jerryxu

Guys,
Yesterday was scary. It was just a little wet after raining as I was driving locally. There is a sharp curve when I saw no other cars, so I gave it a little gas and see how fast the car can go around a corner (30 mph). The car was fine until... until exiting the corner. You know how we return the steering wheel to neutral after a turn, well the car felt like it wanted continue turning and not coming back to straight line. Eventually it did come back straight but already ended up in the opposite lane. Am I lucky that no one was there! And I didn't feel any tire slide at any point. I am very confused, is it the car, the tires? or me? It shouldn't be me because I have several other cars none behaves like that.
Any input will be helpful.

Corrosive

Sounds like a case of understeer. No offese but you should not be doing silly things in wet weather. I was lucky to learn that lesson while I was in my teens.

jerryxu

I posted on the slk32 board, a guy thought it was a case of oversteer.

dkflipse

You lost control at 30mph?

newton22

It's oversteer. If you lost it at 30 mph, then the curve was probably a bit sharp, that or the ground was very slick.

Take it easy when it's wet.

pointman

Driver error.

MRAMG1

Hey there:

If I understand the original post, it was Ovesteer, not understeer.

Understeer, is what almost every car ever made comes with from the factory, that is simpley put, You turn the wheel and the car wants to go straight. This is done for so that the average driver does not spin out going down the road, and or looses control near the limits. There are a FEW cars like certain Porsches 911, etc and other cars that don't have this problem. Racers call this being tight

Oversteer is the oposite, that is you trun the wheel and the back end of the car wants to come around. Not a desirable condition for the average driver. Again Race terms this is being loose

Not trying to bash you, you may have misunderstood the post. FYI

See yeah

Oh yeah, it sounds like the above person was driving a little tooooo spirit for the given road conditions.

sanf

the car is fine. i do it on purspose all the time just to have a little fun (not end up on the other lane though). but then again I have been driving rwd cars for 11 years.

= the most slippery.

Corrosive

Oversteer is when the back end goes out and understeer is when the front end goes out... thats how I was tought it.

To me it still seems like the front wanted to keep going around the corner (the original direction of the turn). I am standing behind my understeer even though I may be wrong. Its way more common to feel oversteer because most people do it on purpose (drifters and such)... I would assume that he would not be asking this question if he was feeling the back end go out, consitering we have all felt it.

I am not trying to hark on anyone... just giving my 2c

jerryxu

I'm going to try the corner again tomorrow when it is sunny.
Don't worry, I will be more careful this time. Will report back.

jerryxu

As crazy as it sounds, I tried it 3 times today. Condition: sunny.

First round: Duplicate yesterday. 25 mph going into the turn, giving power on exit. Car wanted to continue turning, but the control was better than yesterday. No tire slide (front or rear).

Second round: Full speed (30 mph) into the left turn, no power on exit. Car was fine.

Third round: Max speed (35-40 mph) into the turn, no power on exit. Car oversteered (tail came out a bit) but exit fine.

Summary: The only time the car wanted to continue turning was power on exit (like yesterday). While I am still puzzled, is it because the wheels were not pointing to the same direction when good amount of power was given to the rear--that the front pointed to a straight line, but the back has not finished turning and the power forced the front at an angle (to turn)?

I don't feel this nearly as much when the turning circle is greater, even at higher speeds.

newton22

You are correct, but he said that the front "wanted to continue turning". I'm taking that as the front didn't continue to follow the road upon exiting the corner. If it was understeer, he would have said "****, my front ain't turning and I'm heading straight off the road."

Jerry, you're kicking the rear out. Oversteer on a public street is bad. You can correct oversteer by counter-steering. **** call this, a "drift".

Zeppelin

If your car is oversteering with no power then it is messed up so bad you should not be driving it. It has major suspension damage and should be checked out by a competent mechanic or driver.

harpz

do you do a swedish flick before turning? (even if its slight it'l push the tail out)

advans

I had a few oversteer situations on my c320 coupe recently, after my power mods.

AMGSport

There are so many variables that contribute...what was the camber of the corner? Was the pavement uneven? Etc, etc...?

Moreover, if you shift the load (transfer the weight) on the car through the brakes or the gas pedal you can cause this condition as well. If you are on the gas coming into the corner and LIFT THE THROTTLE it can cause oversteer. Just ask anyone that drove early 911's with all the weight in the rear...