Going round the bend?

[jamesR]

Spent the last three days enjoying the Victorias Great Ocean Road, then passing up through Halls Gap and into the Wimmera. To cut story short I passed a information sign warning of 161km of winding roads ahead.

So as I wound around the roads, and trailed behind the oblig caravans the question arose..

What gives the impression of rear lateral swing as you head through the corners.

1. Suspension lifting in rear as front wheels drag car through.

2. Give in the lateral walls of the tire.

3. Body lifting from drivers seat.

4. Bitumin (?) giving with 36 deg C beneath the tires

5. Car malfunction!

6. Driver malfunction - oversteer?

Is it one more than the other, or all combined. Opinions wanted.

Also what happens if one, possibly two outside tires, hit the rough on corner exiting. Prefer not to try practical with out your advice.

Thanks

[DHA]

I would guess 2 and 3 make you feel as if the rear is moving way before the rear actually does if you understand what I mean.

If your outer tyres hit the rough stuff on the outside you may get a bit of slip and less traction when power is put down, if you are at high speed (over 100kph) then the car would slide out I guess.

[nhs]

Tthere isn't a simple answer as so much depends on driving style, acceleraration and braking and balance of car through the corners.

Are you on 17s or 18s as these may give a different sentation on cornering?

What tyre pressures were you running? Aare all the tyres the same type and at the same pressure? If one tyre has a lower pressure than the other three, this will give the symptoms you complain of..... Also if one of four suspension chocks remain in place (given the other Victorian posting) then this would give similar symptoms.

If you've hit the rough, or have knocked a tyre when parking, then any of these may have put the tracking out, which again could give the above issues. If it was a hard in and out of the rough or into a pothole, then the suspension could also be damaged.

Suggest:

1. check tyres - are they the same brand, tread and going in the right direction (most GTI tyres are rotational - there is an arrow pointing in usual forward direction), any unusual wear or asymetry, all pressures the same.

Remember if doing fast corners your pressures should be much higher to reduce sidewall flexing - on the tyre side you will see a wear marker for the lateral tread - have you been over this (i.e. wear beyond the marker)? If so you risk damaging your tyres and are setting them up for a delamination at speed

2. check wheel rims - inside as well as outside looking for pothole damage and lack of roundness

3. take the car for a tracking geometry check (if suspension OK then geometry should be ok too)

4. put the GTI seat to its lowest setting

5. if above OK, try some track time with an instructor doing corners and have your technique and skills evaluated

6 bitumen - if it really was soft, then it is possible that you were getting some road slip/tyre grip issues and that the ESP/ABS was cutting in to sort them out. How this "feels" to a driver depends on what they drove before and their driving style preference. Also the GTI has two levels of Electronic Stability Program (ESP): with the ESP on and with ESP "off". With the ESP "off", ESP will still come into action if you brake while cornering at the same time - did you have your ESP on or off? With the ESP on it will be in action all the time, and if the road is giving on one or more wheel then other wheels may be braked to optimise stability - I have to say this has always felt odd to me compared to non-esp cars! What was your previous car and what sort of ESP did it have?

Good luck

[fresco1]

12 Pins?

Love to get my GTI down that road ...