Terminal Understeer

[AdamHarling]

Hi All,

My car understeers sooo badly... just washes out even on dry tarmac... the back end will not budge (I love playing with lift-off oversteer, my cupra refuses to do anything other than understeer).

So... anyone know good toe-in / camber settings to optimise the standard setup?

Also.. I'm thinking I might just have to sort the suspension out... needs to be fun to drive and I just don't feel I can really chuck it about at the mo.. not planted enough..feels like its on its tippy toes.

Recommendations on spring / shock kits?

Those Jamex coilovers looks alraight for £349... ?? (but I wonder if I will keep any sense of ride comfort with them?).

Thanks peeps,

Adam.

 

[Craig!]

If you want handling I'd suggest a good quality suspension kit, correct camber adjustment, decent tyres and if you want to go even further poly bushes, anti-roll bar and a limited slip diff.

Only understeer I get now is due to the tyre capabilities.

 

[Tony 156]

easy fix to that, good tyres on the front, cheap crappy tyres on the back.

might end up wrapped around a tree though when you do emergency breaking or steering,

no offence dude but i grew out of playing with lift off oversteer and went for better set up and just getting great corner speeds but a stable car.

 

[truCido]

If your running standard suspension then yes thats the way it is....you may want to get your camber alignment checked just in case but its probably fine.

I went for a H&R Cup Kit....but you wont keep your "ride comfort" with any kit really, you sacrifice one for the other!

 

[JIMYU]

seat sport suspension kit actually increases ride confort but you'll be lucky to find a kit tbh.

 

[Craig!]

You can make the kit out of Eibach springs and Bilstein dampers.

 

[Prev]

My cars lowered and I dont find I have problems with understeer, my problem is the backend it kicks out like the car is rear wheel drive. If I go in to a corner fast enough I can pretty much get a drift round the corner and snap it back again. Its blooming wierd if you ask me.

 

[AdamHarling]

No offence taken, each to there own, I enjoy lift off oversteer and I can control it, others don't / can't... if the handling balance is right then it should not understeer as badly as it does but still be stable under braking... and should also be able to attain good cornering speed... (my Mk1 Golf does!)

Sounds like I'm after a lowered shock / spring kit then... standard setup is firm enough (bump /rebound wise.. think it just needs firmer springs / shorter shock and a good setup).

Cheers guys!

Adam.

 

[acidstrato]

brake on approach rather than during the turn, problem solved

 

[AdamHarling]

slow in fast out.. the racers way! of course.

 

[C3 LJG]

If you wanted oversteer why buy a front wheel drive car?

I have tried both koni adjustable shocks with eibach springs and now FK coilovers a with both the handling is far better than standard.

 

[AdamHarling]

I want lift off oversteer - not power oversteer (but I do see your point)... RWD is fun but not really for me (don't know why just enjoy FWD more... that said I have never driven anything RWD with proper power).

 

[Revo Kev]

Run some negative camber up front, get some decent top mounts that allow you to adjust (setup) caster/camber. Get some shims for the rear stub axles to allow you to run the rear wheels with no toe or camber... job done.

 

[AdamHarling]

Ahh... now that is exactly the kind of info I was looking for!!! Thank You!!!

 

[Revo Kev]

Adam, you should speak to someone like Northampton Motorsport in regards to setting the car up. A set of coilovers would let you get a better overall balance with a decent corner weight setup.
Anti Roll bars are a must as well though. I don't know how much negative camber you can run on the stock suspension setup, but it'll be more than you currently have. What the Ibiza lacks is Castor adjustment, then you wouldn't have to run as much negative camber and the straight line contact patch from the tyres would be better. Downside of lots of negative is unequal tyre wear as there is more pressure on the inside edge of the tyre in a straight line.
My Ibiza drove/handled like sh*t when I got it, and it already had coilovers, ARBs, Spacers, Strutbraces... it's all in the setup!

 

[ibizacupra]

if you want more lively rear, bung on a 28mm rear arb and see how you find it.
if not satisfied then also consider a firmer suspension setup which will wollow less and upset the geometry with loadsa roll etc.
think 1.5-ve camber front end, slight toe in, stiffer rear bar and it will feel far more "connected"

 

[AdamHarling]

Brilliant guys!! Thank you!