Combating Understeer (was: Combating Oversteer)

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Domi31

Member
Going autocrossing in a EM1 civic, this Sunday. Need some tips on combating oversteer.
:rotflmao:
Setup: 1.25 drop Eibach springs, Tokico Illumina ajd struts, Hawk HPS front pads, 195/55/15 Yokohama S. Drive tires, Stock EM1 Sturt bar and rear sway. So a Street setup.

Last time they had a 360 degree type of turn that I just strugled with, reading the SCCA form sounds like they will have another one this sunday. Coming out of this turn really gets me off line I know I dont have room for adj on my set up; but I can do tire press and my struts.

Last time had my Tokicos were are on the hardest setting on all 4 corners and ran a stock tire press. Is that wrong? should I have say... front stiff and rear softer or vice versa? or tire press low up front high in rear. Looking to somewhat control the oversteer to keep me turning in hard and overshooting messing me up for the next turn.


***EDIT I AM UNDER STEERING***
 
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you're gonna wanna firm up the front struts. If they're already at their highest settings, then you might be screwed :)
 
Stiffer in the front for everything... you want to either decrease the turning grip at the front or increase the grip at the rear.

Stiffer front springs
Stiffer front shocks
Softer rear shocks
Softer rear springs
Disconnect rear sway bar (probably too much of a change at once)
More rear negative camber
 
are you sure you have oversteer? ie, spinning out the back end? loose/etc

it's RARE for this to be a problem in FWD cars.

Most fwd cars PUSH /tight/understeer
 
Have you recently rotated your tires? Perhaps your fronts got worn significantly faster than the rears, got rotated, and now you have MASSIVE GRIP up front but the back end likes to kick out? :shrug2:
 
are you sure you have oversteer? ie, spinning out the back end? loose/etc

it's RARE for this to be a problem in FWD cars.

Most fwd cars PUSH /tight/understeer

F**k!! :wallbash:

Yes I am Understeering!!! Coming out of the turn and overshooting (pushing). Relized the mistake when I was reading the advise about removing rear sway.

Should I take the above advise and switch it around. Stiff the rear and softer up front? Create more grip in front to keep the car's front from plowing?
 
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yup, softening the front and tightening up the read (/giggle) will get you a little more bite in the turns.

If you've never done it before it will be a bit more squirrely than you're used to. But having an FF that has very little oversteer is one of those things that is pretty much impossible, so you do sacrifice some of the solid and planted feel.

Good luck.
 
yup, softening the front and tightening up the read (/giggle) will get you a little more bite in the turns.

If you've never done it before it will be a bit more squirrely than you're used to. But having an FF that has very little oversteer is one of those things that is pretty much impossible, so you do sacrifice some of the solid and planted feel.

Good luck.

Will try that.
How about Tire press? any tips...
 
toe-out the front 1 degree \ / so it bites into corners better. increase camber.
both will reduce straigh-line stability.

increase rear sway bar/tightness

learn to trail brake (left foot on the brake while gassing it)

and remember, slow in, fast out.

if you're understeering, you're going to fast.
 
and remember, slow in, fast out.

if you're understeering, you're going to fast.

Thanks for the advise, will also try the trail brake method

all get rep points for the help thanks!!
 
try going slower on that part. You're probably losing time because you're coming in too hot, and trying to mash it while exiting.
 
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