understeer/over steer advice

[london_chris]

first of all if your a boy racer then dont even bover replying because you are just people that never know how to drive properly,its not all about just putting your foot down and killing someone.

anyway basically this is my first nova, its lowered 40mm on standard shocks.i did a fast road test on a few known corners near me and wanted to test what it raced like as i cant use it on the track at present as the timing is out but basically i get understeer a lot and then the next corner the back end kicked out, using the same driving line i attempted them again and i didnt seem to understeer/oversteer on the same corners, more of the oposite, now im happy for people with the knowledge to criticise my driving but id like to know what im doing wrong or if its a mechanical issue. as as soon as the timing is done i get my power back and can test on the track.

note - it is a 1.4 sr

[draper]

tyre pressures, knackered shocks, driving ability ?? all could and will cause all sorts of under/oversteer problem

[Adam]

Lowered on STD shocks will be having a BIG effect on handling.

[Dar]

If its standard apart from the 40mm drop then it should understeer. I don't know if Nova's suffer lift off oversteer but if they do then that could be why you got some oversteer. Either that or there was something on the road that made the back step out. If your pushing a standard car hard then it will always understeer because thats how they are setup from the factory (Im speaking for FWD cars here although I do believe that 4WD cars are set to understeer, not sure on that score though). Far to little infomation from you as to why your car is doing what it is though.

[draper]

i think novas do suffer from lift of oversteer, AFAIK all fwd suffer from lift of oversteer.............??

looks like th edamage on my blue 1 was caused by lift of oversteer (and a dodgy tyre)

[Jack]

I would say road condition would play a big factor, especially if its round here on out crappy local roads lol I totalled my hatch years ago because it oversteered round a corner - combination of crap tyres, road surface and driving though really!

[Christ]

tyre quality? I had bake buget jobbies on 2 weeks ago, to be honest I didnt have much faith in the car going roung corners but have noticed a huge difference after putting on toyo proxes, I feel much more confident for one thing.

[burgo]

i reckon its just the fact you cant drive!! explain step by step how you approached and went round the corner

[Riggy]

lol tyre's will be a big isuse and you have said its lowered 40mm on std shocks , that wont help neither , you need to get some properly matched shocks on there

all nova's understeer when pushed though , its just something that you learn how to control

as for the back end stepping out unless its stripped out with no weight in the back then you must have lifted while trying to do the corners

[Sirnixalot]

ive got mine lowered on koni adjustables with avo 60mm springs and a gsi rear sway running 145 70 13 crap tires, im not a boy racer, i dont have my ARDS but ive been instructed (for a few years) by a semi professional driver who compete's in the states.

I hardly ever get any lift off oversteer simply because the tires dont allow me to reach the cornering speeds needed, when it does break loose it goes into a 4 wheel slide. If your getting excessive lift off then the shocks arent controlling the springs (or the springs may be soft) properly and the weight transfer is happening too rapidly.

i agree with draper and razorjack, tire pressure plays a bigger roll than most people realize but if you are getting different results doing the exact same thing on the exact same bends then its probably a the busted dampers, road condition and possibly your driving variance.

[stuartp]

as for the back end stepping out unless its stripped out with no weight in the back then you must have lifted while trying to do the corners

Thats the back end problem resolved same for all FWD cars!!

[mikey14sr]

Not pushed mine 100% since getting it back on the road but I've yet to find much if any understeer since removing the front anti-roll bar. Lifting off the gas even a little can make the back step out, as a mate of mine found out in a calibra turbo a few years ago!

[dannyb]

I lifted off on a roundabout in very cold (almost icy conditions) after pushing it too hard. That was the only time the backs ever stepped out (minus handbrake turns on my mates icy yard.....). Having said that, I was on crappy 195 60 14 ditchseeker budget tyres (fresh from the Cav) and std suspension. Other than that I've only ever encountered understeer.

The other two cars I've had long term were a Volvo 340 and a BMW 730i both which could be provoked to get the back out, although they still suffered from initial understeer. Driving at a reasonable pace having gained a few months of road experience, they were hard to get the back out. You must have done something catastrophic to get the back out!!!!
Get those shocks sorted too!

