zilspeed
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| posted on 28/2/05 at 06:39 PM |
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Middy - handling
What should I actually expect ?
I took the GTM out tonight for a small blatette. Well as much as you can at 6.00pm on a dark Monday night when it's baltic outside and the roads
are covered in road salt slime.
In the time I was out I noticed that a goodish dose of throttle in 2nd gear equals some sideways activity.
To be honest, the last time I drove a RWD car was probably my Brother's 2002tii. Apart from the locost of course which was, well just
sideways.
What kind of behaviour should I expect from the car once the weather's a bit nicer and the tyres have got a chance to actually work ?
Will I have any notice before it lets go ?
Do I keep the boot in when it oversteers, or just ease off a bit ? I believe that coming right off the gas equals a spin.
Anyone ?
[Edited on 28/2/05 by zilspeed]
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chunkielad
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| posted on 28/2/05 at 06:51 PM |
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Steer into it and SMOOTHLY add throtle.
Add notice is down to the car setup and tires. Small rubber band tyres give less notice than tyres with a wall the height of the Empire State
Building.
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MikeR
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| posted on 28/2/05 at 07:03 PM |
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shouldn't you only add throttle if you've got a limited slip diff?
thought adding throttle would just make the situation worse, surely hold the throttle or SLOWLY reduce throttle would be the best thing?
(quick, who's been on a skid pan / handling course?)
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chunkielad
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| posted on 28/2/05 at 07:19 PM |
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If you let the throttle off, the car spins, (like braking) if you steer into the skid and SMOOTHLY accelerate you pull out of it. Note the word
SMOOTHLY. A loss of control comes from doing someting too fast, braking, steering or accelerating.
[Edited on 28/2/05 by chunkielad]
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MikeR
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| posted on 28/2/05 at 08:07 PM |
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i know the lift off does the spin - having done it myself on a front engined car by accident (paniced when the back end started to go)
but i thought adding more throttle would just make the situation worse. The car has limited grip at rear because its sliding, increasing the power to
a rear drive car will increase the work the already over worked rear tyres have to do so make the slide worse?
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kb58
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| posted on 28/2/05 at 08:11 PM |
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There's a middle ground, if you lift off, weight goes forward off the rear tires, making a spin more likely. If you give it a *little* gas,
weight goes to the rear, giving better rear traction. If you step hard on the gas, the rear tires will lose even more traction and you spin.
There's a fine line of "not too much and not too little" for any given situation. You'll really have to learn it for your
particular car.
Mid-engine Locost - http://www.midlana.com
And the book - http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/midlana/paperback/product-21330662.html
Kimini - a tube-frame, carbon shell, Honda Prelude VTEC mid-engine Mini: http://www.kimini.com
And its book -
http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/kimini-how-to-design-and-build-a-mid-engine-sports-car-from-scratch/paperback/product-4858803.html
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chunkielad
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| posted on 28/2/05 at 08:34 PM |
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As Kb says - not what you do but how you do it. On bikes its better to accellerate through a corner to load the rear. Same on a car. If it slides
because of too much throttle then SMOOTHLY lift off if it's coz of steer then SMOOTHLY load the rear with a bit of gas and away you go (steering
into the skid)
I have done it in a 2.0L Sierra and I promise a bit of SMOOTH throttle will help.
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zilspeed
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| posted on 28/2/05 at 08:52 PM |
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Well...
Pretty much what I expected.
I think I'd better take it easy until the weather improves a bit and I get a chance for some track time.
Oversteer I can understand - I've driven plenty of older BMWs, but mid engined is a new experience.
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Spyderman
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| posted on 1/3/05 at 04:41 PM |
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This weather is the best time to practice your skills.
As long as you have plenty of space around you, a wet or gravel surface is the best place to learn. It will break away earlier and will not wear your
tyres out so quickly!
Far better to practice at lower speeds and then build up your skills now than find out at high speed that you can't handle it! 
Terry
Spyderman
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zilspeed
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| posted on 1/3/05 at 05:46 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Spyderman
This weather is the best time to practice your skills.
As long as you have plenty of space around you, a wet or gravel surface is the best place to learn. It will break away earlier and will not wear your
tyres out so quickly!
Far better to practice at lower speeds and then build up your skills now than find out at high speed that you can't handle it!
Terry
THe bit about having space around you is crucial though, isn't it ?
I've had it out of shape a couple of times so far. I'm just creeping up to it slowly rather than barging right in and stacking it big
time.
I'm really liking it so far. Took it to work today and used it just like a normal car really.
Have spoke to the original owner - he used it as his daily driver for 8 years and put 100,000 miles on it. It is now up to about 108,000. A bit more
than your average kitcar...
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