Tight loose or too Fast

[jsf74]

This is proably a stupid question but how do you determin how your car is actually handling in the corners. During practice last week it seemed like I had a hard time determining how fast to enter the corner. I know seat time will help this but it seems a tight or loose condition could be a result of entry speed rather than car setup. It's a mod if it matters.

[johnny v]

As they say, there is no such thing as a stupid question......
So on to your inquiry..........
There is only so much traction available in each corner for your car....as a driver , you have to touch the edge of that traction and fall back a little bit from that edge......

A good driver can't carry a bad car and setup and a great driver can't win in a tractor...... So about 75% of the problem might be the car....... If someone else has proven the car will go, then its probably You , the driver.....

Bottom line... if its a reg 4 link mod.... I would go into a practice session and try not to use the brakes at all..... just lay the car around the groove coasting into the corner , letting the car rotate on its own...... just laying your foot on the brake a little when you get going faster and faster..... after bunches of laps, speeds should go up, brake use should be minimal..... cranking all rear brakes into the car to make it turn is the last thing you want to do...........
then base whether the car is tight or loose off of the info gathered, driving like I have described above....
Tight..... no matter what , even with a little or lot of brakes.... the front end will not stay in the groove.....
Loose....... no matter how straight it drive it in, as soon as I breathe on the steering wheel, the back end heads for the fence.....

of course... all the above is based on a decent setup, car has good brakes, bias bar is adjusted correctly, master cylinders are the right size, tire stagger is correct, tires are in good shape, springs are close, etc etc...

good luck and hang in there!!
see ya johnny v

[jsf74]

Wow amazing response. Thanks for that. Well see what happens after this weekend if the weather cooperates.

[jsf74]

I just wanted to bump this thread for any new drivers out there. It helped me a ton last year.

[HEAVY DUTY]

As they say, there is no such thing as a stupid question......
So on to your inquiry..........
There is only so much traction available in each corner for your car....as a driver , you have to touch the edge of that traction and fall back a little bit from that edge......

A good driver can't carry a bad car and setup and a great driver can't win in a tractor...... So about 75% of the problem might be the car....... If someone else has proven the car will go, then its probably You , the driver.....

Bottom line... if its a reg 4 link mod.... I would go into a practice session and try not to use the brakes at all..... just lay the car around the groove coasting into the corner , letting the car rotate on its own...... just laying your foot on the brake a little when you get going faster and faster..... after bunches of laps, speeds should go up, brake use should be minimal..... cranking all rear brakes into the car to make it turn is the last thing you want to do...........
then base whether the car is tight or loose off of the info gathered, driving like I have described above....
Tight..... no matter what , even with a little or lot of brakes.... the front end will not stay in the groove.....
Loose....... no matter how straight it drive it in, as soon as I breathe on the steering wheel, the back end heads for the fence.....

of course... all the above is based on a decent setup, car has good brakes, bias bar is adjusted correctly, master cylinders are the right size, tire stagger is correct, tires are in good shape, springs are close, etc etc...

good luck and hang in there!!
see ya johnny v

Good advice.

[ultramax25]

Great post J, think this was my exact problem last week! was talking about it last night! going to try rolling in to the corners sat. instead of setting the car with the brake. thanks good luck saturday!!

[jsf74]

Brian the best thing I started doing was trusting what I had and just driving it like a car. That whole deal with setting the car with the brake is crap. Sometimes it would work but most of the time I would just end up driving off the back stretch or snap loose coming off the corner. I'm finally starting to see the car work and not have to muscle it around. It was getting real old every week not getting a handle on this thing. Good luck at Plymouth I hope to come down soon.

[let-r-eat]

There is only, and I'll repeat,.......... ONLY................... 3 reasons for spinning a race car:........1. Something Broke...........................................2. You were assisted by someone else...................3. The nut between the steering wheel and the seat.............................................. ............................The only thing you need to think about getting in the corner is how you're going to get out the other side with some speed.That list was made by one of the greatest racers of all time. He's dead and gone now but his words are still true.Those are some good pointers J. Too many brake drivers out there for sure.