Jump to content

ARGH! Violent oversteer!!


tonyalbers

Recommended Posts

Hi,

110" 300Tdi UN ROW-spec STW

The other day I was driving in the countryside N of Aarhus, Denmark -where we drive in the right side of the road :) Speed was about 60mph and the road turned slightly left, not a sharp turn, and not a problem for any car at that speed

So, coming into the turn, I steered slightly to the left, and all of a sudden I was in the opposite lane :o To my luck there was noone there...

The car oversteered quite a lot. Later I noticed that when I turn the wheel approx. 10deg to the left, it has a "dead" spot where the wheels don't react.

What causes this behavior?

TIA

/tony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not entirely certain that 'oversteer' is the correct term for what's happened here, BUT

I'd look closely at any flex joints in the steering column.

I'm wondering if the wheels failed to turn - the dead spot - so you turned the steering a little more as a natural reaction. A loose or badly worn UJ or flex joint started to transmit the turn, the tyres dragged sideways in the direction of the turn, and pulled the steering across without turning the wheel (because of the free play in the column). Thus the turn becomes too tight and the car crossed to the left side of the road.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yeh the definition of oversteer would be the rear tyres losing grip and trying to overtake the front making the vehicle go sideways or even spin completely

yours sounds like a fault in the steering system as suggested as it didn't lose traction it just suddenly steered more than u had expected. perhaps a camber or ridge in the road making the steering move from one end of the slack to the other...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yeh the definition of oversteer would be the rear tyres losing grip and trying to overtake the front making the vehicle go sideways or even spin completely

It is not necessary for the vehicle to lose grip to display oversteer characteristics. Oversteer is the tendency of the vehicle to ''turn in'' to a corner or bend more sharply than dictated by the steering linkage, and on beam axled vehicles can be influenced by factors such as steeply angled suspension control arms on vehicles with raised suspensions or worn and loose control arm bushings. A coil sprung Rover with raised suspension and worn bushings can be a scary experience at times.

Bill.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is not necessary for the vehicle to lose grip to display oversteer characteristics. Oversteer is the tendency of the vehicle to ''turn in'' to a corner or bend more sharply than dictated by the steering linkage, and on beam axled vehicles can be influenced by factors such as steeply angled suspension control arms on vehicles with raised suspensions or worn and loose control arm bushings. A coil sprung Rover with raised suspension and worn bushings can be a scary experience at times.

Bill.

Thanks, guys, I'll have a look at it later. I do have raised suspension and worn bushings, so that might be the culprit. It did do it before I raised the suspension though.

Thanks for the replies,

/tony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. By using our website you agree to our Cookie Policy