chris wheela

Purchased my 2005 WRX about a month ago, and now i've driven in the wet it is uber scary, the back end will just fling out as if it's not connected to the front. Feels very light and tail happy. (it's not me driving like a to55er as I would drive the same way round a particular bend in my old civic diesel and it never reacted like that)

I'm guessing Subarus are not supposed to be like this

What things do I need to check or do. It's awfull and dangerous!

All tyres have decent tread too, although on the rear drivers side tyre, on the outside is showing uneven wear...

Anyhelp would be appreciated

tubbytommy

iTrader: (20)

sounds like either your driving like an idiot( i know you said you werent) or something is seriously wrong.
it takes a heavy right foot to provoke subarus into oversteer.
what make of tyres are they???

chris wheela

I promise you i'm not!

I'll let you knwo what tyres they are...

tubbytommy

iTrader: (20)

first guess is ditchfinder tyres i.e sun or some other budget crap.
second guess poor geometry set up indicated by uneven tyre wear
or third guess heavy right foot, coming on boost when car has steering lock on.
its an awd and when the rears lose grip it will slide.

Markyscoob

Eek! Sounds just like my old car when I first got it. Federal tyres fitted. It would understeer in the wet on every corner above walking pace and was terrifying. I put Goodyears on that transformed the handling instantly. Didn't help on black ice a month or so later though.......

Lesson learnt. Current STi has Bridgestone 070 on for Summer and Pirrelli SottoZero on for winter. if it gets really bad I can tow the stuck Range Rovers out with those on!

chris wheela

So i reckon it's the tyres then. I think they're Khumos or something like that...

bonesetter

iTrader: (9)

Someone hasn't fitted a big rear arb have they?

tyler120706

ive got budget tyres on mine it does make it intersted in the wet

dibbleyuk

iTrader: (1)

My 05 STi came with budget tyres when I brought it tbh made it fun in the wet if ya want to have some fun but if ya not into that sort of thing get some good tyres on there

Highlander395

iTrader: (1)

+1!!

Replacing the rear arb by a bigger/stiffer one, can lead Subaru's to oversteer.

chris wheela

How do you check if it's a bigger arb? the current one doesn't look new at all or after market....

bonesetter

iTrader: (9)

I would have said if it has been uprated/swapped there would be signs of paint etc. Course, the surest way is to measure the dia

Highlander395

iTrader: (1)

Measure the diameter of the bar. A stock 05 WRX should have a 20mm arb (correct me if i'm wrong)

Qwertyco

iTrader: (2)

I have Kumhos, and they are excellent.
Had them on the RWD Soarer and they were excellent.

Sti Addict

I have a 27mm rear on the middle setting, the rear of the car stays planted! I love it, but she is a bit pointy though.

Grant74

iTrader: (10)

rear ARB wont make it swap like that though if its genuinely civic diesel speeds- must be tyres- kumhos are alright generally- check tyre pressure, and would have a look underneath for damage- could have been an impact that throws one wheels geometry out.

Check all tyres are the same make?

Wheels nuts are on tight arent they?

Jack it up and check wheel bearings and generally have a look, and if all else fail;s get geometry done.

Stainy

Shockers gone? Mine's an 04 with only 36k miles on and the handling is terrible at the moment - it isn't oversteering though, just juddering/wobbling it's way around corners - doesn't feel planted at all. Traced it to knackered shocks, which was a bit of a surprise as I only thought 05 on had an issue with such low mileage

Mine's getting sorted on Monday. Just a thought

fpan

iTrader: (11)

Corrected

Dave Hedgehog

iTrader: (1)

Yes, any knocking at low speed combined with very tail happy handling could be a signal of seized/seizing rear shocks, particularly if it's at random or unpredictable.

Mine would go into a bend fine, then as it loaded it would pass the load threshold for the outside shock to move at which point it would drop the outside rear and go into some fairly lurid oversteer if unchecked. Sometime sit would do it, sometimes it wouldn't, just dependded how the rear shocks were feeling.

Check shock integrity - tbh on any car very tail happy handling is often sign of a knackered rear shock.