Discussion
Now it may be that it's just me, that it's a long time since I drove minis, that I am not seated properly in my Cobra Monaco and sliding about, or summit else, but,
When I enter a bend at medium sort of speed, I get the feeling that the rear is stepping out or at least is going to step out, sort of like like the caterham did when I hoofed it but sometimes with a little lean/lurch first. I simply cannot describe the actual feeling I get.
Can't decide if it is rolling too much, or is too stiff (total contradiction I know), on gravel I can get the back end to break away without the handbrake (Look out garden shed when I turn right towards the garage door!
Rear is set up (as best as poss) as per PV's setting up the rear suspension, the rear is standard ride height (35 year old cones new Spax), the front is hilos at standard height, Spax, neg bottom arms and HD tie bars. 12" & Yoko's.
When I enter a bend at medium sort of speed, I get the feeling that the rear is stepping out or at least is going to step out, sort of like like the caterham did when I hoofed it but sometimes with a little lean/lurch first. I simply cannot describe the actual feeling I get.
Can't decide if it is rolling too much, or is too stiff (total contradiction I know), on gravel I can get the back end to break away without the handbrake (Look out garden shed when I turn right towards the garage door!
Rear is set up (as best as poss) as per PV's setting up the rear suspension, the rear is standard ride height (35 year old cones new Spax), the front is hilos at standard height, Spax, neg bottom arms and HD tie bars. 12" & Yoko's.
Sounds just like a Cooper 'S' to me!
Is it 'lift-off' oversteer or oversteer with power on during a corner.
The beauty of a properly set up Mini has always been its 'turn-in' and your s sounds like it's doing that OK.
What tyre pressures are you using. Yokos on 12" seem to like about 32 psi all round.
Is it 'lift-off' oversteer or oversteer with power on during a corner.
The beauty of a properly set up Mini has always been its 'turn-in' and your s sounds like it's doing that OK.
What tyre pressures are you using. Yokos on 12" seem to like about 32 psi all round.
My brothers mini used to do that when he had 10" Camac tyres on it. Made it horrible and very unsettling to drive quickly, you turned in and the back would suddenly lurch just like it was breaking away. Interestingly had another friend with a nicely tuned 998 mini that had the same experience with Camacs and refered to it as the "Camac lurch".
Not especialy relevant as you seem to have Yoko's on your mini, but might be worth playing with tyre pressures.
Not especialy relevant as you seem to have Yoko's on your mini, but might be worth playing with tyre pressures.
cooperman said:
Sounds just like a Cooper 'S' to me!
Is it 'lift-off' oversteer or oversteer with power on during a corner.
The beauty of a properly set up Mini has always been its 'turn-in' and your s sounds like it's doing that OK.
What tyre pressures are you using. Yokos on 12" seem to like about 32 psi all round.
Is it 'lift-off' oversteer or oversteer with power on during a corner.
The beauty of a properly set up Mini has always been its 'turn-in' and your s sounds like it's doing that OK.
What tyre pressures are you using. Yokos on 12" seem to like about 32 psi all round.
Ahh so it's "they all do that sir"
It is un nerving at times, it is over steer on half throttle on a medium bend, but that may be the camber on a particular bend and breakaway on half throttle on a tight turn on gravel.
Sweeping corners are fine but I am nervous because I am not confident in it at 70 on a fast bend.
It MAY be hat the seat base is hard and my backside seems to have loads of room to move/roll and hence I am moving not the car.
Pressures are 32 all round
Will play with the shocks, wondered about raising the front a little.
I would do a quick camber check to ensure absolutely no positive on the back, although from what you've said that's unlikely. Then I would soften the rears off quite a bit and harden the fronts quite a bit. Then I would test it to see if it's changed at all. If it has improved, then work betyween the settings until you get something you are comfortable with. Remember, adding negative to the front will tend to increase the perceived oversteer and a degree of neg on the back can neutralise this a bit. It's always in the settings.
Just make sure that the rear is toeing in about 1/8" as near as you can get it. Shim or grind the rear arm location brackets to get this accurate - but then, I'm sure you've checked this. Just one other thought. Is the rear higher than the front when checked against the nominal ride heights? This would cause roll-oversteer.
I hope this helps,
Peter
Just make sure that the rear is toeing in about 1/8" as near as you can get it. Shim or grind the rear arm location brackets to get this accurate - but then, I'm sure you've checked this. Just one other thought. Is the rear higher than the front when checked against the nominal ride heights? This would cause roll-oversteer.
I hope this helps,
Peter
I agree with Cooperman.. Once you have negative camber arms on the front, it soon highlights shortcomings at the rear by way of oversteer.
As well as playing with the dampers, I used to like running just a little less tyre pressure at the rear which on my cars did seem to help. I cant remember what pressures I used to run now, but it would vary with wheel size and tyre choice anyway. But just a difference of 2-4psi from front to rear was all that was needed in my experience.
I never did get around to trying negative camber on the rear of my Mini's, but im certain this would help plenty too.
All the best, P
As well as playing with the dampers, I used to like running just a little less tyre pressure at the rear which on my cars did seem to help. I cant remember what pressures I used to run now, but it would vary with wheel size and tyre choice anyway. But just a difference of 2-4psi from front to rear was all that was needed in my experience.
I never did get around to trying negative camber on the rear of my Mini's, but im certain this would help plenty too.
All the best, P
When I had my mini on track, like you said it's an odd feeling, the car doesn't so much as lean as squat down. On a long right sweeper at Castle Combe the car would lean back and to the left, but felt absolutely planted and had a huge cornering speed.
Is the car unstable or does it just feel unstable? Might just be fine and takes some getting used too....
Is the car unstable or does it just feel unstable? Might just be fine and takes some getting used too....
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