Car going sideways?
09-30-2006, 10:39 AM
#1
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Car going sideways?
Today I had a chance to do some spirited driving (with DSC off of course, but stage 1 off only, not all off). During some cornerings, I felt my car just drift sideways, not oversteering nor understeering, but just goes sideways (not a lot and beyond my control). Is this normal? car still stock everything. what would reduce this sideways movements? front swaybar? rear swaybar? or front strut?
09-30-2006, 06:23 PM
#3
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Originally Posted by Gomez
Pump your tyres up.
Try pressures above 36psi.
Try pressures above 36psi.
Understeering is usually when you are way too fast and brake too hard.
Modification: A better right foot.
At least that is what I tell ILIV48 all the time
Joke aside: Pump up the tyres and check your alignment. You may want to add some negative camber to the front and some zero toe or even toe out.
Last edited by takahashi; 09-30-2006 at 06:38 PM.
09-30-2006, 09:17 PM
#4
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Yes I agree, we are told by the professor of skidology to run our tyres at 36-38. If you are at factory spec alignment then you are probably running about -1.5 rear camber and about -1 in the front. I drove around for a long time with -1.5 in the front and -2 in the rear and that helped enormously on the street. The rears can go further -2 but I have found it to just enduce oversteer.
Wider tyres will also help as will swaybars. but note that if you get only a rear sway bar you will enduce oversteer and only a front will enduce understeer.
Might be a good time for a whiteline swaybar group buy.
Wider tyres will also help as will swaybars. but note that if you get only a rear sway bar you will enduce oversteer and only a front will enduce understeer.
Might be a good time for a whiteline swaybar group buy.
09-30-2006, 10:29 PM
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hmmm... never thought of the tyre pressure, I was running 34psi yesterday 
group buy for whiteline swaybars? how many would be interested? I once met a guy who claimed he can do each swaybar for $170, which is a bargain IMO. I'll see if I can find him again.
group buy for whiteline swaybars? how many would be interested? I once met a guy who claimed he can do each swaybar for $170, which is a bargain IMO. I'll see if I can find him again.
09-30-2006, 10:35 PM
#6
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I might do sway bars, but I want to be sure that the clamps are good.. Personally, I am keen on the Mazdaspeed shocks and springs... Losing that 20mm could be a problem though... 
10-01-2006, 10:39 AM
#10
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Originally Posted by Black-8
Today I had a chance to do some spirited driving (with DSC off of course, but stage 1 off only, not all off). During some cornerings, I felt my car just drift sideways, not oversteering nor understeering, but just goes sideways (not a lot and beyond my control). Is this normal? car still stock everything. what would reduce this sideways movements? front swaybar? rear swaybar? or front strut?
It seems to me that you OVER-correct with the steering wheel. Try to move the steering wheel smoothly and do not correct TOO much. This will have the effect of simple oversteer and not moving all the 4 wheels side way.
10-01-2006, 05:46 PM
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Originally Posted by takahashi
At least that is what I tell ILIV48 all the time
10-01-2006, 07:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Black-8
hmmm... never thought of the tyre pressure, I was running 34psi yesterday
group buy for whiteline swaybars? how many would be interested? I once met a guy who claimed he can do each swaybar for $170, which is a bargain IMO. I'll see if I can find him again.
group buy for whiteline swaybars? how many would be interested? I once met a guy who claimed he can do each swaybar for $170, which is a bargain IMO. I'll see if I can find him again.
I run higher pressure on the front to the rear. This makes a huge difference. I run 38 on the front and 36 on the rear. When I did this as suggested by my tyre guru it made the car feel a hell of a lot sharper. The low profile tyres tend to like more pressure and the side walls need a bit of support to stop them from distorting which is what you might of felt. That's the best mod that I did and is free! But if I could I would get sway bars and new tyres....but I don't so I enjoy going around corners fast!
BTW went around a 40kph signed corner at 85kph yesterday with the WD telling me off all the way! Zoom Zoom!!!
10-01-2006, 07:40 PM
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Hmm, not sure if I understand the "problem" being discussed here.
Even with DSC switched on, the car will allow you to drift a tad if you get on it a little too hard out of a corner before correcting for you. With it switched off, this is going to happen even more depending on your right foot. Taka nailed the problem methinks.
Obviously, tyres pressures and mods like stiffer sways, grippier rubber and suspension upgrades are going to increase your corner speeds, but you'll still get it to drift if you're trying hard enough.
Is this a bad thing??
Am I missing something here?
Even with DSC switched on, the car will allow you to drift a tad if you get on it a little too hard out of a corner before correcting for you. With it switched off, this is going to happen even more depending on your right foot. Taka nailed the problem methinks.
Obviously, tyres pressures and mods like stiffer sways, grippier rubber and suspension upgrades are going to increase your corner speeds, but you'll still get it to drift if you're trying hard enough.
Is this a bad thing??
Am I missing something here?
10-03-2006, 06:23 AM
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Originally Posted by Revolver
Hmm, not sure if I understand the "problem" being discussed here.
Even with DSC switched on, the car will allow you to drift a tad if you get on it a little too hard out of a corner before correcting for you. With it switched off, this is going to happen even more depending on your right foot. Taka nailed the problem methinks.
