Bad Understeer

11 posts · joined Apr 2009 · 22 Jun 2009, 11:32 am

#720033

I have a 1972 type 3 fast back and i am havving pretty bad understeer. I havent had a alignment done on the car since i have brought it and i suspect it has bad "toe out" on the front.

Can anyone advise what the handling on a Type3 is normally like?

squizy Thinking about another dub...maybe

4,082 posts · joined Dec 2002 · 22 Jun 2009, 2:14 pm

#720068

You should find it's pretty neutral, but they will understeer if you push too hard into a corner, with lift off oversteer to help straighten it back out on hand. What sort of tyres are you running? Are they standard width and in good condition? What about shocks and ride height? There are many variables in handling setup. My 1970 Notchback handled great.

shaihulud Custom Title Time!

1,448 posts · joined Nov 2005 · 25 Jun 2009, 8:54 am

#720655

Something to consider is how old the tyres are.

I recently bought a 1970 Beetle with very old tyres with good treads but very hard rubber. They transmit every bump on the road.

In the wet there is very little traction and the understeer is a bit scary.

I'll get new tyres soon enough, but in the meantime I drive it very carefully.

Could that be part of your problem?

typethreeking Wolfsburg Wizard

621 posts · joined May 2008 · 2 Jul 2009, 6:35 pm

#721863

i have a 71 fastback and with plenty f power on board you can get heaps of understeer, but when i had a stock 1600 in the car and it was really low ididnt get under or oversteer. Type 3 are alittle know to get understeer with standard ride height but with some suspension changes you can get it sorted..

BEING ASPIRATED FEELS GREAT BUT BEING BLOWN TAKES THING TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL....

Craig Torrens 6 times Australian, 7 times State Hillclimb Class Champion

8,040 posts · joined Jan 2003 · 2 Jul 2009, 9:11 pm

#721927

Toe out will help the car turn, not understeer.

BRUTUS Officially Full-On Dubber

255 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 5 Jul 2009, 6:22 pm

#722397

Type 3's can give either slight understeer or oversteer, and should be one of the best handling cars on the road! We need more info. on the car...
Set up properly (tyres; alignment etc.) they should be fairly neutral (as Squizy said), and you should also be able to change from slight understeer to some oversteer just by changing the F:R tyre pressures!

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Peanut_finger Learner Dubber

11 posts · joined Apr 2009 · 27 Aug 2009, 11:13 am

#731892

THe car had a wheel alignment, so much better now.

HappyDaze Superannuated

2,887 posts · joined Jun 2009 · 27 Aug 2009, 12:31 pm

#731899

Craig Torrens wrote:Toe out will help the car turn, not understeer.

I use 2mm toe-out on my black-ish '59 Beetle to PROMOTE under-steer!

I'd rather wear a Beetle out by racing it than by polishing it!

Doctor Officially Full-On Dubber

363 posts · joined Aug 2009 · 27 Aug 2009, 2:49 pm

#731913

HappyDaze wrote:
Craig Torrens wrote:Toe out will help the car turn, not understeer.

I use 2mm toe-out on my black-ish '59 Beetle to PROMOTE under-steer!

Thats something my father would do, he prefers to drive a car with understeer, i hate it, but each to their own!

www.brassmunkymedia.com.au

Any car so nice you can't drive it in the rain.. is too damn nice to enjoy

HappyDaze Superannuated

2,887 posts · joined Jun 2009 · 27 Aug 2009, 3:54 pm

#731922

Doctor wrote:
HappyDaze wrote:
Craig Torrens wrote:Toe out will help the car turn, not understeer.

I use 2mm toe-out on my black-ish '59 Beetle to PROMOTE under-steer!
Thats something my father would do, he prefers to drive a car with understeer, i hate it, but each to their own!

Sounds like us old blokes know what we're doing eh?

I'd rather wear a Beetle out by racing it than by polishing it!

trickysimon 100km/h is only 9 seconds away

1,473 posts · joined Dec 2007 · 27 Aug 2009, 7:26 pm

#731970

Give me snap oversteer before understeer anyday 👍

Doctor Officially Full-On Dubber

363 posts · joined Aug 2009 · 27 Aug 2009, 10:10 pm

#732033

HappyDaze wrote:
Doctor wrote:
HappyDaze wrote:
Craig Torrens wrote:Toe out will help the car turn, not understeer.

I use 2mm toe-out on my black-ish '59 Beetle to PROMOTE under-steer!
Thats something my father would do, he prefers to drive a car with understeer, i hate it, but each to their own!

Sounds like us old blokes know what we're doing eh?

Thats one way to look at it, as in my sig, Oversteer scares the passengers, Understeer scares the driver...

Id rather have oversteer, something thats relatively contrallable, but understeer is something i cant stand, small amounts are ok, but mass understeer would have me spending coin on a suspension revamp!

Different Generations do things differently!

www.brassmunkymedia.com.au

Any car so nice you can't drive it in the rain.. is too damn nice to enjoy

HappyDaze Superannuated

2,887 posts · joined Jun 2009 · 28 Aug 2009, 7:34 am

#732062

There is no need for anybody to be scared - it all should be fun! I am talking about Beetles, so at some point oversteer wil need to be addressed. Having raced - and still racing - Beetles for 50 years, I've had heaps of oversteer (and understeer) to deal with. I have found that my personal preference is for initial understeer, then CONTROLLED oversteer, using the right foot - it's a lot of fun, believe me, if you don't already know!

Cheers, Greg

I'd rather wear a Beetle out by racing it than by polishing it!