Hi All,

As this is my first Winter with the Scoob and having the first bit of snow today I have a couple of questions.

BTW. I'm used to ABS and the usual low profile tyre problems.

If understeer is encountered when entering a snowy corner can the handbrake be used or will this cause undue strain on the viscous centre diff?

Will a bit of power mid snowy bend create understeer or oversteer? I understand conditions may effect the outcome.

Any other advice?

Appologies if these sound a bit Muppety but I genuinely have no idea what to expect as this is the first high performance AWD car I have owned.

Cheers Lee

 

Lee,

Best bet (rather than try to interpret someone else's opinion) is to find a nice empty car park after a bit of decent snow fall, and give it a try!

R U coming along to the Midlands Broad Street bash (see Mids Meet section)?

mb (still a snow virgin as well!)

 

Boomer,

Run up to Christmas very busy for me, haven't got a day off in December until Christmas Eve

Must make an effort to get to a Midland meet soon though.

Cheers
Lee

[This message has been edited by logiclee (edited 30 October 2000).]

 

boomer

Superb advice!

There is no substitute for finding out for yourself, then you know for sure.

logiclee
As you say, conditions will change things but (I assume you have a UK with good tyres all round of the same make and model - and standard geometry)....

As a general rule, power mid bend in slippy conditions is likely to cause understeer. As you put you foot down, weight moves to the back giving it more grip than the front.

But...

If you give it enough gas so that all four wheels spin before the weight shifts and you are steering right, the car will probably rotate right (into oversteer).

Just be careful. it's amazing how heavy and full of enertia a sliding car on snow feels!!!

Cheers

Simon

 

Thanks Simon,

I realise how hard it is to give advice on such matters and I will have a little play when its safe to do so.

Sods law says I'll be stuck at work etc at the first big downfall and I just wanted a little insight on what to expect.

Cheers
Lee

 

What about the handbrake question from logiclees's original post?

I understand it's a bad idea to use the handbrake to aid oversteer in a scoob - even worse on snow/ice?

How damaging is it to the centre diff?

Rich

 

Went around 3 sisters circuit in the wet in mind last Feb. Used the Handbrake to curb cronic understeer.

Just a tad to bring the rear round, and then nailed it to keep the slide.

Didn't "appear" to damage the diff. However the g/box failed 2 months later...concidental ????

Mark

PS UK94

 

Oh yeah! Sorry, forgot about that...

Some scoobs are worse than others...

UK cars are not designed to have the rear wheels locked whilst the fronts are turning so it is never going to be good for the centre diff...

If I ever need the handbrake, I just give it a very small tug, to almost lock the rears for a VERY brief fraction of a second. This is not too damaging, but still has a good effect...

The truth is, you shouldn't really need the handbrake unless you want to do 180's in a very narrow space.

Scoobs like the Type R and 22B with diff control have an advantage here as you can fully open the centre diff so it doesn't cause any damage.

Cheers

Simon

 

Thanks Simon,

I suppose that's why Tiffany Dell got away with handbraking the hell out of a 22B on the latest Top Gear video!

....and I was cringing in my seat...

Rich

 

LOL

I always cringe in my seat when Tiff drives

Seriously, that is the only reason I was happy to do then donuts and handbrake turns in the videos of rsquires 22B at Bruntingthorpe.

Also the rear diffs on 22B's lock completely under donut conditions ( ) so there was no damage to the rear diffs either.

Cheers

Simon

 

From personal experience playing around in the snow last winter:

My Legacy RS twin turbo, second gear, no more than 20mph, deserted country road, deliberately planted the right foot on a tight(ish) left-hand bend with good visibility round the bend. Tail went out immediately, but (almost as immediately) power transferred to the front wheels to provide a controllable four-wheel drift and bring everything back in line. Gets better the faster you do it - awesome machines, Subarus - huge grin factor Waiting for the first falls of snow here this year ....

Brian

 

Simon,

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Simon de Banke:
<B>Seriously, that is the only reason I was happy to do then donuts and handbrake turns in the videos of rsquires 22B at Bruntingthorpe.
[/quote]

That wouldn't be the opening scene of the 'Subaru Impreza Story' now would it?
- very good! Pity about ther rest of the vid...

Rich

 

RichS

GOD NO!!!!

This is how a donut should be done...

 

Fantastic!

Ric

 

I can't wait for snoowwww... Snowboarding up Glenshea - here i come!!!

 

Me too !

Hos where are you??

Im Dundee too

Rich

 

Rich,
I live in Oxford just now doing my atpl , but family still lives in Dundee (still home whenever i'm back which is as much as possible!)
We live between Dundee and the sidlaws basically, near to Bridgefoot/Birkhill Where are you?
Hos

 

Simon da B, Quality, V-nice on the Doughnut. Are you saying that you essentually can make the Scooby RWD?

Trev.

 

Hi Tiz....

The 22B (Also Type R and some RAs) have athe centre diff cotrol which allows you to dighten and loosen the diff.

This means that the 22B was ALMOST like a RWD car. Certainly in the donuts, the technique was exactly the same as for RWD.

AWD donuts are easier in many ways, but it would have meant tightening the diff slightly which would then have caused a strain on the car. It would be fine on grass or on a very slippy surface though.

Mind you... when you get a proper AWD donut going the car actually rotate around the middle of the car (forward slightly depending on the centre diff ratio) and spins like you wouldn't believe!!

Cheers

Simon
PS Hurry up snow!!!