Board logo

loose rear end?
aka Keith - 12/9/12 at 07:45 AM

After many years running the car as it was bought, I took the plange at the weekend to adjust the front camber.

Previously I never managed to get heart across the footprint of the tyre, so a small adjustment of the front wishbone and bangs your uncle the car turns like it is on tracks and the whole of the tyre footprint now gets warm.

At the same time, I swapped the front wheels for the backs - to even up the tyre wear.

So, question fo the collective, on fast turns, the front turns fantastically, but the rear feels like sits down a fraction of a second later, squirms and then settles.

Is this normal, or have I fecked something up with my meddling? Do I need to adjust the back, to get address the balance of the car?

Cheers
Craig

dhutch - 12/9/12 at 08:00 AM

quote:
Originally posted by aka Keith
After many years running the car as it was bought, I took the plange at the weekend to adjust the front camber.

Previously I never managed to get heart across the footprint of the tyre, so a small adjustment of the front wishbone and bangs your uncle the car turns like it is on tracks and the whole of the tyre footprint now gets warm.

At the same time, I swapped the front wheels for the backs - to even up the tyre wear.

So, question fo the collective, on fast turns, the front turns fantastically, but the rear feels like sits down a fraction of a second later, squirms and then settles.

Is this normal, or have I fecked something up with my meddling? Do I need to adjust the back, to get address the balance of the car?

Cheers
Craig

Assuming nothing is loose, which could cause squirming, and I would ahve thought would be felt at slower speeds as well fast turns. (is this fast as in rapid wheel movements, or high car speed). Obviously depending on surface conditions and car setup some oversteer could be expected, particuarly under power, but without being in the car I would think it would be hard for anyone to say if it where more than they would expect or not.


Daniel

aka Keith - 12/9/12 at 09:36 AM


Assuming nothing is loose, which could cause squirming, and I would ahve thought would be felt at slower speeds as well fast turns. (is this fast as in rapid wheel movements, or high car speed). Obviously depending on surface conditions and car setup some oversteer could be expected, particuarly under power, but without being in the car I would think it would be hard for anyone to say if it where more than they would expect or not.


Daniel

Daniel, I have looked around the car, but not yet got the car up on ramps - that's this weekend if I am lucky.


Daniel, your last statement is the crux of the matter. Having driven the car for 4 years without adjusting the set up and having no reference point for in other sevens, the car used to have slight low and high speed understeer. I assume that this would allow the front to skid over the road. Could it be that with the the new camber the front bites a lot more and there is more weight transfer to the outside wheel, front and back?

Nothing obvious, ie not loose wheel bolts, no shot bearings that I can hear or see, but when cornering at high speed, the back end seems to squirm, like the shocks are fully compressed at the back and the tyre has to take more of the car moves around on the road. could I have the rear shocks too soft?

cheers
Craig

40inches - 12/9/12 at 09:49 AM

I would have it up on stands, with the wheels in the air, and check for wear in the rear polybushes/cracked wishbone mounts.

loggyboy - 12/9/12 at 10:27 AM

quote:
Originally posted by aka Keith

could I have the rear shocks too soft?


Likely to the other way round, a too hard rear end can result in oversteer and 'skitchy' handling.
You could soften it or try harndening the fronts, or a bit of both.

snapper - 12/9/12 at 10:51 AM

You've moved front tyres to the back, I would assume you now have more tread at the back causing a little movement of tread blocks untill scrubbed in

JAG - 12/9/12 at 10:54 AM

What sort of rear suspension?

I have a live axle rear and I find that squirms at entry and then settles into a corner - I worried about it at first and checked over the rear end. I found nothing loose and it's consistent so I stopped worrying

aka Keith - 12/9/12 at 11:03 AM

quote:
Originally posted by JAG
What sort of rear suspension?

I have a live axle rear and I find that squirms at entry and then settles into a corner - I worried about it at first and checked over the rear end. I found nothing loose and it's consistent so I stopped worrying


Justin, it is IRS set up.
Cheers
Craig

adithorp - 12/9/12 at 11:43 AM

"...the car turns like it is on tracks..."
Which..
(a) makes any movement in the rear more noticable,
(b) makes weight transfer more sudden causing more movement in the rear (see, a),

Try a bit less damping on the rear and take your time (re)adapting to what sounds like a light, rear wheel drive car handling like a light, rear wheel drive car.

aka Keith - 13/9/12 at 07:41 AM

Thanks everyone for your notes. I will get the car up on stands over the weekend and check the obvious, bushes shot, craked welds etc, dampers etc, air pressure etc and if nothing is clearly at fault then simply re-adapt to a transformed car.

why oh why did it take me so long to make these small changes.

Cheers
Craig