oversteer

[Brushly]

I've been trying to get to grips as to how well these cars handle. I tend to find the back kicking out sooner than I would expect. There was a set of budget tyres which I've now changed for some better tyres but I'm still getting the same problems. Is this a characteristic of these VR4s? Am I expecting too much?

[Physician]

Sounds to me like something is wrong. Even on track I rarely get the back end jumping out (although it HAS happened).

Is your AYC working OK? Or maybe you are simply pushing it VERY hard ...........:thinking:

[Nick Mann]

?

Oversteer is not easy to achieve in these cars. They handle very well. When accelerating round a corner, the AYC should make the car hold its line tightly and massive speed or massive power on poor grip should be present before oversteer is stumbled on.

I find understeer can be had on powering into low speed corners, but oversteer is something I rarely have.

[Spirit]

Have to agree with Nick, I have had occassional oversteer but tbh it was at times I powered hard into a corner which I shouldn't have. I also think my suspension set up alters the lines I take considerably compared to the standard set up.....this was shown once again at RT3 where I could take much tighter lines. Have had the back end step out many times at Combe but always felt in control.

You say you have changed the tyres, what ones have you put on ?

[soapy1978]

i not saying for shore but i did find that one to be rear end happy as the one i got now is a lot more easyer to drive than my old one you have now and i think this might of been the reason i lost it on the round about so easly when i crashed it if you come up blue water again next tuesday week you can take my new one out and see what you think of the differents in the two (but must point out you crash it you repair it he he)

and my mates have said 5the same that my last one which you now have was a bit rrear end happy compeared with the one i got now

darren

[WildCards]

I've had the back end swing right out, but that was hard accelerating 90 degrees from standstill. I find that if you're powering through a corner you feel the AYC pushing you round. If you're not gettng this your AYC gubbins could not be working correctly.

Could it be that your front tyres have more grip the the rears? Just a thought...

[bernmc]

Are you sure it's true oversteer? When the AYC kicks in and introduces its 'moment of yaw', it can feel like you're about to have the biggest moment of oversteer ever - it's just getting the back lined up so you can plant your foot and disappear down the following straight...

[Kieran]

Are you sure it's true oversteer? When the AYC kicks in and introduces its 'moment of yaw', it can feel like you're about to have the biggest moment of oversteer ever - it's just getting the back lined up so you can plant your foot and disappear down the following straight...

That twice. I've noticed the Diff deliberately induce oversteer to give the best line... See this thread - does it sound famillar at all?

http://www.clubvr4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13068

[bradc]

After spending the better part of 200km's in Kenneths and KiwiTTs cars as a passenger at high speeds around corners I can say that I felt neither car start to oversteer that badly. Only once did I feel Kenneths car start to oversteer, the car was on full throttle coming out of a corner going uphill and I could just start to hear the GSD3's howl when the back of the car felt like it had stepped out an inch or two. There were quite a few times when the car was being held at the limits with the car just rolling on the tyres slightly sideways, with all 4 wheels holding up equally.

[lo-fasty]

I also seem to get oversteer on my VR-4 but think it's great :2thumbsup All my AYC lights work fine and are all on when it steps out but always have full control and it don't come out loads but I had a 200sx before so I'm quite used to having rear end fun :2thumbsup :evilgrin: :happy: I do am pushing it hard when this happens :2thumbsup

[Brushly]

To be fair, I've given the car as much boost as it can take before fuel cut off and I was pushing it hard, but I've been used to driving the Nissan Pulsar which really bites in on tight corners and will launch out of a corner without any fuss. On the occasions when the VR4 has kicked out, I've found it very controllable. Ideally what we all need is a Jeremy Clarkson stylie runway to see what we can get away with! I quite like the idea of going round the Nurburg Ring sideways - it would be a good crowd pleaser!

[lo-fasty]

:2thumbsup You'll be wanting a 200sx then for some real good drifting:2thumbsup I loved mine but needed more room for the dogs so well pleased with my mitsi plus got a better 1/4mile time at avon park all thanks to the 4 wheel grip :happy: What boost you manage to run? I could only get 15 to 16psi before fuel cut /Grrr

[Brushly]

This is where it gets technical! I put a small G clamp on the boost control pipe and wound the pipe flat and backed it off until I didn't get fuel cut off! Sorry, but there it is!!

I fitted a new set of Dunlop SP Sport 3000.

[bradc]

thats a very interesting if dangerous mod there brushly, what sort of boost are you running now?

[Physician]

I'm getting the impression from this thread that you HAVE got something wrong with the systems somewhere.

I understand that you now own Soapy's original car ....... and he and others say that the car was tail happy ....... and now you also question it. That suggests a fault somewhere. Simplest initial test is to drive another VR4 for comparison. If you are still concerned that it's tail happy then get it looked at by Mitsy as it could be dangerous.

[Kenneth]

Nah, I think you are all good.

In the wet or at lower speeds the back steps out on mine also (when turning anyway). However as Brad said, my car handle very well through the twisties.

