Date: Wed, 24 Jun 1998 16:10:16 -0700 From: RED <davharnopsamnet.net> Subject: Re: 9000 understeering problem?
WetSprocket wrote: > > I bought my wife a '96 9000 CS sedan, and have never really driven the > car since purchase. > > We recently took to the car on a road trip and I enjoyed driving the > car very much. > > But it understeers very hard on power-on right hand turns. The route > taken had relatively few left banks, but it seemed to pull through > those without a problem. > > I should note that this is Route 68 across the mountains of Northern > Maryland. It is an absolutely wonderful drive. > > The back end of the car was incredibly sticky, it seemed as if it > would not bend towards a long right-hand curve. I felt as if I had to > wrestle it around those long curves. > > I checked the tire inflation, and the seemed in compliance. So why > does this car, a wonderful car, seem so reluctant to take a right-hand > curve at speed? You didn't say what kind of car you normally drive. If it is a rear-wheel-drive car, you may be trying to go through curves using RWD techniques--i.e. feathering the accelerator upon entering the curve and then goosing it to bring the back end around. On a FWD car you can enter the curve at higher speed; then, letting up on the accelerator lets the rear drift into line, thus reducing understeer. You would notice the difference more in a RH curve because it would normally be a tighter turn than a left curve. In addition, the 9000 sedans always seemed to me to be a little too--shall we say--"exciting" in curves.
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