understeer, or just crap driving technique

[wantalotus]

Now that the weather has improoved a little I have been out playing. Not really had the confidence in the wet, but I do get a bit of understeer in the corners, is this normal or just my lack of driving skill. I have checked the tyre pressures/tread etc, and all OK, running 25/29 psi on a 111R with standard rims. Do recall Clarkson not being able to get back end out, but then he handed over to one of the guys at Hethel and it was a different story. Maybe the understeer is Gods way of telling me to back off a little?

Any thought welcome

[tuscan_thunder]

try slow in, fast out, but remember that with so little weight over the front end, weight transfer is a big part of it.

go in a wee touch slower, but keep braking just as you start to turn so the front end is loaded. at apex, boot it and use the traction to power out.

You can differ your technique wildly in an elise, going in too hard tends to give understeer followed by a bit of lift-off oversteer which is dramatic and good for when you've got a passenger but isn't very fast or sensible!

[S Works]

wantalotus said:

Maybe the understeer is Gods way of telling me to back off a little?

Exactly, unless you want the arse out. Lotus redefined the dynamics of the car when they brought out the S2 to be a bit more understeery before the breakaway point. As noted you have to 'drive' the car more into oversteer if thats how you want to enjoy it. IIRC it was because the S1 tended to go from understeer to snap oversteer a lot quicker and caught lots of people out - as Lotus were shifting more units they had to change the set-up to allow for less experienced drivers. The envelope of understeer was increased pretty much to reduce the number of backwards via hedge moments.

wantalotus said:

Any thought welcome

Get on a 1stlotus driving day and practise on an airfield rather than going the alternative route...

(P.S. This is doug wards car after a post-roundabout off. Doug, just using this for illustrative purposes, not intimating you can't drive mate )

[wantalotus]

mmmmm lots of thought needed here. had heard that Lotus do training days in their kit, anybody done it, got thoughts on it? Don't fancy the alternative method much!!!

[S Works]

Bearing in mind I don't know what psi the recommended dose is for the skinnier rims on the S2 (I'm running S1 111s allys with Advans), if you want to reduce the oversteer a bit try dropping the pressure on the fronts by 1psi and see if that gives you better feel.

I'm planning on getting onto one of Andy Walsh's 1stLotus days (see also www.carlimits.com) as these are far cheaper than the Lotus ones (£170 vs. £500ish) and you're in your own car so you know how IT will handle rather than someone elses hack. Sounds scary but apparently you're on an airfield with loads of runoff and Andy is held in high regard by the Lotus fraternity and comes very well recommended.

>> Edited by S Works on Tuesday 5th April 14:57

[chris_n]

I've read so much good stuff about Andy Walsh's days that I'm keen to attend one them. Checking the carlimits website they seem to be booked up for a couple of months. Anyone on here fancy an outing in a few months time?

I'd rather be with Elise/Exiges than the Evo/Imprezas that seem to be booked on some of them. Nothing against those cars or their drivers, just thinking about being able to discuss experiences and compare notes on the day with drivers of similar cars.

Chris

[joospeed]

well you've got too little grip for the speed you went round the bend, so either do something to increase the grip or drive slower.

[doug ward]

S Works said:

wantalotus said: Maybe the understeer is Gods way of telling me to back off a little? Exactly, unless you want the arse out. Lotus redefined the dynamics of the car when they brought out the S2 to be a bit more understeery before the breakaway point. As noted you have to 'drive' the car more into oversteer if thats how you want to enjoy it. IIRC it was because the S1 tended to go from understeer to snap oversteer a lot quicker and caught lots of people out - as Lotus were shifting more units they had to change the set-up to allow for less experienced drivers. The envelope of understeer was increased pretty much to reduce the number of backwards via hedge moments. wantalotus said: Any thought welcome Get on a 1stlotus driving day and practise on an airfield rather than going the alternative route... (P.S. This is doug wards car after a post-roundabout off. Doug, just using this for illustrative purposes, not intimating you can't drive mate )

Happy to be used as an example!! What S Works said is spot on, you get to snap oversteer from understeer pretty quickly. Takes a bit of getting used to and best practiced on an air field where your not going to hit anything!

I am still looking to get something booked with Andy Walsh, but would prefer to do something in the wet/winter months as I feel this is where the skills are going to be more useful. I may however go for a summer session too just to find out the limits of the car - its pretty easy to get over confident.

Only last week I had a near miss when a Range Rover decided he was going to try his hardest to avoid me overtaking him leaving a set of lights. As the road narrowed into a single lane I had to swerve in pretty fast to avoid a bus comming the other way. Never knew the car would hold the road that well on a quick inward swerve when in second gear at round 7k rpm. Would have got past him a whole lot easier if I was a bit quicker off the lights - still did not want to be reving the engine like a chav whilst waiting for the change!

The point im trying to make here is that I have no idea of the car limits because I generally dont push it that hard, on this occasion I was lucky that I was still within the limits however it was luck not judgement. In future i'd rather know than guess.

[Davey S1]

For something like £80 Andy can arrange for a water tanker to completely soak the area used at North Weald if you want to practise wet weather handling in the summer (if its not already pi$$ing down already during our great 'summers'

[neil.b]

chris_n said:

I've read so much good stuff about Andy Walsh's days that I'm keen to attend one them. Checking the carlimits website they seem to be booked up for a couple of months. Anyone on here fancy an outing in a few months time? I'd rather be with Elise/Exiges than the Evo/Imprezas that seem to be booked on some of them. Nothing against those cars or their drivers, just thinking about being able to discuss experiences and compare notes on the day with drivers of similar cars. Chris

Chris, I'm booked in with the Elise on May 5th (and a mate with his Exige). There's one place left (last time I checked). Don't know what the thrid guy is driving though, but at least it will be 3 Elises....

Get yourself booked in!

Edited to correct the date and say I've just checked the website and our session is now fully booked


>> Edited by neil.b on Wednesday 6th April 08:20

[chris_n]

Thanks Neil, I would have liked to have joined you. Hope you enjoy the day. I'll probably do one in July now.

Chris

[S Works]

Chris - where in the SE are you? Some of the SELOC Kent crew are considering doing it. Boggy was interested as was Mrs Boggy. I'm up for booking something in July...

[chris_n]

I'm near Watford but getting over to North Weald is no bother (in fact I'm up that way for work quite often).

I'd be up for making up a four - let me know what date you had in mind if you need one more.

Chris