Hey V6Bob,,,

[F1GT]

Hey Bob, I got a question. You know the things you've read and experienced about how different bars, like 1LE, can cause oversteer on our cars because the rear got a big boost compared to the front?? Or even if the rear is stiffer(shocks and springs), the car will tend towards over-steer??

Does it also apply to front wheel drive cars too??
If so, will they have an easier time dealing with the fish-tailing compare to RWD because they are FWD and they can "pull" out of it?? Will they handle it easier because they have less weight out back??

I'm asking cuz my brother is about to lower his Accord and I was wondering if it will give him handling problems, besides the tire wear....he says his bigger rims/lower profile tires and FWD layout will not have trouble with over-steer.

thx
Ed
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[V6Bob]

It's a little complicated. The fundamentals are the same. Stiffer rear springs/bar will move a FWD toward oversteer. However, since FWD cars have a strong front weight bias, they naturally understeer. Also, they don't oversteer more under power like a RWD does. All this means that you can get a FWD to oversteer, but it's harder to do it than in a RWD.

The oversteer that happens most often in a FWD is "lift throttle oversteer". You head into a corner, apply power, think you're going too fast and suddenly lift off the gas. The weight transfers forward and the already light rears unload, and the back can come around.

If he's lowering the car he needs to see what the new spring rates are, compared to the old, to see what he's doing to the balance. Usually springs don't change the balance as much as bars, simply because most aftermarket spring sets I've seen don't seem to be as extreme as some common bar sets are.

[F1GT]

thx bob
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