Obviously, tyres pressures and mods like stiffer sways, grippier rubber and suspension upgrades are going to increase your corner speeds, but you'll still get it to drift if you're trying hard enough.
Is this a bad thing??
Am I missing something here?
Even with DSC switched on, the car will allow you to drift a tad if you get on it a little too hard out of a corner before correcting for you. With it switched off, this is going to happen even more depending on your right foot. Taka nailed the problem methinks.
Obviously, tyres pressures and mods like stiffer sways, grippier rubber and suspension upgrades are going to increase your corner speeds, but you'll still get it to drift if you're trying hard enough.
Is this a bad thing??
Am I missing something here?
10-03-2006, 08:36 AM
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Originally Posted by Revolver
Hmm, not sure if I understand the "problem" being discussed here.
Even with DSC switched on, the car will allow you to drift a tad if you get on it a little too hard out of a corner before correcting for you. With it switched off, this is going to happen even more depending on your right foot. Taka nailed the problem methinks.
Obviously, tyres pressures and mods like stiffer sways, grippier rubber and suspension upgrades are going to increase your corner speeds, but you'll still get it to drift if you're trying hard enough.
Is this a bad thing??
Am I missing something here?
Even with DSC switched on, the car will allow you to drift a tad if you get on it a little too hard out of a corner before correcting for you. With it switched off, this is going to happen even more depending on your right foot. Taka nailed the problem methinks.
Obviously, tyres pressures and mods like stiffer sways, grippier rubber and suspension upgrades are going to increase your corner speeds, but you'll still get it to drift if you're trying hard enough.
Is this a bad thing??
Am I missing something here?
10-03-2006, 08:44 AM
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Originally Posted by Black-8
Today I had a chance to do some spirited driving (with DSC off of course, but stage 1 off only, not all off). During some cornerings, I felt my car just drift sideways, not oversteering nor understeering, but just goes sideways (not a lot and beyond my control). Is this normal? car still stock everything. what would reduce this sideways movements? front swaybar? rear swaybar? or front strut?
With the Bridgestones I run 28-30 PSI when hill climbing and I find it very good.
I've got no idea how you guys drive around with 36 PSI - I've tried it and noticed the middle of the tyres starting to wear. In addition to this the traction control is going off constantly. At 40 psi the car has very poor grip even with traction control.
The manufacturers pressure of 32psi is a good one - a bit lower is better for sprint racing.
A 20 minute track session I don't know about - but maybe you'd want a bit higher pressure for that so the tyres don't heat up so much. I think the manual recommends 35psi if you are travelling in excess of about 180 km/ph or something similar.
I guess everyone has a different opinion but I've done quite a lot of testing on this at 10 tenths on a sprint track and I would recommend a lower pressure for short runs.
Cheers,
Deano.
10-04-2006, 04:35 AM
#20
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Originally Posted by deano
With the Bridgestones I run 28-30 PSI when hill climbing and I find it very good.
I've got no idea how you guys drive around with 36 PSI - I've tried it and noticed the middle of the tyres starting to wear. In addition to this the traction control is going off constantly. At 40 psi the car has very poor grip even with traction control.
The manufacturers pressure of 32psi is a good one - a bit lower is better for sprint racing.
A 20 minute track session I don't know about - but maybe you'd want a bit higher pressure for that so the tyres don't heat up so much. I think the manual recommends 35psi if you are travelling in excess of about 180 km/ph or something similar.
I guess everyone has a different opinion but I've done quite a lot of testing on this at 10 tenths on a sprint track and I would recommend a lower pressure for short runs.
Cheers,
Deano.
I've got no idea how you guys drive around with 36 PSI - I've tried it and noticed the middle of the tyres starting to wear. In addition to this the traction control is going off constantly. At 40 psi the car has very poor grip even with traction control.
The manufacturers pressure of 32psi is a good one - a bit lower is better for sprint racing.
A 20 minute track session I don't know about - but maybe you'd want a bit higher pressure for that so the tyres don't heat up so much. I think the manual recommends 35psi if you are travelling in excess of about 180 km/ph or something similar.
I guess everyone has a different opinion but I've done quite a lot of testing on this at 10 tenths on a sprint track and I would recommend a lower pressure for short runs.
Cheers,
Deano.
If yes, then ok. Everybody have difference driving style. Most people opted for high 30s on road. For track, I use warm pressure only.
10-05-2006, 10:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Black-8
Well it's just I've never experienced it on any car, so not sure if it's normal or not. then again, all my previous cars have been fwd honda, so understeering is normal for me.
Welcome to the wonderful world of RWD.
10-17-2006, 10:00 PM
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Tyre pressure at 32-33 PSI is fine. DSC induces a degree of understeer to prevent spins. With DSC off the limited slip diff gets a chance to do it's job so the back will swing around to help through corners - even better if you turn TCS off completely but this is safer left for the track. This might feel like it is sliding but it isn't. RX8 on a tight twisty road is a beautiful thing and aside from punch out of corners it is more than capable. If you are really pushing you can drift all 4 wheels nicely - that's the advantage of a 50:50 weight distribution.
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