thewelsho Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 I have heard people talk about this, but just what causes a AWD car to oversteer when lifting off? J Link to comment
colin_ross Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Same thing as a fwd or rwd - weight transference. Link to comment
scouk Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 (edited) Same thing as a fwd or rwd - weight transference. ^^^^ Wot he said... Basically lift off mid corner (when hammering a bit) and some of the weight rolls to the front of the car leaving the ar$e end to get light and loose grip with the road surface. Causing the front end to bite to the road and the back end to loose traction. This results in the rear end stepping out due to lack of grip, which mid corner would normally result in you goign a*** first into a tree unless your expecting it.. Fortunately only "really" an issue at near limit speeds.. Normal driving shouln't really result in such a violent effect.. Similar, but useful effect can be had by lightly braking into a corner to get the front end turned in. "Trail braking".. This lets the front of the car weight up slightly to get the front end gripping and turned into the corner while the back end gets loose, then maintain near constant speed to mid conrner near the apex then back on the power to exit with good traction. Result should be very smooth cornering without any sudden changes in speed or direction.. Just thought i'd add that not ALL cars suffer lift-off oversteer... Some suffer lift-off understeer which is probably what youd be expecting to happen... Lift off mid corner and front end looses grip because the front wheels slow down yet not pushed down into the road to obtain grip but rather the weight of the car pushes the car forward/wide on the corner resulting in hitting a tree head first... Although the impreza is known for it's lift-off oversteer it's worth noting that it is a fairly stable car unless your really hammering! i.e. driving too fast for public roads... Worth giving it a try on a track though just to know what it feels like.. Edited April 2, 2008 by ScoUK Link to comment
Big Gordon Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Had a case of lift off oversteer myself last week , slip road joining a dual carriageway which tightened as the corner went on, was in 3rd gear just coming on boost when i had to lift off. Very controllable and it was raining, never had it in the dry though, think you would need to be pushing really hard for that Link to comment
st3ph3n Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 John, this is what happens when the front end and the back end stop speaking. A result of trail braking I might add: Link to comment
scouk Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 John, this is what happens when the front end and the back end stop speaking. A result of trail braking I might add: Ouch! Link to comment
thewelsho Posted April 2, 2008 Author Share Posted April 2, 2008 Ouch! Thanks, I now know how it works as well as what it means. Is that your car Stephen? Link to comment
st3ph3n Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Yes. Bum clenching moment that one. Got bloody close to the wall. Link to comment
shane Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 I took my WRX out on a track last year (the place to find out how your car really handles) and found that it took some pretty serious provocation to step the back end out even when lifting off mid corner. The Impreza when standard has a massive tendency to under steer which I found pretty shocking how bad it was. I've since put up rated springs and the geometry done and now pretty happy with the handling. Link to comment
mic Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 You guys lift off? Didn't a wise man once say "If in doubt, flat out" ? Link to comment
thewelsho Posted April 2, 2008 Author Share Posted April 2, 2008 You guys lift off? Didn't a wise man once say "If in doubt, flat out" ? Aye, that was alright for him to say... he was just handed a new one to smash up again if he wanted! Link to comment
thewelsho Posted April 2, 2008 Author Share Posted April 2, 2008 Yes. Bum clenching moment that one. Got bloody close to the wall. Is that at the hairpin? Link to comment
st3ph3n Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Duffus - trailed the braking as I turned in over the crest like a complete eejit. Tried to catch it on the gas and counter steering but it wasn't happening. When I hit the grass going backwards I was steering into the wall so had to wind it back. It dug in and spun back round to where it finished. Missing the wall by .... a baw hair. Link to comment
thewelsho Posted April 2, 2008 Author Share Posted April 2, 2008 (edited) Duffus - trailed the braking as I turned in over the crest like a complete eejit. Tried to catch it on the gas and counter steering but it wasn't happening. When I hit the grass going backwards I was steering into the wall so had to wind it back. It dug in and spun back round to where it finished. Missing the wall by .... a baw hair. That's a weird place to go off. At least you haven't bust an engine a gearbox and fried two sets of disks and pads I'm not allowed near the track again Edited April 2, 2008 by TheWelsho Link to comment
terzo neil Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 is your gearbox getting fixed under warrenty john ? Link to comment
st3ph3n Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 John, the first corner is a blindish right over crest taken at high speed followed by a swift left as the weight balances out in case you've forgotten! It's the kind of corner that Lewis Hamilton wakes up in a cold sweat thinking about. Link to comment
thewelsho Posted April 2, 2008 Author Share Posted April 2, 2008 John, the first corner is a blindish right over crest taken at high speed followed by a swift left as the weight balances out in case you've forgotten! It's the kind of corner that Lewis Hamilton wakes up in a cold sweat thinking about. Not me, I LOVE it! Ask Squiggle! Link to comment
fai17 Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 I'm not allowed near the track again Really... Link to comment
nanaki Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Not me, I LOVE it! Ask Squiggle! i can vouch for that. loved every minute of it in the pax seat when you were going flat out round there.... but duffus.... you truly take that in your own style mate. Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now