I have encountered an unexpected amount of front end drift when cornering at double the speed limit . I am going to get an after market swaybar for the front of my car to reduce this drift but I thought that I'd check with you all first.

My questions for you today;

1.) Have you noticed this drift yourselves?

2.) Do you have any recommendations for Sway Bars or any other equipment to increase my "Road Stick".

I am currently running stock equipment and I have checked to see if the suspension stabilizers (for shipping) have been removed by the dealer (and they have been removed). I have the S-02 16" tires and rear spoiler but no front spoiler.

I have an Autocross coming up in San Diego this June 10th and I want to be sure to leave my friends Miata as far in the dust as I possibley can. I'd like to beat him by at least 10 seconds or so. I think that will get him to get his supercharger sooner rather than later. Then I won't feal so bad when I beat him.

Best Regards,

Tom

 

Front end drift? Is this another name for understeer (your front tires aren't gripping as well as the rear)? If that's the case a stiffer/bigger swaybar in front is going to worsen the problem.

1) I have a much harder time with oversteer in this car than understeer, assuming it is understeer you are referring to.

2) I think Mugen is the only company that manufactures sways for the car. Maybe Cusco as well. The Mugen ones can be bought through http://www.kingmotorsports.com (a sponsor of this site).

A cheaper solution might be to play with your tire pressures a little bit. Hope I helped.

 

Mad Dog, I have the same problem. The Stook badly understeers if you take power into a corner with you. This situation is chronic when trying to weave quickly through cones etc. In my experience the only way to resolve this is to:

increase front tyre presure to minimum 39psi COLD
increase camber settings and reduce toe
brake harder into corners and don't try to power through them

Whatever you do, avoid sway bars, they will only make the understeer worse.

[Edited by 2kturkey on 05-29-2001 at 09:27 PM]

 

The above tips are all really good. If you want to go for an aftermarket solution though, pick up one of the x-braces. Just remember though, when you rid yourself of understeer, you have oversteer. Instead of pushing forward in the turns, your rear end will step out and fishtail. You really can't have it both ways, so I would recomend picking the lesser of the two evils. And it depends upon your driving style which one it is.

 

......If that's the case a stiffer/bigger swaybar in front is going to worsen the problem.....
......If that's the case a stiffer/bigger swaybar in front is going to worsen the problem......
......If that's the case a stiffer/bigger swaybar in front is going to worsen the problem......
......If that's the case a stiffer/bigger swaybar in front is going to worsen the problem......
......If that's the case a stiffer/bigger swaybar in front is going to worsen the problem......
......If that's the case a stiffer/bigger swaybar in front is going to worsen the problem......
......If that's the case a stiffer/bigger swaybar in front is going to worsen the problem......
......If that's the case a stiffer/bigger swaybar in front is going to worsen the problem......
......If that's the case a stiffer/bigger swaybar in front is going to worsen the problem......
......If that's the case a stiffer/bigger swaybar in front is going to worsen the problem......

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 2kturkey
[B]Mad Dog, I have the same problem. The Stook badly understeers if you take power into a corner with you. This situation is chronic when trying to weave quickly through cones etc. In my experience the only way to resolve this is to:

increase front tyre presure to minimum 39psi COLD
reduce camber settings and increase toe
brake harder into corners and don't try to power through them

Whatever you do, avoid sway bars, they will only make the understeer worse.

 

You are right, but he might not be giving it enough power. Its all driving style as these cars are dialed in for autocross out of the box, but with only mild understeer. The front end has a little roll, and the x brace really seems to help.

I wouldn't recommend messing with your toe or camber if you use this as a daily driver. Your tires will wear unevenly in normal traffic, but they will likely wear evenly if you dive into 35mph turns in 3rd gear at 8000+ rpm all of the time. It doesn't sound like you put on a Nomex race suit and helmet when you are driving this car, so there you go.

Again, a front x brace or stiffer swaybar would move the bias to the rear wheels and move you closer to oversteer.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by shingles

Quote:

This doesn't make sense to me... with the stook, and most RWD, powering through a turn does not lead to what would appear to be understeer that's being described here...

Right you are..

But if you enter a turn way to hot the front tires cannot get enough grip to turn-in cleanly so you will get understeer. The best way to reduce that problem is to change driving style entering the turn a little slower and powering out. Then if you get heavy footed with that style (powering out of the turn) you may experience oversteer and that can be reduced with a heavier front bar.

 

Repeat after me - slow in, fast out.

I'm also confused as to how higher tire pressures will reduce understeer?

I'm also confused at the comment about a bigger front swaybar moving the car towards oversteer?

 

Many people had no idea what is the reason for oversteer and understeer.
Cdelena and meat is right!
Read their above post to get some idea and don't spread any wrong info if you don't know what you are talking about.

Our car had highspeed understeer dial in from the factory for safety.