OK now for a couple of examples: You can test your skills a little by trying to determine the solution before reading it. (BTW all solutions may not be the best for all cases since there are other factors that can be induced)

Example 1

You enter a sweeper, everything seems ok. Turn -in was smooth, cornering grip seems to par, you start accelerating coming out of the sweeper and your car goes loose and spins out.

Solution:
Since your car has adequate turn-in response and grip off power it would tend to indicate that your camber, caster, and toe settings are correct. The problem is induced when you start to accelerate. This would tell me that it is a weight induced oversteer. This means that the acceleration momentum is placing to much weight on the outer rear tire causing it to break loose. To solve this I would stiffen the rear suspension or add a rear roll bar.

Example 2

You enter a hairpin and your car progresses toward the wall at a rapid rate.

Solution:
Slow down sooner you entered the corner to fast (Driving problem). Many understeer characteristics are caused more often by driver error than set-up.

Example 3

Again entering a sweeper. Your initial turn in is satisfactory, though as you go further into the corner your car starts drifting toward the wall, you slow down enough to keep it in line and accelerate out of the corner, as you accelerate out your car starts drifting once again toward the outer wall.

Solution:
There can be multiple solutions to this problem. Toe is probably not a problem in this case because the car didn't change characteristics throughout the corner. Since you like the initial turn in I wouldn't change the caster either. If the push is minor I would try changing the camber on the front of the vehicle to cause the front to grip again, if it's a very minor push then I would change ride height on the front. If the push is more major I would soften the front to allow it to grip further or possibly stiffen the rear. If you are to stiffen the rear you may induce a loose condition in other corners.

Example 4

You enter a corner and the car turns in very fast, holds the line, then under acceleration the car drifts off line toward the outer edges and you have to let off the throttle.

Solution:
This is completely a toe issue. You have to much toe out which is not allowing the car to hold the line effectively while exiting the corner. Reduce toe-out or give the car more toe-in

Example 5

You enter a corner and your car turns in really fast grips and sends the tail around immediately.

Solution:
There are again more solutions to this problem but the most obvious one would be that you have to little caster (this cannot be changed on all cars). This is indicated because the car had a very responsive turn in and then went immediately into oversteer. The oversteer is induced because of the limited lean in the chassis with the massive grip given the front because of the lowered caster. Other minor causes could be Brake turning or to much toe out (but this would usually result in immediate push). You can also get a less grippy front tire, Stiffening the front suspension will not help in this case (early HPI cars had this problem)

Example 6

Your car goes through a corner perfectly but it feels a little sluggish (slow responding).

Solution:
Stiffer tire Inserts, Stiffer Suspension, or Less Caster

Example 7

Your car drifts like on sand through a corner.

Solution:
Some people like this but if you don't you can get softer tires or harder tires in some cases (depending on heat), or Soften the suspension overall to gain more grip.

Example 8

You enter a corner and your car feels to responsive, and twichy, it doesn't break loose but you feel you are scrubbing off speed.

Solution:
This is a rare problem but it can happen, You have to much grip. At this point you need to either learn to drive very smoothly so not to scrub speed. Other methods that are usually more practical are To Stiffen the suspension evenly, reduce camber, reduce caster, purposely overheat the tires (though not recommended), anything that you can do to reduce the grip. Usually just a tire change may do the trick. Don't adjust toe here since it is not inducing grip.

Example 9

The dreaded high speed chicane you go throughout the first half fine, everything is Ok and then your car gets loose coming out of the second half.

Solution:
You are causing a transfer induced oversteer which can be caused by may things. One of these problems could be a weight imbalance in the chassis which causes the weight to transfer unevenly from side to side. Another can be suspension that is to soft or overdampened, which doesn't allow weight to transfer quick enough. You could also be underdampened which may cause the car to respond to quick and bounce. This is one of the hardest things to solve, one more solution might come from a different body but this may only mask a problem. You can also be over reacting in your driving. This problem has so many solutions and minor issues that can cause it that it takes experimentation.


©1997 Penguinr/c
Originally produced for Lawrence Keys, R/C Adrenalin web site.