Mostly I suspect its how you drive. Is your car manual or auto? Also the tyres make a HUGE difference. My old tyres used to step out very easily, brads old tyres use to step out without warning (in the wet anyway) and the goodyears are just very tame in comparison... and that is all on standard boost!

Make sure you have good suspension and good tyres and you should be fine. If its not causing you issues (ie stepping out so fast you cant catch it) then dont worry about it.

[mpau009]

After that piha run, following Xeroid (when i could see him), i was horrified how much the back stepped out on one left hand corner going down into piha, me and my mate both saw it, the back was a good 6 inches out, no squeal, didn't look like it had broken traction, but it was enough to warrant a holy **** from us.

Only thing i can think of would be to double check that your tyre pressures are even? Also, i think that the stock suspension with its body roll can give the impression of oversteer when your driving?

[soapy1978]

physician is right it is my old car that i crashed into the bigkirb on the round about and i still say that it is very easy to step the back out on that car far more easyer than the one i got now that for shore



i have offered brushly a try of my new one one tuesday night up blue water so he can see the differents in the too would it have anything to do with it being manual and no traction control like you auto boys have got on yours

darren

[Xeroid]

You could SEE me mpau009 ?...dang, obviously wasn't pushing hard enough although I confess to being held up by some cars in front.

Step out, nah ... only time I've had either the VR4 or the Leggie step out is on very rough surfaces when it loses contact with the road surface. Also very tyre dependent. The D3's on the VR4 are awesome on good road and wet, not quite so happy on tarseal when it has those corrugations in corners after a hot summer. Shocking on gravel, hardly any grip at all.
Leggie has some Jap Dunlops with bigger cut and seems to be a bit grippier on rough although the 18"s don't like big ruts. Not sure what tyres I'm going to replace them with as yet. The more open tread helps the 18"s ride I think.

If you reckon it is stepping out unpredictably when it shouldn't get it checked at a good agent. ECU, Fluid, etc through the MUT and see if it helps, only way to be sure.

[Brushly]

I've come to the conclusion from what people have been saying on this thread that there's nothing wrong with my car, it's just my aggressive style of driving! And being a much larger car than the Pulsar, it's only to be expected.
I don't know what boost I'm running as I've no boost gauge fitted but the fuel gauge works well!!
Carl

[d3x]

On wet roundabouts I also seem to suffer major oversteer when going quickly. Was even showing it off to a group of friends a few weeks ago (over 45 degrees at one point) how you can make the rear slide on demand. Not been able to do this in the dry though. I have been known to drive rather more aggressively than most which was what I put it down to...

[lo-fasty]

I also drive very aggressively and think it's controlable even when it steps out. Mine is a manual gearbox just thinking all the people getting the back end out are also manual or some auto/tip? A poll would be an idea just out of interest really?

[Brushly]

Good point. Mine is a manual.

[Wodjno]

Back end out in the wet is no problem wiyh a tip, infact if it was in auto mode it would prolly be pretty dangerous if it kicked down and then you got all the wallop of power in 1 go. :inquisiti

[Xeroid]

We did BIG donuts on Keriotahi Beach last year for about 10 mins on wet sand, awesome !! Figure of 8's, loops all in Tip 2nd with big 4wd drifts.
THAT ain't oversteer, that's power control...

Even got a clap from the beach audience after before we shot off up the road in case someone had called the fuzz up..

[d3x]

We did BIG donuts on Keriotahi Beach last year for about 10 mins on wet sand, awesome !! Figure of 8's, loops all in Tip 2nd with big 4wd drifts.
THAT ain't oversteer, that's power control...

Even got a clap from the beach audience after before we shot off up the road in case someone had called the fuzz up..

gotta find me a beach to drive on!

(mines a tiptronic job btw)

[Rally205]

I think that if this car has been kerbed hard on a roundabout then it is probably rear wheel alignment that is causing your lack of grip.

[lo-fasty]

I think they should still be able to drift as the evo's do when on test, Top gear and 5th gear all seem to manage havin fun in them so no reason why our VR-4's shouldn't be able to do the same :2thumbsup

[thecustomer]

OK, so I'm a newbie around here (1 vr4 for 5k miles)... so take these Janet'n'John thoughts in that spirit!

Maybe it is just your driving style (Snr F Alonso likes a car pointy with plenty of oversteer, so you'd be in good company)

<L plates on>
- have you checked your wheel alignments? - is the tyre wear even across the tread? If not, you might have an alignment issue
- when were the tyres last changed - did all 4 get changed together, or are the fronts newer (grippier?) than the rears (I'm assuming it's the same make on all 4 corners?)
- have you tried playing with front & rear tyre pressures to see if they make a difference to its behaviour?
- are the springs & dampers OK - something at the front end going soft might make the rear come around faster - power oversteer (does it understeer when going gently?). I can't see how tired suspension at the rear would give you oversteer...

hth

Will