Car gets sideways
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 901
Likes: 2
From: Palm City Fl
Isn't TC just for wheel spin and AH for keeping the car straight? I thought that was the idea of comp mode, that you could spinn but still have the added safety of AH to help keep you from getting to sideways.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 261
Likes: 0
From: Appleton WI
I like letting her rip as I come on to an on-ramp (With no one around). I get a bit sideways because of the slight turn, then drift a bit, straight it out and then shift. Here's where you must not over steer or you end up in the ditch.
Last edited by pmurray; Jan 10, 2014 at 03:03 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 7,866
Likes: 249
From: Hillsboro OR
I experienced the same thing. The back tires wanting to pass the front tires on the right side. I may be crazy but, I swear that it stopped happening when I switched to coil-overs. Could the transverse leaf springs been contributing to the rear-end stepping out?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,798
Likes: 8
From: It's true money can't buy happiness, but it is more comfortable crying in a Corvette than on a bicyc
St. Jude Donor '13
I've paid alot of good money for my car to act like that.
But seriously take a look at your rear tire choice first off. Then research it for traction/stickiness. You give up tire life but a good sticky tire will change the way the car hooks up. A hard tire, like original runflats, slip and slide and don't hook up well
But seriously take a look at your rear tire choice first off. Then research it for traction/stickiness. You give up tire life but a good sticky tire will change the way the car hooks up. A hard tire, like original runflats, slip and slide and don't hook up well
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 29,063
Likes: 1,839
From: cookeville tennessee
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,932
Likes: 4
From: Warrenville Il
Please correct me if im wrong, but in competition mode, traction control is turned off which will allow you to spin the tires but active handling remains on to keep from getting sideways. Comp mode is what I use at the dragstrip. If you keep it straight then AH never jumps in, but it's nice added insurance if the car breaks loose, like in a missed shift at the top end of the track going from 4th to 5th but putting it in third by mistake. Scary but the car stayed straight and seemed to perform the way it was intended, by intervening to keep the car straight at over a hundred mph. It could have been worse had the trac/AH been turned off completely. Unless you're trying to drift the car I see no reason to ever turn off AH.
Race Director
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 15,763
Likes: 3,281
From: Phoenix area, AZ
Please correct me if im wrong, but in competition mode, traction control is turned off which will allow you to spin the tires but active handling remains on to keep from getting sideways. Comp mode is what I use at the dragstrip. If you keep it straight then AH never jumps in, but it's nice added insurance if the car breaks loose, like in a missed shift at the top end of the track going from 4th to 5th but putting it in third by mistake. Scary but the car stayed straight and seemed to perform the way it was intended, by intervening to keep the car straight at over a hundred mph. It could have been worse had the trac/AH been turned off completely. Unless you're trying to drift the car I see no reason to ever turn off AH.
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Drifting
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,371
Likes: 1
From: Somerset Kentucky
Good grief, so many buttons and advice on how to put yourself in a ditch with style. If you've got to have "buttons" to help you stay under control you really missed driving cars back in the 60's like some of us old farts when it was just you, the accelerator, the brake and your skill.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 183
Likes: 3
From: Lompoc Ca
Actually these were the kinds the answers I was looking for. I understand traction control, active handling, competition mode. I'm by far not as good a driver as many of you but understand power and counter steering and it just seems like when you aim a world class sports car in a straight line it should stay in a straight line. I know stiffer sway bars will help reduce twisting in the curves making it more stable. Will it have any effect on the kicking out? Do 911 Porsches do this?
Last edited by cbhood; Jan 11, 2014 at 12:21 AM.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 147
Likes: 1
From: Arena Wisconsin
Good grief, so many buttons and advice on how to put yourself in a ditch with style. If you've got to have "buttons" to help you stay under control you really missed driving cars back in the 60's like some of us old farts when it was just you, the accelerator, the brake and your skill.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,789
Likes: 894
From: Northern Illinois
Oldtimer
Racer
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 284
Likes: 4
From: New Hope Pennsylvania
I just supercharged my car, it's stupid now. I spin going 70 with TC on :o
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,724
Likes: 23
From: Minnesota
The fact that you can break the tires loose in an A4 is amazing. Not stock? 3.15 rear? My stock A4 with 2.73s couldn't break the tired loose just by punching it. Now my modified vette will go sideways at 70 mph.