Traction issues when turning left

Postby **NitroDann** » Thu Aug 11, 2016 1:44 pm

Binding bushes?

Roadrunner · Postby **Roadrunner** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 3:16 pm

Oh dear, this is embarrassing :oops:

Long story but here goes, hopefully others can learn from my simple mistake.

I removed both rear coilovers to compare and make sure they were ok.
Out of the car, I extended the left body length so they were identical. I thought, rather than play with pre-load just yet, I'll swap left for right! That will tell me if it is the coilover or something else (and as I found out, it's bloody easy to remove the suspension on the back!)

Re-installed, lower to the ground and the left side is still sitting much higher. Right coil still compressed more the left.

Jack the car up and the left side still lifts the wheel way before the right. First thought is "WTF I just made that side longer!!" as I almost go into a toddler style full body hissy fit!
Then...the father in law walks past and says, "Why is the whole car leaning to the right?? Stood back and he was right! So I measured the sills and would you believe, even though I'm jacking from the diff, the whole car lifts the left side higher than the right! Put it back on the jack stands, measure the sills - equal. Measure the floor to rim lip - equal! With both coilovers the same body length, it's now not cocking a leg at all! An oversight, but one problem solved!

But it is still sitting 30mm higher on the left at ride height!

I left the sway bar disconnected (which needed a good lube up of the bushes btw) and backed out of the garage over a small drop that's there to settle the springs, and I scrubbed out on the front right tyre.
I've never scrubbed out on the front right?

Back into the shed and take a look and its tucked far enough up into the wheel well to make any hard parker proud! :lol:

Then its clicked.
I've "raised" the rear left (by making the shock length longer) which has in turn pushed down on the front right. I raised the front right to match the front left and guess what? The rear is now within 10mm both sides :oops:

The compression on the springs are also almost identical left to right.

Obviously when I've lowered the front down at some point, it's settled lower on the right than the set height, which in turn raised the RL, so I've then mistakenly lowered the RL to suit and then over time continued to fight opposing corners unknowingly (lowering both FR & RL), putting more weight on the RR (hence the compressed coil) :oops:

The car must have been teetering on the FL & RR wheels!

TL;DR: If you're going to mess with your ride height, double and triple check ride heights on ALL corners. Lowering one corner will raise the opposite corner!

I'm entered in the hill climb tomorrow, so now I'm feeling really confident to tackle those left handers!!

Locutus · Postby **Locutus** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 3:41 pm

Locutus wrote:How even is the front?

Roadrunner · Postby **Roadrunner** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 4:13 pm

Locutus wrote:
Locutus wrote:How even is the front?

I swear I measured it and it was even before I started pulling struts out :oops:

project.r.racing · Postby **project.r.racing** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 6:41 pm

I think someone mentioned rolling on the opposite corners at the start of the thread?

Roadrunner · Postby **Roadrunner** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 7:02 pm

To be honest I had no idea what you were refering too, which is why I asked what info you required to help diagnose

project.r.racing · Postby **project.r.racing** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 7:22 pm

All good. Seems you've got it sorted now.

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Mon May 01, 2017 11:01 am

A few people have been asking about the dipper on the Sprint layout at QR. I have 'solved' my problem by installing a 2 way diff, however for others it may be a case of changing lines to avoid unloading the inside rear wheel on the dipper, a little wider and a very late apex may help. There is a risk of getting the inside rear wheel off the black stuff and into the dirt on the apex as well this will give 'control' issues on exit.

A compilation of video from the recent street sprints at QR. Was not a fun experience to be stuck behind the Audi RS3, especially when the predictive timer was showing for one lap that I was on a 'hot' one

Was a big group 20 cars with times ranging from 56 to 66 and only 4 hot laps. At times we were getting pit exit traffic on our first flying lap

Roadrunner · Postby **Roadrunner** » Tue May 02, 2017 6:47 pm

Dammit Magpie this thread and my embarrassment was suppose to fade away into the depths of forum history never to be seen again :lol:

Good video and I always appreciate the tips you and others offer to track newbies.

My issue was the rear left having zero droop and lifting off the ground every time I turned left through horrendously bad set up suspension. All sorted now and the car does hill climb corners like a dream now