Hi Guys,

I have noticed that when I take a corner fairly fast in my STi-7 it turns in nice then all four wheels just kinda start drifting sideways in a very smooth slide....I take it this is normal ? It can be scarey at times as I am drifting into the other lane / edge of raod etc... I take it the best way to keep the drift to a minimum and hold the corner 'line / apex' is to keep on the gas ?

Any advide, tips etc etc on this would be helpful...

Scarey but very fun feeling the drifting sensation

Cheers,
Ray

PS: This was on bone dry road.

 

Hi Razor

Be careful. This is a potentially very unstable state of the car. If you lift suddenly you are likely to cause lift-off oversteer. if you stay on the gas, you'll maintain the understeer, but will be running out of road bit by bit.

The best way to keep on the correct line is to judge your entry speed.

Imprezas are incredibly easy to drive while everything is going according to plan. If you hit a patch of oil on the road, you could be in a world of pain within a second.

Best thing to do is get some driver coaching from someone like Don Palmer who can coach you to instinctively know how to balance the car at all times.

All the best

Simon

 

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately there is no driving instruction options where I live.

I thought drifting / sliding was part of the impreza design ? Oh well, I guess that means I took the corner too fast or with an incorrect line...

Cheers,
Ray

 

"I take it this is normal ? It can be scarey at times as I am drifting into the other lane"

you are either:

a) going to fast

or

b) a tool

 

There can be so many factors that could cause this. Just by the way you turn the steering wheel can make the car behave differently, if you yank the wheel or are a bit aggresive with it then yes you will get oversteer. This is best played with on an airfield or somewhere with alot of room. If you back off at this point you will more than likely end up with lift off oversteer and end up in real trouble Be careful imprezas are not idiot proof (as alot of people have found out )

Paul

 

Hmmmm, STi-guy, thanks for the fairly usless bit of advice...

 

also worth checking tyre pressures too

 

STi-guy go fast re : "a tool". That's not the kind of attitude / response we are looking for on scoobynet.

Just because someone does something you don't agree with, it doesn't mean they're a "tool".

regards

webmaster

 

Cheers Webmaster

 

Thanks Paul...will do; although, I usually check them every other week. I am running on 34 psi all around. Perhaps this is too hard and creating less 'give' etc to grip ?

Cheers,
Ray

 

Razor,

What tyres are you using?

Ian

 

Ray

That sounds like they are over inflated a bit. Check your handbook.

Paul

 

Hi,

The standard JDM STi-7 MY2001 ones

POTENZA RE040

The air temp usually is between 20 - 35 degrees C here so you can imagine the roads get very very hot, which in turn would make the tyres hot and possibly up the psi by 2 - 4 psi ? What should I make the tyre pressure when tryes are cold ?

Cheers,
Ray

 

No Handbook Guess cuase it was in Japanese they figured it would be useless to me

 

Ray

ask in general what tyre pressures should be for your car and someone should be able to help. I dont own an impreza so I can't help much I can just tell ya how to drive the thing

Paul

 

webmaster, it was multiple choice, he was free to select A

 

Can I select "C"....none of the above ?

Cheers,
Ray

 

bttt more driving advice anyone ??

 

Personally I would drop the pressure 2-3 PSI and change the model of tyre. This effects handling of the car.

I run Goodyear GS series tyres and have not found a dry grip problem even when our temps hit 30 + last summer.

Harder compound will wear better but give less overall grip, too softer compound will overheat and drift aswell.

 

Razor
I've had mine sliding on a long open corner. I found the trottle a far better steering device than the steering wheel ie keeping the wheel still, more throttle, more drift and less throtle,less drift But don't take your power right off though
The moto is slower in and faster out
Sorry not good at explanations but seems to work for me IMHO I find the OEM tyres are normally better on the the track, because the are harder and except more heat and use a softer compound on the road.

Tony

 

Trottle...??? where can I buy one? By the sound of it we all need one....
A new Prodrive option no doubt and T5NYW has it first again!

 

Razor...

Spot-on advice from T5NYW (and Webby, of course ) An exercise we did at a '1stlotus' training day (which does require an amount of tarmac admittedly) is to put your car onto a full-lock turn, accelerate until it's slipping, and control the diameter of the circle using the t(h)rottle only.... you'll get the hang of it. Scarier though, is to get it sliding well on a large diameter circle, and then to wind lock OFF and feel the circle tighten. Counterintuitive, as they say, but I promise you it works!! There's a moderator on this board capable of several pages of learned stuff about slip-angles...... I wouldn't presume to explain it ahead of him

Phil

Phil

 

LOL @ scooby60 and Phil my spoooling has improved t(h)ough


Razor,
good advice but putting into practice is always hard I would invite Simon (and me) over to Bahamas to give you some tips

Tony

Editeeeed to say Mike Wood said he would kill me if I told anyone about Prodrive secret developement PT ..... Prodrive Trottle :@D

[Edited by T5NYW - 1/21/2003 7:48:55 PM]

 

LOL....thanks guys...I guess the bottom line is if you are drifting on a corner on a public road then you are going too fast as you can possibly lose control..I will have to try and get slower into the corner and just accelerate when I am virtually lined back up with the road so I don't end up sliding...

No worries with your trip to The Bahamas, I will let you know when I win the lottery and I can fly you both in.....

Cheers,
Ray

 

Razor,

For what its worth I'm glad you asked the question. I've had STI7 for 5 months and love it but I know what you mean about the drifting thing. It can be a tad disconcerting and I find you don't have to be going THAT fast for it to happen.

Now, if anyone in either the Southport or Teesside has a spare airfield please let me know.

Ian

 

Yea, little scary at first

My FWD Eclipse GS - Turbo almost felt safer....course it only had about 220 bhp and weighed about 3,200 lbs. Torque steer was a nightmare though...I hate FWD !!!! I hope I never have to own one again !

Cheers,
Ray

 

Since having the PPP fitted a few months ago, a big difference from standard was being able to the back end out quite easily.

As Tony says, no problems with it sliding, good fun.

Could be something to do with more torque ??

Nils

 

Nils,
Very enjoyable drive @ Bedford and the diff's certainly perform better with more Torque see you at LLandau !!

Tony

Ray,
Buy 2 more lottey tickets Today and i'll see you next week

 

Tyre Pressures on OZ/SA spec STi7:
Rear: 190 kPa
Front 230 kPa

 

I went for a day's tuition at Bruntingthorpe with Don Palmer in my Elise 111S last year and he virtually ignored me and concentrated on his "Prodigy" who brought an MY02 STi and gave him a lift up from his Southern dwelling to the airfield. I have to say it conclusively beat my 111S through Palmer's cone course as my arms couln't wind the lock on and off as deftly as was required as the rear end waved desperately around like a 40 year old hooker's. Thanks Don, you taught me that it's not worth paying 300 quid for your course cos you're not interested in teaching the "more challenged" (bloody useless) students, just the ones who might make you look good.
Getting an MY03 STi in March....love me Don....love me....