Queries on an 11 yr old VX

[Geoff Johnson]

I am suffering from understeer, certainly through the cones at Brooklands & now on the road too (must be trying harder I guess). The car has does not have wide track front suspension, & appears to have a thicker front roll bar. It is running yoko 21 185/70's all around. I do find that with understeer if I lift & then plant the throttle the back comes round, which helps, but I would rather not be doing that as I cross onto the other side of the road (yes I realise that going into the bend slower is an option, but the K in front had no trouble). Are there any cheap (rather not change the tyres just yet) options? When I do get to tyre change time I do not really want to make the fronts wider, the steering is much nicer then the old wide tyres I had, but don't mind putting 60's on, will the loss of sidewall help?

 

Second, lifting the carpets under the drivers feet over the weekend I have some little holes in the floor, only 2-3 mm across & they do not look like deliberate holes. Does the aluminium rot or corrode? I can live with it as long as my feet do not go through the floor & the holes don't start growing!

 

Geoff

J392PPD

VX & Flares how untrendy can I be?

[kenny.]

In answer to your understeer question I tried for many years to dial this trait out of my HPC. I think it's something these cars are blessed with and I did everything to minimise it. In competition mine would be far worse on the slow corners (list 1A tyres by the way) and tight bends/hairpins....only way round was bootfuls of power oversteer or lift and run very wide. I changed virtually in fact every suspension component to ease the problem..ie adjustable dampers with with adjustable damp rates, 4 different front ARB's various settings on rear ARB, loads of different poundage springs, numerous flat floor sessions and camber adjustments. Biggest improvement came from fitment of Small 10 mm front ARB, 250 front and 160 rear springs and biggest improvement came from 1/8" of toe-out...it worked for me and car became competitive, but everyone has their own thoughts on this much discussed topic.

 

Cheers Kenny SLR

 

 

 

 

Edited by - kenny on 10 Jun 2002 17:50:51

[EFA]

Geoff,

 

Call me and I'll tell you a few secrets we shouldn't let the K boys know.....

 

Fat Arn

Visit the K2 RUM siteid=red>

See the Lotus Seven Club 4 Counties Area Website hereid=green>

 

[stevefoster]

I am happy with my ..... steer.

I am wide tracked though.

 

With 021's I used ~1.5 deg negative camber and 0.15 deg toe out.

Now running slicks with 0.25 deg neg camber and 0.2 deg of toe out. This does not make for the best radial tyre handling.

 

I am using the standard factory recs on castor.

 

It might be worth checking your rear toe. If you get a tube to max tolerance and the ear to max tolerance then when you add one to the other this is too much! This will make the car stable but not want to turn.

 

Oh and don't hang yourself up about engines.... it is set up.

 

Steve

My racing pics hereid=red>

Hants (North) and Berkshire area club site

hereid=red>

 

 

Edited by - stevefoster on 10 Jun 2002 23:57:16