And this is not awesome why?

 

Yeap you will have more grip on the rear which isn't a bad thing. Go for it. Just remember that RS-3 don't like the cold temps. They need to heat up a little to get sticky

 

Yes.......I learned this about S-02's as well back in December 1999 when we got the first real cold snap of the season leaving work and fish tailed out of the parking lot! Then there was the drive home in 1/4" of snow that took almost 2 hours instead of 25 minutes. Launching from a stop sign in 3rd was a new experience.

 

how much is left on the fronts, Jim?

 

I've heard the new RS3's do much better than the first versions when not up to temp, so that's good!

 

I'm loving my square setup waaaaayy better then staggered. Yes the way you drive may induce over stead but that's alot different then uninduced understeer you get for the tiny tires in the front.

 

Two cents:

Most people (including me) believe the S2000's staggered setup is tail happy and square will make it worse. It wasn't until I took it to a wet skid pad that I realized what was actually happening.

A pro instructor and I studied the car's reaction as I slowly added input and tried to make it oversteer first, but it always pushed first. By continuing to add more steering input after it pushed, I was able to induce oversteer. Unless you are driving under controlled conditions (skid pad) it is difficult to observe the subtle initial understeer.

This is when I learned to open the wheel to make it turn in. Totally counterintuitive, but real.

Stephen was there the same day with a square setup, and his car oversteered first. I'm not sure it could make it push.

 

You just said you eased off to turn in that is typical of a car with understeer....

 

What Will is talking about is really two different dynamics at work, at the same time. In an understeer condition, cranking in more steering angle won't help turn the car...the tires are already sliding. When you open/unwind the wheel, the tires can actually move from a sliding state to a slipping state, which has more grip. The second piece about easing off the throttle will transfer weight forward, making the rears have LESS grip and the fronts have MORE. More grip up front = more turning.

 

Yep.

The point I really wanted to make is there is a misconception that the S2000 naturally oversteers and wider front tires will make the situation worse.

On contrary, the staggered configuration naturally pushes. The push is subtle and short-lived. The "natural" reaction in an understeer situation is to steer in more then when that doesn't work, lift. These reactions will normally result in snap oversteer. Because the understeer is subtle, most of us fail to realize we were ever in an understeer situation and accuse the car of being tail happy after the snap.

To Stephen's earlier post, square is the probably the better setup. I believe it is easier to control oversteer than recover from snap oversteer.