Rear end keeps stepping out....

[Gavin J]

I've got a phase1 172 running 60mm drop apex springs & 16" phase 2 rim's and the rear end in slightly damp conditions is constantly stepping out.

Had a bit of spirited drive home just and twice the back end let go, i'm not suffering from understeer at all but the back end will suddenly step out and its mad panick with some opposite lock and dabbing the brake to come to stop before i hit anything.

Now i own a couple of RWD cars and i'm used to experiencing this on them but never before on a FWD?! as i've always suffered understeer first in the past on any FWD car i've owned....

Whats the likely cause? the shocks are in good order, one was replaced a month or so and the other is showing no signs of any leaks.

Is the Apex set up just to stiff? is it popping a wheel resulting in half the grip and causing it to let go?

Or thinking about it just as i type this its running Toyo Proxe's up front and some budget tyres on the back that were on when i got it - wonder if its worth me swapping the front to the rear and seeing if i start suffering from understeer?

Any input welcome, just catches me out at times as it behaves like RWD at times!

 

[MarcoB]

Check your rear dampers, when they go the back end is twitchy as fook!

 

[Dave..]

Budget tyres. Remove them.

I have budgets on mine, and they will be going as soon as possible.

I can have the car on full lock, and just plow on straight ahead, they're that bad

 

[172Ben]

Agree with dave though, most likely the tyres your running.

 

[ForceIndia]

Apex are pretty s**t.

 

[172Ben]

Never made my back end step out tho, s**t tyres an incorrect tyre pressure did however!

 

[cat171]

As said, bin the budget tyres. Tyres are not worth scrimping on.

 

[A18XHO]

Check your rear dampers, when they go the back end is twitchy as fook!

If tyres and pressures alright then it'll be the dampers

 

[MarkCup]

Or thinking about it just as i type this its running Toyo Proxe's up front and some budget tyres on the back that were on when i got it - wonder if its worth me swapping the front to the rear and seeing if i start suffering from understeer?

That could be where your problem is, you're unbalanced.

I had some awful rears and decent fronts on a wet day at Goodwood, back was all over the place so I swapped front to rear thinking I'd get a horrible understeery mess, but it was much better.

Needed to be smooth with the steering to get the front to bite, but the back was controllable.

Also...stay off the brake if it gets out of shape...the throttle is your friend.

 

[coatesy]

ive always had crap tyres on the back,always thought with the rears not doing much it wouldnt really matter

 

[mini-valver]

As above, dont brake if the rear is coming round, just keep your foot in and steer into it.

Tyres will be a massive issue if you're a) Running un-matched b) Running crap budgets. The Clio is very tail happy if you want it to be, maybe your driving style is still used to RWD cars?

 

[Gavin J]

Cheers guys, Tyres it is then - had to nail the brakes last night due to heading straight towards a curb!! as i was going to round an island when it went tail happy - not a sweeping bend or anything and it that case would not of been touching the brakes..

Thought it was going to be one of those self inflicted car damage situations that would of wound me up for weeks........

Will get some decent rubber on there and see how i go.

 

[Ads_172]

Apex are pretty s**t.

I look forward to finding out! Still alright for Saturday?

I'm quite a fan of Toyos, but crap tyres on the back won't help things. My Nankangs on the rear of mine made things, interesting, with the snow and ice!