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Over/under/over steer

coderbyday

coderbyday

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Location
United Kingdom
Car
Accord 2.0 iVTEC SE
I had a recent butt-puckering incident over a familiar route - It's a slight right into sharper left turn as you crest the top of a hill at national speed limit. I've done this many times before in an old Fiesta, Mondeo and even the Wife's Yaris without any drama. But I did it in the Accord at the weekend and it's scared me a little;

As I did the left "flick" over the crest at ~60mph the back end decided to continue onwards; like the Accord had been mysteriously transformed into a rear wheel drive car. However through my years of playing Gran Turismo + Forza I corrected it and thought it was the car being a bit playful with the lift-off oversteer. Until the weight shifted towards the front again causing understeer; creating a terrifying four-wheel-drift whilst maintaining a steady 20 degree angle away from the direction I once called "forwards"

I survived but not without my ego being severely bruised and an oncoming car politely backing off to let me squirm my way back to below 20mph for the rest of the journey :(

Now in my hazy recollection I reckon it was all my fault, I must have hit the brakes when I shouldn't have causing the weight shift but as I joined the motorway after running my errand I noticed if I'm ever so slightly off centre with the steering when flooring it the car really struggles to grip the road - it'll scramble wildly and not get anywhere until everything is "forwards" and then it'll take off properly. Sweeping bends are no issue but this car really hates anything that requires more vigorous steering input unlike any car I've ever driven. Is there something wrong?

Important details;
Accord 2.0 SE
195/65/15 Uniroyal Rainexperts on all four corners, all replaced in November 2012.
> 5mm depth on all four tyres
36 PSI front
35 PSI rear
 
Nicely told. :D

Maybe a wheel alignment issue?

Broken/badly worn front drop link? (I had a broken one recently and didn't realise, but the car was 'tram-lining' quite noticeably)

Or that corner had a slippery patch?

A tyre is somehow degraded?
 
I'll be getting the alignment/geometry looked at I think :) start small! I am tempted to just try and go round that bend again and see if I was just being an idiot; usually it just understeers predictably as you'd expect a FWD drive car to do.

It's still under approved used warranty (for the droplink), but I'll need to check to see what is covered. I might be cheeky and see if I can get the suspension checked through it :D
 
The first thing I noticed was your tyre pressures seem way too high, I run mine around 30-31psi so maybe try lowering them a little and see what happens.

Next thing is the geometry but it sounds like you're on to that - make sure you get a printout. If you're not far I also recommend a trip to WIM ;)
 
-Rich- said:
The first thing I noticed was your tyre pressures seem way too high, I run mine around 30-31psi so maybe try lowering them a little and see what happens.

Next thing is the geometry but it sounds like you're on to that - make sure you get a printout. If you're not far I also recommend a trip to WIM ;)
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That's a good point - I tend to go straight to max PSI - 10% from http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible_pg3.html but on the Uniroyals it was something like 53 PSI = 47 PSI! I thought 35 would be a lot lower heh, I will try that too.
 
They are a good tyre, the missus has them on her Civic in a 195/60/15 and never has any issues with grip but I keep the pressures on those to 30-32psi as well. In fact on every car I've had I always stick to that pressure, it works well for me. The only time I increase the rear is when the car is fully loaded. I have regular geo checks at WIM and all my tyres wear even across the tread :)
 
The spec on the sticker inside the door on mine states 33psi front and 30psi rear unless loaded
 
Dave G said:
The spec on the sticker inside the door on mine states 33psi front and 30psi rear unless loaded
Click to expand...
They are only manufacturers recommended pressures to give you something to start from, you can increase/decrease them to your liking.
 
^ What he said. A slight bit of gravel that's not normally there or anything. Just lost traction for a moment. It's happened to me doing about 45 along the country lane I drive down every day to work. Once or twice, something will just make the car slide a tiny bit on the bend. Happens very rarely, but it does happen. Just take it a little easier through the twisties ;)
 
True. That's sensible really, it's just the hit to confidence. I'll just have to get better at the twisties or drive slower :D

The accord is the fastest and heaviest car I've driven too. More of a handful than a little 1.2 fiesta!
 
Never brake and turn on a crest that will throw weight forward, thats what reduced grip at the rear. The tyre pressure are not high for a modern saloon, in fact that helped you. Lower pressures on road tyres will increase lateral sidewall flex adding to the situation. If the speed was right then you wouldnt of needed to brake mid corner, brake first then turn. B)
 
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