[Dietz63]

I just put Suspension Techniques lowering springs on my MX6 with Tokico struts all the way around. I also have strut tower bars on the front and rear. Altough the handling is much better I still am getting understeer when I take sharp corners hard. I'm running 15" rims with 205-55-R15 high performance rubber and I still have the stock sway bars on the car. I think this is when my problem lies. Has anyone else experianced this understeer. I think if I stiffen up the rear bar the car should lose some of this understeer. Any ideas?
Thanks for your help.

 

[Marc Pfannenschmidt]

On my GT, I installed Eibach Springs with kyb struts. I noticed the understeer right away thinking it would dramatically improve handling. The difference was after replacing and upgrading all of the bushings and having a shop readjust the camber and alignment.
Other things that would help are upgrading the sway bars, strut tower bars, moving weight to the rear (battery)

 

[Dietz63]

Marc,
Thanks for the ideas. Did you use upgraded poly bushings? If so where did you get a set for your GT? I'd like to replace those old bushings but I haven't been able to find any kits. Thanks

 

[2Rusty]

Addco end link kits from Pep Boys (performance section) part #'s 012U & 015U (front and rear) will do the trick. A lot less body roll with these babies and will only set you back $30.

 

[squal282]

The problem is, that we have FF (front wheel drive cars) If you power through a tight turn in an FF car, then the weight tranfers to the back, off of the drive wheels, leaving them to spin and lose grip. If you want to be neutral through a turn, then let off of the gas while turning, or, in extreme cases, you coul get on the brakes. That will surely get the rear loose.
I have the ST springs and KYB struts. Also, rear strut/tie bars. My car will kick the rear out if I let off the gas while turning in. Then when it pointed where I want, jut et on the gas, making sure the fronts are pointed the right way. I almost spun on an on ramp yesterday by bieng clums with the steering when getting back on the gas.

 

[TexasMX6GT]

Actually, that's not why the car understeers.
In a front wheel drive car, you of course are trying to turn with the same tires that are accelerating. The tire only has so much grip. In normal turns, most of the grip is used to lateral acceleration, IE: turning, with very little to actual acceleration. In extreme cases, IE: hauling ass, all the available grip for the tires is used to accelerate. So the tires are spinning like mad, and there's not enough traction left for the car to turn. Tapping the brakes will slow the front wheels down AND put more weight on the front due to inertia, and that will allow you to stop understeering. In extreme cases, if you let off the throttle while understeering hard, you'll get drop throttle oversteer. The front wheels will grip all of a sudden and you'll turn so fast the back end swings out. It's scary if you're not expecting it. You can get more neutral handling by installing either a stiffer, or not so stiff rear anti-sway bar, can't remember which.

 

[antiSUV]

Yeah it's the stiffer rear sway bar that will make the car more neutral.
Another reason our cars understeer is the weight distribution. We've got too much weight up front. That helps the launch but it's crap for handling. See, the heavier part of an arrow is in the front, and why arrows like to go straight (aside from the feathers). A counter-example is a Porsche 911; they have a reputation for being tail-happy becuase of the engine (weight) in the back.