack.us/ (http://imageshack.us/) m
Im certainly feeling the gustyness of it at the moment at high speeds and the motorway can be fairly blustery anyway in some places.
Phil
Very true Phil, although I'm getting this lifting feeling at m'way speed in any weather.
Mark - had a mooch round an '05 at MrTs and sure enough I'm splitter and rear wheel extension protector-less (that's officially what they're called!)
Prices are a bit more than I was hoping.....ex VAT....
Front Rubber Splitter: £25.62
Bolts: £0.52 each s:shock: :shock: s:shock:
Nuts: £2.08 each s:shock: :shock: s:shock: s:shock: :shock: s:shock: (part no 90179-06185)
RH rear extension: £15.73
LH rear extension: £12.16
Tapping screws: £0.29 each
Bracket: £1.78 each
(this goes behind the plastic liner to receive the tapping screws - part number 58747-17020)
Thats about £84 inc VAT.
Just occurred to me - I've got my pre-lift bodykit sitting here waiting to go on - looking at the profile of the front and side skirts, they may do an equivalent job. It looks like the splitter would be redundant with a front skirt and the rear spats would have to come off anyway to fit the side skirts.
I was gonna flog the bodykit 'cos I quite like the current lines with coloured mudflaps, but is it worth a punt before getting the plastics?
Ste
hmm prices were more than I anticipated.
front splitter is still going to have an effect, the rear wheel spats might or might not have to come off for the bodykit might be worth asking someome who has it?
guys?
nust and bolts are nothing special, I ordered them for simplicity but you can source them anywhere.
might be worth speaking to Adam, he might have these bits lying around from a breaker, shouldn't imagine there is much demand for them.
Ste,
MrT always charge silly money for nuts & bolts! I think they must work on an approximate cost for any fixing of £1.
If you find out what size they are I'll let you have some from my stock, I bought a load of stainless fixings a while back and am gradually replacing the standard ones on the underside as and when I take them out.
Rich
Markiii you have me worried now, I have a 99 MR-S and at high speeds the only thing that i have trouble with it tramlining, crossing them is a nightmare. I have a TRD Stage 1 body Kit on it, i am not sure if this makes any difference.
Cheers
Grant
Quote from: "ghollis_84"I have a TRD Stage 1 body Kit on it, i am not sure if this makes any difference.
It does, a big one.
Thanks Guys,
I take on board what you say re shocks and there could be something in that, as the car has just done a little over 60k.
However, it was bought from a guy who got it from a dealer, had all the stamps in the book, the guy did no mods and obviously thrash it about. He was squeeky clean as is the car.
Its just at motorway speeds, I get the feeling that the car is almost being tripped up by something. drift and twitchyness are commonplace, Is that just as it is a convertable?
It sticks to the road like you suggest at around 40-60mph but out on the motorway it just feels really unsafe and you feel you are getting blown about to much?
Whats the best way to check the shocks???
oh yea, and I am still running the stock wheels with correct tyre config. I have some 18" split rims of my old car that fit the hubs, but are clearly to big. Has anyone ever put 18" rims on???? and survived????
If the tyres are worn the car will have a greater tendancy to mtramline but it will wander about a bit anyway on the Motorway if its windy as thew car is so light. Remember it's about the same weight as a Peugeot 106
Quote from: "MR2man"oh yea, and I am still running the stock wheels with correct tyre config. I have some 18" split rims of my old car that fit the hubs, but are clearly to big. Has anyone ever put 18" rims on???? and survived????
Someone did IIRC.. but most folks here will tell you not to, as it'll just hurt performance (and lets face it, it's not the most overpowered car in the world to start off with s;) ;) s;) )..
Back to the tramlining - these cars are quite prone to that with certain types of tyre.. which tyres are you running? I found that the stock Bridgestones (certainly when worn) were
hideous for tramlining, with the Toyo's being far more forgiving (though it can get hairy in huge ruts on parts of the M25).
I also found that the car was much better behaved after a full alignment - even though it was barely out of spec, the difference before & after was huge. Well worth getting a four wheel laser alignment carried out by a reputable place (whereabouts are you? someone nearby might be able to recommend somewhere good).
I gave my car a good blat on the way home tonight - and even though I was coming down some wide winding single & dual carriageways (between Chertsey & Thorpe Park, and the A308 between Staines & Old Windsor) at, erm.. well y'know, I wasn't hanging around - the car felt totally planted and didn't drift around at all (and at one point there's a 30degree sharpish left hander that you can take at ~
90ish s;) ;) s;) )..
Shocks - hard things to test, you just have to have a feel for when they're gone or not really (the bounce test, on a car this light, isn't that great) - whereabouts are you? maybe someone can take you out in theirs & vice versa so you can get a feel for it s:) :) s:)
Aaron
Rogue has 18's or maybe even 19's s:shock: :shock: s:shock:
I know he said he couldnt easily jack up the car without the wheels ripping of the body kit in paces where its snug around the bottom of the wheels. He was interested to see if the teins were a bit stronger to hold them.
Phil
Thanx Aaron, I am hopefully getting a set of Stock post 03's in a couple of weeks with goodyear eagle F1's on so that should help on the tramlining, as for the shocks i hope they are fine as the car has only done 37k for a 99.
I am in Letchworth, the place i normally get my alignment is SCS tyre place in hitchin, but havnt been back after one of the pikies stole my phone. Can anyone recomend anywhere near.
Cheers
theres a good place in old Stevenage, begins with an L but can't remember it's name.
it will be on here somewhere as reccomended by Comer
I work in Stevenage, the only two places i can think of in Stevenage old town is Bob's tyres and SCS. I will have a look around for that post.
Cheers Markiii
Thanks for posts guys
Tyres are pretty much new and have a large amount of life left in them. They are Firestones which I think are pretty good to be honest.
I live in sunny devon near Exeter so if anyone with a "2" can compare notes on this, give me a shout.
Wind factor I have already taken into consideration and that is only partially the problem, there is deffinitely something else which isnt quite right. Will take it for a laser alignment soon and see if that helps.
The issue only arises at high motorway speeds! 70+
Firestone? euuh
seriously budget tyres