MR2 Roadster Owners Club

The Workshop => Performance Related => Topic started by: Anonymous on February 6, 2005, 18:43

Title: Most effective way to reduce understeer?
Post by: Anonymous on February 6, 2005, 18:43
Hi,

I was out today in my car, having taken my spare wheel out and realsied that the car seems to understeer far more! I would however like to tighten it up! I know that there are a number of ways of doing this (ie top trut brace and under car braces, and astiffer anti roll bars) but what does anyone think from experience is the most effective?

Any advice would bve greatly received!

Regards

Dom
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Post by: Anonymous on February 6, 2005, 19:06
We were only just talking about this today.... sort of!

I would have to say front strut brace is the best mod i have made, and will sort out your handling prob for about less than £100. It seams to make the front wheels bite into the road alot more!

Get one now... well tomorrow!
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Post by: MRMike on February 6, 2005, 19:18
 s:?: :?: s:?:  Put the speare back in?   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
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Post by: SimonC_Here on February 6, 2005, 19:36
GB on the Cusco Coley   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:  

Simon
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Post by: loadswine on February 6, 2005, 19:44
GB for a front strut brace sounds lie a good idea.
Title: Hi
Post by: Anonymous on February 6, 2005, 19:48
I have put the spare back in now, but would still like to reduce the amount of understeer! Thicker rear sway bars and adjusting the toe of the wheels have been suggested!
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Post by: kanujunkie on February 6, 2005, 19:51
as others have said strut brace, but after having TTE springs fitted last week it really is the best way of sorting this out once and for all in my mind, i'd save your money up and get the springs done
Title: Re: Hi
Post by: MRMike on February 6, 2005, 19:55
Quote from: "Dominic_Gregory"I have put the spare back in now, but would still like to reduce the amount of understeer! Thicker rear sway bars and adjusting the toe of the wheels have been suggested!

First thing to get is a corky anti-flex plate.  After fitting that and some lowering springs, and a strut brace the car will not understeer! In-fact the standard 2 doesn't understeer much at all in the general scheme of things....if your entering a corner and experiencing understeer you need to enter a bit slower. Or alternatively get on the power to balance it out.
Title: Cusco Struct brace
Post by: Anonymous on February 6, 2005, 19:57
Hi, can i ask why the cusco strut brace rather than a trd one (which i personally prefer)? If a gb goes ahead, keep me posted please!
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Post by: MRMike on February 6, 2005, 20:08
The cusco is cheaper, and people have had good experiences with them.  However the mounting points are not as sturdy as those on the TRD.  You pays your money you makes your choice!
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Post by: markiii on February 6, 2005, 20:40
people liek teh cusco because you can still retain teh bin lid.

the easierst way to reduce understeer is to drop teh front tyre pressure a couple of PSI
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Post by: kanujunkie on February 6, 2005, 20:43
 s:shock: :shock: s:shock:  now thats a cheap mod if ever i heard of one, at most a few quid for a tyre px guage
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Post by: filcee on February 6, 2005, 20:54
What markiii said.  In fact, over the last week or so, the handling on mine has been much more rear-wheel biased - even stepping out slightly under mild throttle in corners/roundabouts.  On Friday I checked the tyre pressures and put them back to 'stock'.  Now it seems to handle much more like a FWD grocery-getter (i.e. 'safe').  I'm considering dropping the front pressures slightly to rectify this.
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Post by: Tem on February 6, 2005, 21:03
My understeer got reduced a lot when I changed the fronts to 195/50/15. IIRC, my tyre pressures are 25/30, which made wonders on S03's, but I'm not sure if tyres with softer sidewalls would be happy...

Go and play with the pressures, you might find something you like and learn a bit about their effect on the handling  s8) 8) s8)
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Post by: juansolo on February 6, 2005, 23:12
Less pressure in the front tyres.
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Post by: kanujunkie on February 7, 2005, 07:40
Quote from: "markiii"the easierst way to reduce understeer is to drop the front tyre pressure a couple of PSI
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Post by: mph on February 7, 2005, 10:59
Quote from: "markiii"the easierst way to reduce understeer is to drop the front tyre pressure a couple of PSI
Correction, the easiest way to reduce understeer is stop using the steering wheel so much for the given level traction.   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:  From purely a driving point of view, your two remdies are either going into the corner slower or trailing the rear to provide the necessary additional rotation. In any case, smoother driving will help reduce dynamic loading. Can anyone say North Weald?   s:) :) s:)
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Post by: mrsmr2 on February 7, 2005, 12:15
Quote from: "markiii"Can anyone say North Weald?   s:) :) s:)

After next Monday I will be able to say "yes".


I haven't got completely used to where the car will understeer just yet.  There are times when travelling quickly on a wide bend and I lift, the car runs  wide!  Only car I've driven that does that.

Also, the front often feels like it is understeering through a bend (or the turn in point), then it bites under power - and I think it's going to oversteer.

Still, that's why I bought the car - because it takes time to master.
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Post by: Anonymous on February 7, 2005, 13:48
Quote from: "markiii"people liek the cusco because you can still retain the bin lid.

Isnt that an urban myth? I have the Cusco bar and you have to removed the bin lid.
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Post by: SimonC_Here on February 7, 2005, 14:00
Sean has the Cusco AND his bin lid, you just can't open it the normal way, you have to pull it off its hinges and out under the bar.

Simon
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Post by: Anonymous on February 7, 2005, 14:03
Quote from: "SimonC_Here"Sean has the Cusco AND his bin lid, you just can't open it the normal way, you have to pull it off its hinges and out under the bar.

Simon

I think we'll call that a draw then, Yes you can keep the lid but  its a bit of a pain   s:) :) s:)
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Post by: SimonC_Here on February 7, 2005, 14:05
Quote from: "RaGE"
Quote from: "SimonC_Here"Sean has the Cusco AND his bin lid, you just can't open it the normal way, you have to pull it off its hinges and out under the bar.

Simon

I think we'll call that a draw then, Yes you can keep the lid but  its a bit of a pain   s:) :) s:)

Oh go on then.   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  

Simon
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Post by: Anonymous on February 8, 2005, 19:01
Check out http://www.rogerkrausracing.com/overundr.html for a list of possible remedies for both under and oversteer.
Title: thanks
Post by: Anonymous on February 8, 2005, 19:40
Thanks for the link, very informative!
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Post by: mrsmr2 on February 8, 2005, 20:43
But, doesn't it say raise front tyre pressure to reduce understeer?

Or am I reading it wrong?
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Post by: Anonymous on February 9, 2005, 10:41
Quote from: "mrsmr2"But, doesn't it say raise front tyre pressure to reduce understeer?

It does.  In my experience, he is incorrect on this particular point.
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Post by: Anonymous on February 9, 2005, 13:05
Some of those corrections do seem counter-intuitive   s:?: :?: s:?:  (see also remove weight from front?). It does give you an idea of all the factors and their knock-on effects that can be involved in a car's handling.

The note at the bottom of their page is best kept in mind.

QuoteNote: This is a sample of the methods used to correct various handling problems. Books have been written on this subject. Not every correction will always work as expected. Stiffer front sway bars will, in many cases, decrease understeer because of reduced body roll and better camber control. The best rule is to change only one thing at a time and keep notes.
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Post by: Tem on February 9, 2005, 14:28
Something that makes something on one car can make the opposite on another car. All that matters is what people owning the same car have experienced with that car (and obviously your own experiments).