Any tricks to make a C5 understeer?
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2005
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Any tricks to make a C5 understeer?
as is the common experience of corvette drivers, it's quite easy to make the car's rear swap ends, more so with the traction control off. and with a lot of money invested in our cars, this is not a good thing especially when there's a lot of solid objects around.
on the other hand, front drive cars (you know, the kind that many of us use as daily drivers), give you ample warning that its handling ability is reaching its limits by emitting a lot of tire squeal. granted that an understeering car is not the optimum setup for fast lap times, but on the street, it can save a lot of expensive body work.
aside from putting super skinny front tires or massive rear tires, is there any tricks that would make a C5 lean toward an understeering condition than oversteer?
on the other hand, front drive cars (you know, the kind that many of us use as daily drivers), give you ample warning that its handling ability is reaching its limits by emitting a lot of tire squeal. granted that an understeering car is not the optimum setup for fast lap times, but on the street, it can save a lot of expensive body work.
aside from putting super skinny front tires or massive rear tires, is there any tricks that would make a C5 lean toward an understeering condition than oversteer?
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 13,760
Likes: 75
From: Haymarket VA
How about driving in a reasonable fashion on the STREET. I think you'll find the car is pretty neutral. If you're driving on the STREET in such a way that the "ends are swapping"...please stay off roads in my area.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 4,933
Likes: 30
From: San Rafael CA
On the street the car is almost dead neutral, which on the race track means that you can throttle steer the car very easily. Take a driving class and learn about using your throttle to control the car's handling, adding throttle creates understeer, coming off the throttle creates oversteer. Adding understeer by altering tires or suspension is NOT a good idea, you are trying to get the car to "correct" for your lack of driving skills. Fix your driving habits (slow down if you can't handle the car) and take some classes through groups such as the SCCA, NASA, or even the BMWCCA.
Also, on the street, leave your T/C and A/H on .... they are there for a reason.
Last edited by BlackZ06; Feb 19, 2008 at 07:35 AM.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 435
Likes: 0
From: Seattle WA
There are very few cars sold today that are set up to oversteer from the factory. Your oversteer is either caused by a suspension problem, or you are giving it too much throttle on corner exit. With a stock setup (or even most modified setups) you should see nothing but understeer at corner entry.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 8,466
Likes: 51
St. Jude Donor '17
275 up front 295 rear
got rid of the the backend coming around when i im wot
If i was not dead on straight not even a half inch off the rear of my car would start walking.
Larger tires up front and rear was the answer for me
got rid of the the backend coming around when i im wot
If i was not dead on straight not even a half inch off the rear of my car would start walking.
Larger tires up front and rear was the answer for me
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,217
Likes: 5
From: Stark County Ohio
To increase under-steer, lower the front pressure while increasing the rear.
Do this in 2 pound increments
Tire wear will increase however.
Drive carefully on the street, as stated above the C5 has great handling and to push its limits means you are running awfully hard.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 9,919
Likes: 1,880
From: Hot Springs AR
But, as Black Z06 stated, go to a driving school. #1, you'll learn how much you don't know about driving, and #2, you'll probably get hooked on just how much your Vette can do, maybe even check out the local autocross scene!
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,190
Likes: 0
From: Fayetteville AR
I like the tire pressure and new wider tires idea. You may also try lowing the rear suspension and/or raising the front. I don’t know if it would be a great idea - may cause negative handling - but I’m sure it would do something (positive or negative) and it’s free. The vette is almost perfectly balanced (52/48) but if you put the battery in the back and perhaps lighten up the front by another 50 # or so you could reach the perfect 50/50 or even 48/52 if you desire.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,398
Likes: 2
I turn much faster times at the track with it all off. Same goes on the street for me. If I'm on the freeway cruising ill leave it all on usually, but the second I hit surface streets or the back roads which I do a lot off it is all off. Ive come close to wrecking my car several times because AH or TC came on when I didn't want it to. Nothing worse than hammering through turns and the damn AH coming on all the time cause the computer says I cant drive the car that hard.
Last edited by briann510; Feb 20, 2008 at 09:10 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
I like the tire pressure and new wider tires idea. You may also try lowing the rear suspension and/or raising the front. I don’t know if it would be a great idea - may cause negative handling - but I’m sure it would do something (positive or negative) and it’s free. The vette is almost perfectly balanced (52/48) but if you put the battery in the back and perhaps lighten up the front by another 50 # or so you could reach the perfect 50/50 or even 48/52 if you desire.
Proper ride height and car rake have a lot to do with high speed handling. Slammed cars look cool, somewhat, but handle poorly.
The front of the C5 should be no lower then 1" from stock ride height then the rear adjusted so the rake of the car is 1/4" to 3/8" Higher then the front. http://www.sae.org/servlets/productD...D=2002-01-3333
Then also taking into a count the corner balance with the drivers wt in the drivers seat. All these things should go into the handling characteristics of your car.
Ride height
Corner balancing
Alignment
suspension components
tires
and the proper person or shop to make it all work. When this is done, that car will be very very fast and stable.
May not be as sexy has a big HP Dyno chart for forum or bar racers, but then that is not the purpose either.
Good Luck
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,152
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
Yes for 95% of all vette drivers ah/tc is all good....but
I turn much faster times at the track with it all off. Same goes on the street for me. If I'm on the freeway cruising ill leave it all on usually, but the second I hit surface streets or the back roads which I do a lot off it is all off. Ive come close to wrecking my car several times because AH or TC came on when I didn't want it to. Nothing worse than hammering through turns and the damn AH coming on all the time cause the computer says I cant drive the car that hard.
I turn much faster times at the track with it all off. Same goes on the street for me. If I'm on the freeway cruising ill leave it all on usually, but the second I hit surface streets or the back roads which I do a lot off it is all off. Ive come close to wrecking my car several times because AH or TC came on when I didn't want it to. Nothing worse than hammering through turns and the damn AH coming on all the time cause the computer says I cant drive the car that hard.
My car is a 98 so it only has TC. I find it keeps the back end from going to far when I overuse the throttle.
Peter
