Williams Handling advice please

[king.stromba]

Right, as you may know i fixed the broken joint in the steering column on the Williams at i think it has reduced the problem by about 85%. So i am happy that i have improved things. I can tell the turn in is sharper as a get the grinding noise from the front brake rubbing (another story) at slower speeds now the colunm is welded. But still doesnt feel right. However, im not sure if im being paranoid so i need to get some feedback from other owners to relate my problems to other people.

There still seems to be a large turning circle. I seem to have to put large amounts of steering into corners. I do remember the 0002 having similar characteristics, a term that could be stated as the three point turn becoming a five point turn. Is this normal? I havnt driven 0002 for so long i cant remember. I would guess that wear at the rack / column join may cause this. Does anyone have any ideas what may cause it, or if it is normal?

Secondly, i tested the turn in on a roundabout (in the wet) this morming. It was one of those multi lane massive roundabouts, and i just slowly increased the speed going round and round. Now the front gripped like it was on rails, and suprisingly it was the back that stepped out first, but not suddenly, it just grandulay drifted out, and a little bit of opposite lock kept it in. Not a heart stopping moment or anything. Now it wasnt lift off oversteer s i was still on the power, and there was no snap away. Would this be expected on a williams? I was expecting to get understeer first in the wet. But i couldnt get the front to loose grip. If this isnt normal, what may cause this?

Overall the steering column is now turning as one so for that im happy. Can anyone think of anything else i should do to improve the handling. I am hopefully getting new rubber bushes next week.



Cheers

 

[lofty]

Sounds basically the same as mine mate, I much prefer the more lively rear end of my Williams over my far less predictable16v as there is no snap at all when things straighten up and it pretty exciting stuff that’s difficult to get into trouble with. My 16v was good but less predictable and had much more of a tendancy for the rear to shuffle about a bit on long sweeping corners, and before anyone says the 16v had new suspension and steering parts all round and the Williams is largely OE worn parts both running Goodyear tyres. But having said that its not nearly as fast as when I had the Williams engine in the 16v but I’m hoping to rectify this in time.

King have you sort the horizontal play you had I one wheel? What steering parts have you replaced to date? Just the track rod ends, bottom ball joints and the weld to the column joint? The inner rods are still high on the list to be replaced for me @110k miles, as far as the rack mount bushs you will be able to determine visually if the rack bushes have play, I can imagin there is an awful lot of labour in replacing them.

 

[lofty]

thought there would be a few more replying to this!

How does everone els find thier williams handeling? or do you just polish it and leave it in the garage?

 

[007]

Hmm - I would have to go to a few roundabouts first for a proper KS stlye analysis but here goes anyway:

In the wet the front and rear brake from traction on a RB pretty evenly and progressivly. Nothing sharp or without warning. Not really understeer and not really oversteer just neutral.

The only thing I have found with the handling is on sweeping high speed bends it feels floaty and detatched - this feel has been intensified since the 195s were put on.

I have lost 10-20mph top speed on the Loch Ness back road i sometimes go for a blast on immediatly after changing to 195s - they just dont have the suppleness tp absorb the bumps. I now get thrown about a lot more at lower speeds.

In fairness to the 195s flat town roads and roundabouts I get better grip and a harder more hardcore ride but im not sure which is better.

In comparson to the VTS my other half has there is a lot more work in turing the wheel of the Williams - the VTS is a lot more direct - once on the move on the back roads the Williams feels better but in town the VTS is easier to drive (lazyness lol) as it less moving of my arms and the Williams steering is heavier too.

 

[lofty]

no argumrnts there the williams is a pig to drive in traffic with its lambo style mega heavy clutch.

I appreciate what your saying about the high sheed corners as this is exactly how my valver felt because it was on th limit - however the williams on OE suspension albeit wider etc and 4 years newer is way way better, its just squats down and give confidence to press on till the limit know when it does finaly drift out (break away is misleading) you will almost certainly get it back.

a 106 GTi is fun - but very differnt its feel lightwieght as it skits about but high speed corner i would arther not in the 106.

Williams handeling is the best i have experienced - and (this will be contrvertial) - "More fun to drive on B roads then my Uncles 485bhp 911 Turbo"

but IMO its true, you can throw yourself into anything and no eletric driver aids spoiling you fun ! When you tried both come back when your used to the porker power there is little to excite you like the williams. And all for £3k and £450 insurance and £30 a service!!!