Handling - twitchy above 60mph

monkeyra · Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 8:31 pm Post subject: Handling - twitchy above 60mph

Hi all,

My Mk2 is feeling twitchy and not very confidence inspiring at speeds above 60mph. It's been off the road for a number of years due to doing the 2GRFE swap. I've got Meister-R GT1 Coilovers, set 10 clicks back from hard. Has TRD ARB's, strut braces, ploybushed etc. Running Enkei RP01's, 16" front, 17" rear. Geometry has been done.

So, thoughts on why? Could it be a dodgy geometry setup? Is there anything else I should be looking at?

Years back, when it was a standard turbo, it felt nailed. Less so these days. Or I'm getting old and a pussy, lol. Had the car nearly 15 years now!

gavsdavs

monkeyra · Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 9:11 am Post subject:

Lowered a little, but nothing major else the tyres would rub.

AFAIK, geometry was set for stability. I may take it somewhere else to get it done again if there's no obvious suggestions.

Race Idiot · Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 11:27 am Post subject:

Who did the alignment?

monkeyra · Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 2:06 pm Post subject:

Drift Limits Performance a couple of years ago (only done about 200 miles since).

Wheels in motion are about 20 mins away, may just try that [Think]

Race Idiot · Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 2:14 pm Post subject:

I've had alignments with both of those companies and not had a problem.

You haven't had any of the suspension off during that time?

SonicSW20 · Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 2:47 pm Post subject:

Have you ever changed the rear outer tie rod bearings?

rev3gtturbo · Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2019 5:13 pm Post subject:

As your car has been off the road for a number of years, how old are the tyres? Very old rubber can give handling issues.

My car gets twitchy in the wet once the tyre tread gets down to 3 mm.

monkeyra · Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2019 10:30 am Post subject:

Yeah, rear outer tie rod bearings have been replaced. There's nothing original left on the car suspension or bushing wise, it's all been replaced over the years, albeit car has been off the road for a long time so it's done bu88er all mileage.

Tyres - probably about 5 years old? Still like new in terms of tread, but good point, I know rubber does indeed perish. [Think]

Race Idiot · Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2019 10:02 am Post subject:

Have you've had those outer tie rods changed after the alignment? If so then the toe on the rear will probably be out.

BALDYMONSTER · Joined: 29 Aug 2014 Posts: 568 Feedback Score: 2

ashley · Joined: 13 May 2008 Posts: 7610 Feedback Score: 56

monkeyra

ashley · Joined: 13 May 2008 Posts: 7610 Feedback Score: 56

Thinking about it- I'm guessing you have the 2GRFE ECU running things, so almost certainly the control line to the power steering isn't there and it's just on full all the time.

Without the stock 3S ECU it's going to be an interesting one to get around, maybe have a chat with Paul W to see how he deals with it, but if you get stuck drop me a line- it's a pretty easy system to drive [thumleft]

blogsy · Joined: 16 Jun 2012 Posts: 314 Feedback Score: 2

Ashley how's your car getting on, did you ever finnish the dry sump?

ashley · Joined: 13 May 2008 Posts: 7610 Feedback Score: 56

Yep- dry sump completed and we ran it on the dyno at ~400hp (small turbo)...didn't make any additional power as it's flow limited based on the small turbo, but interestingly it's pulling a vacuum in the crank case now. This meant a few tweaks to the crank seals to prevent them leaking air into the sump!

I'm thinking on the bigger turbo it'll make a bit more power now, but not yet tested...might see 650hp I guess...

I drove the car (with drysump) to LeMans the year before last, and foolishly promised I wouldn't touch the car for at least 12 months...just drive and enjoy. Longest year of my life!!

I'm due to start work again, but had to back off everything as my eldest daughter got diagnosed with a brain tumor a couple months ago...I've been with her in hospital since (all going very well- successful surgery, and we are currently in Germany having Proton Beam treatment to prevent it coming back).

Next up I want to go hardcore with the car and remove all road car compromises- going full track performance, and want to develop a full aero package for it...should keep me out of mischief for the next few years [Laughing]

Thanks for asking [thumleft]

blogsy · Joined: 16 Jun 2012 Posts: 314 Feedback Score: 2

Terrible news mate, I think I can say on everyone on here's behalf that we wish her a speedy recovery.

monkeyra · Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2019 9:21 pm Post subject:

So sorry to hear that Ashley, with 2 young girls myself I'd find that very difficult to deal with. Hope all is going well and prognosis is good for long term. Puts into perspective whats important in life.

ashley · Joined: 13 May 2008 Posts: 7610 Feedback Score: 56

Thanks guys, it has been the worst time of my life, and certainly puts everything into perspective. Suddenly all the stuff I thought was important just doesn't matter anymore!

We've been amazingly lucky though (which is odd to say when my 6 year old daughter has brain cancer), but she's alive! They performed emergency surgery to relief pressure in her head and saved her life, she wouldn't be here now without the intervention.
Then they were able to operate and remove it without significant damage to her brain- just amazing, I don't know how the surgeons do it: 15 hours in the operating theater.

We're also really lucky it hadn't spread, which means she can have proton treatment- which again means less damage to her brain than conventional radio therapy. And she isn't having chemo.

So we are thanking our lucky stars...we've been surrounded by other families all going through their own personal tragedies, and believe me- we are the lucky ones. Some of the things I've seen over the last couple of months will never leave me...there are truly heartbreaking struggles going on everyday that we just aren't aware of in "normal" life.

Sorry...didn't mean to go on- it's difficult not to. And especially on here given my history with some of you guys, but like I say- what's important has changed for me, and this forum has actually been a good distraction through the long hours in hospital.

Appreciate the kind words [thumleft]

monkeyra · Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 8:56 pm Post subject:

Same age as my daughter. Got my fingers crossed for you. Must be mega tough, and as you say, puts, everything into perspective, massively.