STi7 - scary handling tonight
14 October 2002, 11:27 PM
#1
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I've mentioned before about the unpredictable handling of my STi7 in the wet. I've kind of got used to it and I accept that if I go round a roundabout casually at anything more than a sedate pace, the front understeers. The only way to stop this happening is to nail the throttle before turn-in to activate the front LSD - aggressive tactics for everyday driving I think.
Anyway a week ago, I decided to swap my front/rear tyres around so that all 4 tyres wear out at the same time. Both have about 5-7 mm of tread, but the rears were a bit better.
I experienced the result on the way home from work tonight. Roads were wet, series of smallish roundabouts and I was following an old Honda Prelude (and I mean about 10 years old). He was driving a little faster than average. What surprised me was that I struggled to keep up at the roundabouts. Choice was either slight understeer or significant oversteer.
This car is desperate for better tyres but should the handling be this bad. What does anyone else think of the wet handling?
D.
Anyway a week ago, I decided to swap my front/rear tyres around so that all 4 tyres wear out at the same time. Both have about 5-7 mm of tread, but the rears were a bit better.
I experienced the result on the way home from work tonight. Roads were wet, series of smallish roundabouts and I was following an old Honda Prelude (and I mean about 10 years old). He was driving a little faster than average. What surprised me was that I struggled to keep up at the roundabouts. Choice was either slight understeer or significant oversteer.
This car is desperate for better tyres but should the handling be this bad. What does anyone else think of the wet handling?
D.
15 October 2002, 06:58 AM
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Mines handling is very perdictable...understeer...more power...neutral...oversteer...
I won't say the handling is bad or unpredictable, it's rather un-intuitive...
I think you should get it on a skidpan, to learn to drive it...Don't blame your own inexperience on the car...it has excellent handling, but very different to a WRX, or old shape...you have to learn to drive it.
I won't say the handling is bad or unpredictable, it's rather un-intuitive...
I think you should get it on a skidpan, to learn to drive it...Don't blame your own inexperience on the car...it has excellent handling, but very different to a WRX, or old shape...you have to learn to drive it.
15 October 2002, 08:06 AM
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I'm assuming you're on standard tyres and wheels? I never drove my STi in the wet as about a week into ownership, I put the P-FF7's with Toyo Proxies on it.
In the wet it doesn't understeer unless I go into a corner/roundabout way to fast and I can go in faster than I could in my MY00UK. Mid bend and on the exit it wants to either do a 4 wheel drift sideways or the back starts to push out, but thats only if you let it and/or are in a low gear.
It certainly takes more skill to drive it than my MY00UK but that's why I like it. Involvement is the key to a great drivers car.
I suspect that your problem is mainly down to your tyres.
Matt
In the wet it doesn't understeer unless I go into a corner/roundabout way to fast and I can go in faster than I could in my MY00UK. Mid bend and on the exit it wants to either do a 4 wheel drift sideways or the back starts to push out, but thats only if you let it and/or are in a low gear.
It certainly takes more skill to drive it than my MY00UK but that's why I like it. Involvement is the key to a great drivers car.
I suspect that your problem is mainly down to your tyres.
Matt
15 October 2002, 08:14 AM
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The tyres on the STI 7 have the same amount of rubber on the road as an 18" tyre so the levels of grip would not be any greater unless you're cornering at some silly speeds then the lower profile 18" would be only slightly better, than would look nicer though.
Arron.
Arron.
15 October 2002, 08:24 AM
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Arron,
I wasn't implying that 18" tyres have more grip. What is more important is tyre compound and treat pattern. In the wet, the tread pattern can make a huge difference, and the compound similar.
Like I said, I've not driven the RE040's in the wet so I can't comment but the Toyo's in the wet are top (which was my main point 
)
Matt
I wasn't implying that 18" tyres have more grip. What is more important is tyre compound and treat pattern. In the wet, the tread pattern can make a huge difference, and the compound similar.
Like I said, I've not driven the RE040's in the wet so I can't comment but the Toyo's in the wet are top
(which was my main point )Matt
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15 October 2002, 08:35 AM
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This is also being discussed in this thread. As the other tread is more advanced, perhaps we should all post in that one instead.
Matt
[Edited by mutant_matt - 10/15/2002 8:36:21 AM]
Matt
[Edited by mutant_matt - 10/15/2002 8:36:21 AM]
15 October 2002, 08:53 AM
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On the track one of the reasons you increase the tyre pressures is to strengthen the sidewalls as on the track, the car will roll more and scrub more of the side of the tyre.
Increasing the pressure will help this but will reduce overall grip and increase the harshness of the ride. On the track this is not an issue but I would expect it would not be great on the road.
What works on the track is usually terrible on the road!!
Matt
Increasing the pressure will help this but will reduce overall grip and increase the harshness of the ride. On the track this is not an issue but I would expect it would not be great on the road.
What works on the track is usually terrible on the road!!
Matt
15 October 2002, 09:02 AM
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Definatley check the tyre pressures.
My STI handles like an understeery thingy bitch with tyre pressures of below 32. I now run 34 front, and 34 rear, which for me transforms the car to how I like it(pointy and squirty).
Some people prefer 34 front, 32 rear so try that first.
My STI handles like an understeery thingy bitch with tyre pressures of below 32. I now run 34 front, and 34 rear, which for me transforms the car to how I like it(pointy and squirty).
Some people prefer 34 front, 32 rear so try that first.
15 October 2002, 09:26 AM
#12
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Good info, but to confuse things a little bit more what about 19" wheels? I am running 32psi all round at the moment and if I went to say 34 - 35 would there be any benefit? Would tyre wear become an issue?
Sam
Sam
15 October 2002, 11:39 AM
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I seem to remember a couple of years ago one of the Formula One teams pitting a car in because it had lost a fraction of a psi in tyre pressure on one wheel! I guess they are a bit more sensitive to tyre pressure than road cars though
15 October 2002, 02:47 PM
#15
F1 cars are rather a special case, 50% of the suspension movement is in the sidewall. They fill these with inert gas to try and minimise presure change over temperature change. They usually work in 1/10th of a PSI and the presure used is much lower than you would use in a road tyre. They also have presure relief valves in the tyre valve, so they dont go higher than a set value. What seems to affect them most is the construction quality, being hand made they are all slightly diferent. You also have to condition them, which is why the driver may do one lap in warm up then come in and swap tyres, they have to go through a heat/load cycle.
Road tyres and F1 tyres are very diferent animals.
Road tyres and F1 tyres are very diferent animals.
15 October 2002, 09:59 PM
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Handling on the way home from work was even worse today - oversteer on minimal provocation. I thought something must be seriously wrong. I got out and checked the tyres. Near-side rear nearly flat with large screw in middle of tread.
Feel a bit stupid now.
D.
[Edited by DJB - 10/15/2002 10:00:27 PM]
Feel a bit stupid now.
D.
[Edited by DJB - 10/15/2002 10:00:27 PM]
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