[Stanley]

Lift-off oversteer was a common haunt on wet roundabouts (usually not helped my me) - its eventually what caused me to hoop my Starlet.... (swerved to miss oncoming car while comin over a crest on a bend causing lift off oversteer, which lead to me over-correcting 3 times and rolling it)

I found my 1400SR would grip lots until you backed off the loud pedal and itd gradually change into a rear-end slide - but a controllable one.

I was running Bilsteins (lowered 60mm - gas shocks), Pirelli PZero Nero 195/40/R16's, front ARB, OMP adjustable strut brace, and camber correction bolts.

Very good to drive on open/fast roads, lots of grip but when you wanted to you could get the back end out.

[london_chris]

i reckon its just the fact you cant drive!! explain step by step how you approached and went round the corner
y is there always some1 clever thinking there the best at everything, ive done a lot of racing in my time and i can drive. i did menchion at the begining of the post that only critisism was welcome to non boyracers and people that aint big headed

[london_chris]

well my timing is out and i have no power whatso ever, i took the corners in the disired motion but at stages could of done with power, but other cars ive raced dont seem to act as the nova does

[burgo]

y is there always some1 clever thinking there the best at everything, ive done a lot of racing in my time and i can drive. i did menchion at the begining of the post that only critisism was welcome to non boyracers and people that aint big headeddid i say was better than you?? err no, and just because youve done lots of racing doesnt mean you can drive. i used to race karts but know im by far the best driver so shut it tit i was only gonna try and help as i assumed you were another of that chav ****s we've had alot of on here recently. and i aint no ****ing boyracer so therefore according to you i can criticize you

[draper]

y is there always some1 clever thinking there the best at everything, ive done a lot of racing in my time and i can drive. i did menchion at the begining of the post that only critisism was welcome to non boyracers and people that aint big headed

im not being funny mate but if youve done alot of racing id of thought that you would understand how a car handles ??

[Stuart]

worn bushes and naffed std shocks.....

my old 1.2 used to occasionally handle well and occasionally handle badly depending how you prepped it for a bend... put it down to pish poor std suspension parts and was done with it

[london_chris]

im not being funny mate but if youve done alot of racing id of thought that you would understand how a car handles ??
yes but this is the first nova ive driven and no other cars have acted like this

[london_chris]

did i say was better than you?? err no, and just because youve done lots of racing doesnt mean you can drive. i used to race karts but know im by far the best driver so shut it tit i was only gonna try and help as i assumed you were another of that chav ****s we've had alot of on here recently. and i aint no ****ing boyracer so therefore according to you i can criticize you

alright sorry for the accusations mate. i used to do karting too but its not always relevant as karts a RWD. altho i see where your comming from

[london_chris]

thank you everyone for all your help however i dont see this really gettin anywhere as i believe its either my setup which is how i bough tthe car or my driving as i never driven a nova before, also burgo if you would like to gimme a few tips on driving then feel free as i believe this may help

[Stuart]

erm just drive normally on the road, and keep driving like a tool for a track day that im not at....

[Adam]

What he said /\

Only got be pushing it a bit too hard on a bend to loose it and kill some innocent driver coming the other way

[craig green]

Novas must have about the most neutral handling Ive ever come across which is a primary reason why Ive stuck with them for so long.

Ive had 7 now in all states of mod & guises. They have all pretty much felt the same & certainly have taken the same driving style to get the best from. I'm talking from boggo 1.2 SPi to my fairly highly modded GSi.

I think your semi shot suspension & maybe tyre choice is likely to be the cause as is your approach to driving. Novas understeer at the limit & Ive always found the back ends to be totally planted & never even a concern tbh. If you are fighting oversteer & understeer I would guess you are throwing the car into bends too aggressively & maybe coming off the power abruptly. Fast drivers are smooth drivers.

If you think something is amiss with your Nova I'd happily take a look sometime.

Cg

[SuperNova!]

ffs,

1. You shouldnt be driving it if the timing is so far out anyway.

2. How the hell are we supposed to tell you whats wrong and why you cant go around the corner in question, there are too many factors.

3. If you push it too hard with little nova experience and standard shocks
-60mm you are going to end up in a hedge by the end of the week too.

[london_chris]

it was planned with mates parked up and checkin for cars, i know i shouldnt be driving it with the timing out but after being carless for 9 months its hard not too, many of you may see me as a cock that drives like a loony which back wen i was younger i would have but its all track for me soon