Self healing road holding??
40inches - 3/10/13 at 10:37 AM
After setting the Geo, corner weights and ride height, I was more than a little disappointed with the handling of the MK.
Skipping around and terminal under stear, no amount of fiddling with tyre pressures and shock preload made any difference 
I could go round certain corners in the SAAB Aero Estate 10-15 mph faster than the Indy
However! having covered nearly 1500miles I sort of noticed it has gotten a lot better, did 60 miles on Tuesday, giving it the beans 
and it tracks straight and holds on around fast corners, well over the speed I would run out of talent
I assume that the shocks, springs and tyres etc; have nicely bedded in?
mookaloid - 3/10/13 at 11:45 AM
quote:
Originally posted by 40inches
I could go round certain corners in the SAAB Aero Estate 10-15 mph faster than the Indy
That's because Saabs are Great!
britishtrident - 3/10/13 at 11:55 AM
First thing is make sure you haven't got the dampers & tyre pressures set too hard - loads of threads on this.
Then check the corner weights (with the driver on board) and after that double check the toe-in front and rear.
If the car is under-steering fit stiffer rear springs or softer front springs or try more negative camber on the front. Important to check the
toe-in after adjusting the camber. Collective wisdom is MKs need a fair whack of negative camber on the front.
Altering spring pre-load as no effect on spring rate which governs handling balance like wise damper adjustment primarily affects the way the
car deals with transient inputs not the basic over-steer/under-steer balance
Conversely when a car is over-steering you need to increase the roll stiffness at the front (by stiffer front springs or fitting an
anti-roll bar) or fit softer rate rear springs.
[Edited on 3/10/13 by britishtrident]
nick205 - 3/10/13 at 12:27 PM
Was everything new; tyres, shocks, bushes etc? If so, then there may be some settling effect and new tyres definitely take a few miles to settle
in.
Could it also be an element of familiarity building with the car?
skov - 3/10/13 at 12:33 PM
Sticky suspension bushes that have now freed up?
coyoteboy - 3/10/13 at 12:55 PM
First 100 miles or so on new tyres is always sketchy, plus you get used to driving it and gaining confidence in the way it handles.
MikeRJ - 3/10/13 at 03:55 PM
quote:
Originally posted by coyoteboy
First 100 miles or so on new tyres is always sketchy, plus you get used to driving it and gaining confidence in the way it handles.
This is what I was going to suggest. It takes a lot longer to scrub tyres in on a lightweight car like the seven than on the average tin top.
DavidW - 3/10/13 at 04:17 PM
I was going to ask if you had new tyres?
[Edited on 3/10/13 by DavidW]
40inches - 3/10/13 at 05:49 PM
quote:
Originally posted by DavidW
I was going to ask if you had new tyres?
[Edited on 3/10/13 by DavidW]
New when I fitted them, in 2005 The handling started to come together at about 800miles No complaints now.
The initial problem was massive understear, that horrible feeling when you turn the wheel, but nothing happens! Now a lot better.
Smaller wheels and sticky rubber pencilled in for the winter upgrade.