In a message dated 5/23/02 8:05:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
jleclainche@cox.net writes:
> - What does it take to get one to roll over? I mean, how sharp CAN I take
> that turn? On dry pavement, will it tend to fishtail first?
>
Steve:
Cars (not trucks or Jeeps) don't usually flip unless they leave the road or
slide sideways into something hard. If you're worried about flipping because
you took a corner too fast, well, the car should be sending signals long
before that happens.
Although I have seen autocrossers who transitioned violently from left to
right get up on two wheels, tires don't usually "dig" into pavement on the
street. They stick until their traction is used up and then they start to
slide. Wider, softer tires usually stick a little longer. Some cars
(usually not stock Midgets) have enough power to break the rear end loose on
accelleration, and others will get light in the back due to weight shifting
forward when the throttle is lifted (911s, which are rear-engined, are
notorious for that).
In a Midget, you're most likely to first hear some tire squeal or feel some
slippage. That means you're starting to lose traction -- the car is sliding
out from under you. When that happens, you need to smoothly lose some speed
or widen the turn a little (or get on it a little harder and grow a pair!).
Don't slam on the brakes, or the weight shifting to the front will lighten
the rear to the point that it could swing. Not likely to happen at lower
speeds (say below 40 mph) but will happen big-time at higher speeds.
If you're seriously concerned about taking corners at maximum speed, you
should do a drivers school (probably offered at your local race track from
time to time, or contact the SCCA). They'll teach you about smoothness and
the proper line through corners (and also how to respond when you overcook it
a little).
Another thing to consider: cars can be set up to oversteer or understeer
(plow) through corners. For average street cars, understeer is usually
preferable because even my 64-year-old mother can instinctively correct it
(by lifting the throttle in her Taurus) when it happens. Most Spridgets,
having been on the road at least 23 years by now, have had varying degrees of
suspension work done, so they certainly don't all handle the same. I've
found that a good rule of thumb is that a car will behave on glare ice at low
speeds much the same way it does on dry pavement at much higher speeds
(although it's much more sensitive to throttle inputs on ice).
One good thing about learning all this in a stock Midget is that it's
forgiving, underpowered and fun, and you can even slide it around a little on
the road without causing too much trouble. OTOH, exploring the edge in your
Porsche 911 Turbo is best done on a track.
Chris Eck
59 Bugeye
93 S4 TQ
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