PDA

View Full Version : Oversteer or understeer??



nyk
08-11-2006, 10:27
Had a real scary moment last night.....

It was wet, I went into a corner too fast, car went into oversteer and the back end stepped out. Under normal circumstances it wouldnt have been such a big deal, but at the precise moment the back end came out a car came hurtling towards me and the road was narrow!!

Luckily I managed to correct it just in time and keep my foot down to pull it straight. It was soooo close tho, a second or so later and I would of def hit the oncoming car. Luckily quick reactions prevailed and saved my skin.
It was one of those moments when your arms lock up to brace for the impact!!

After the said incident my young kiddy (18yr) bro and I spent a lengthy debate on which do you prefer, oversteer or understeer as he was not far behind me when this happened and saw it. So I thought I'd bring the debate to the forum,

Personally I prefer oversteer, as you still have control and have half a chance of correcting it to bring it back in. Plus its fun on big (empty) roundabouts!!

He prefered understeer and couldnt understand how I said you can still have control in oversteer. I tried to educate the young un, but they never listen.

Which do you guys prefer????

northy
08-11-2006, 10:28
i dont prefer any tbh in a clio....But oversteer is ace in rear wheel drive cars.

J o n
08-11-2006, 10:37
as above, neither, prefer it to be neutral and just keep turning in lol... if I was to sway one way though then oversteer when I expect it, but unexpected then understeer everytime

Jimmie1.4RT
08-11-2006, 10:47
Try as I might, mine will never go side ways without the handbrake. Just gets twitchy at worse, suppose its a good thing.
Then again, 75 stumbling french horses probably isnt enough to brake traction (Yoko tyres). :P

Purple
08-11-2006, 11:04
For the Williams, my fave is neutral handling with grippy front tyres to throttle induce oversteer (and recover) when needed.

nyk
08-11-2006, 11:27
^^^defo as above^^^

The back end rarely comes out on my car, and is usually enduced by me.

This time however it happened with no warning, my own fault with it being wet tho I suppose. The eagle F1's have always been good for me in the wet. Must have been wetter than I thought tho!!

LOL

stew
08-11-2006, 11:41
understeer is more predictable, so hence easier to correct. defo not what you want going into a fast corner though.

oversteer can be fun, but can snap and end in tears.

each car is different, and different setups make each effect different.

Zollo
08-11-2006, 12:11
As has been said above - neither in large quantities please! A hint of oversteer is much better for the track, but on the round a bit of safe understeer is good. That's why the Williams - and some other hot hatches - are so much better than others...they do both :)

2 live
08-11-2006, 12:45
hope this isnt another case like ur brakes not being good enuff to be locked up....u jus not tryin hard enuff yung man ;)

Winston
08-11-2006, 12:46
In a clio ....None!!!! I like grip :P

Was dry but well slippy last night .....Oversteer sideways city :twisted:

Martin
08-11-2006, 13:08
My car is very oversteery (is that a word lol) more so in the wet but only if you want it to be..keep your toe on the accelerator and it'll understeer all day. I ballsed up the other day and ended up in the scenery from taking oversteer for granted and not really concentrating...you've got to be on your toes!!

tbh now I've been on track and got the hang (ish) of controlling a bit of oversteer I love it....I've never tried lift off oversteer in any other car but I doubt it's as predicatable as a willy 8)

TriO`
08-11-2006, 13:13
my old valver was completely stripped and pretty low at the back. the arse end would always swing out, especially in the wet. used to scare the shit out of me

I think something fishy was going on with the set up tho.

had quite a few brown pants moments like the one nyk mentioned at the top...

doesnt really happen in my new valver tho. :)

Purple
08-11-2006, 13:15
The only downside to being so used to the highly adjustable chassis of a Clio Williams is - you get lazy into corners. Just brake anywhere at any angle you like :) That's why I usually end up looking like an idiot when I jump into my friends' high-strung, super-grippy Jap cars. Constantly worrying about brakes points and correct angles is just too stressful for me these days :)

white16valver
08-11-2006, 18:50
lol

It is good to know that the car will save your arse and do pretty much what you want :)

I have yet to get mine to oversteer - the closest I've come is massively lifting off on the bend by the plane at FCS and having the whole lot start to go a bit sideways! I need more track time so I can learn what to do as at the moment I only feel like I'm scratching the surface of what it can do :(

number1
08-11-2006, 23:35
Had my car understeering a tad on a damp roundabout last night, didnt think i was going too fast, just thought to myself how i could get around there faster again lol my friend who was passenger was browning his pants but the trick is not to panic..
Used to have a small portion of oversteer before the koni's went on, now it's just virtually endless grip really neutral handling, my friends got a 205 on avo's and i think it dont come close to the handling of a clio

Dave

DaveH
08-11-2006, 23:36
I hate oversteer on a front wheel drive car because usually it is not expected so can easily catch you out if a car that normally reacts differently suddenly loses grip on the rear. Its the same if you're in a rear wheel drive you expect the oversteer so you're ready for it.

I dont really dislike either but i do dislike unpredictable handling! and as said above i prefer good turn in grip, best car ive ever driven for that is a mk2 cup racer.