Cheap Understeer Solutions?

[IGSDann]

Ran a quick search and didn't quite see what I was looking for. I'm on the cheap so replacing my diff is kinda off the options list for now. I am looking for cheap ways to get rid of some understeer. I am dieing at autocross coming into sharp entries, I'm just not going where I want.

The springs are kinda soft, Sportlines on OE shocks (all around), along with a front STB. Tires are pretty grippy, Falken FK451's on 16x7 +20's all around. So either some cheap understeer removal solutions (would rather keep the STB ON) or cheap oversteer additions would be nice. Thanks!

[USpecS13]

get a cheap used rear sway. get stickier tires up front. Toe front out and toe rear out. increase front camber. decrease rear camber. get shocks and stiffen up the rear.

either of those will do.

[TheTimanator]

what are your camber settings?

[TheSparo]

nitrous???

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[Jung918]

change the tire pressure.

[m0rex]

Stiffen up the rear or make your front end grip better. Best thing to do is get a aftermarket rear sway bar. You can put better tires up front, buy camber plates and adjust the camber, get better rear suspension setup. I guess the cheapest would be to get a oem rear sway bar from a se. I get lots of understeer when i get wider tires at the rear so yeah it can be cheap to get wider tires up front when you get some new ones.

[IGSDann]

It is an SE already so I am rear sway equiped. My alignment is kinda shit due to the spring/shock combo...

[NismoDan]

Do fender braces count as cheap?

[Maeda]

If your alignment sucks you have no right to complain about understeer.

GET AN ALIGNMENT.

It is the MOST IMPORTANT thing on the car when it comes to handling.

A SHITTY alignment + coilovers + whatever < Stock + Good alignment.

Done and done.

[i8yourfwd]

Ran a quick search and didn't quite see what I was looking for. I'm on the cheap so replacing my diff is kinda off the options list for now. I am looking for cheap ways to get rid of some understeer. I am dieing at autocross coming into sharp entries, I'm just not going where I want.

The springs are kinda soft, Sportlines on OE shocks (all around), along with a front STB. Tires are pretty grippy, Falken FK451's on 16x7 +20's all around. So either some cheap understeer removal solutions (would rather keep the STB ON) or cheap oversteer additions would be nice. Thanks!
Welded diff is cheap and fun. :D wouldn't really have to worry bout understeer with it...

[m0rex]

Dont welded diff give you understeer at corner entries?

[Sil-Abc]

take off the front sway bar. var would agree :D cheapest mod u could do!

[i8yourfwd]

Dont welded diff give you understeer at corner entries?
E-brake! :P yeah it gives your more understeer at entry and more oversteer at exit supposably.

[Chin180sx]

Take out your front swaybar is the cheapest way to reduce understeer.

[ZK]

It is an SE already so I am rear sway equiped. My alignment is kinda shit due to the spring/shock combo...

It's not a matter of having a rear bar or not. The size of the bar counts. Get a larger rear sway bar and it will be a world of difference.

One other thing is to make sure you are entering turns correctly. Slow in, fast out and shift the weight correctly. If your car is too low it is a problem too.

And yeah, removing the front sway bar will reduce understeer but at the cost of turn in response.

[gpeele]

one of those cheasy rear lower tie bars off ebay will help get rid of some understeer also. but yeah as was said already the cheapest way would be to start experimenting with different tire pressures.

[HyperTek]

rear tie bar actually works??


anyways.. play with car setup... i have alot of stubbern friends that dont try to adjust the car, yet they try adjusting thier driving style..

Put a rear strut bar, but dont put a front bar on. and play with tire presure.

[jmauld]

And yeah, removing the front sway bar will reduce understeer but at the cost of turn in response.

As well as grip.

[sdtouge]

take off your front sway bar lol

[ranisron]

please enlighten me here:

If you lose grip, then aren't you understeering?


EDIT: I have a FWD car, I have wider tires up front to help me correct some of the understeer... but, it's only FWD :(


As well as grip.

[SochBAT]

Get some subframe spacers, and don't think about welding a diff if you don't want understeer. They increase it noticeably.

[jmauld]

please enlighten me here:

If you lose grip, then aren't you understeering?


EDIT: I have a FWD car, I have wider tires up front to help me correct some of the understeer... but, it's only FWD :(

Removing the front bar (with his setup) will most likely reduce front and rear grip. The balance of the car may be more towards oversteer, but at a cost. Remember you improve grip by maintaining tire contact to the road. Removing the swaybar will cause the car to lean more in a corner, thus reducing the amount of tire in contact with the road surface.

[ranisron]

thank you! I got it... :D

[jmauld]

I would slot your front struts so that you can get at least -2.0 of negative camber. Then order a set of front and rear polyurethane bushings. http://www.suspension.com has those bushings for $44 for a S14.

[jmauld]

You could also use something like this: http://www.howeracing.com/Suspension/Index-Coils-Rubbers.htm to increase your rear spring rate.

[Maeda]

So nobody think an alignment is worth the 50 bucks huh. It is a sad day indeed.

[IGSDann]

So nobody think an alignment is worth the 50 bucks huh. It is a sad day indeed.

It was 100 bucks, and I got it when I got my new wheels and tires (< 2 months ago).

That doesn't meen it's any good. With this spring/shock combo I would need to by some eccentric kits and front camber plates to get everything adjusts to be just peachy.

[Dousan_PG]

alignment=40 bucks
key to a good car handling
alignment changes EVERYTHING. do it!!
tires, maintenance, brakes, alignment. always!!

[sideview_180sx]

if you are autoX generally they run insanely stiff rates to increase snap turn-in, combined with a nice alignment (toe out front, toe in rear) allows car to transition upon entry. why isn't this posted in motorsports, where some guys are running SCCA, NASA.

[raging panda]

playing with tires pressures would be a cheap solution, since air isn't that much money.

[Sil Beer S13]

take a better line.

[jmauld]

So nobody think an alignment is worth the 50 bucks huh. It is a sad day indeed.

It had already been mentioned. I personally didn't see the need to repeat it.

That doesn't meen it's any good. With this spring/shock combo I would need to by some eccentric kits and front camber plates to get everything adjusts to be just peachy.
Do what Maeda says. Get an alighnment. If you really want oversteer, ask them to set the rear toe to about 1/16" total toe OUT. You'll get oversteer.

[Var]

Cheap and effective

Tires pressures
Tire selection
Alignment(toe out all 4 corners if you can)
DITCH the front sway bar(turn in response wont be bad)
Bigger rear sway


This should solve all understeer issues. If you're looking to spend even less money then find a different hobby.

[HaLo]

take a better line.

Exactly... revisit your lines.. Make sure you're not too hot coming into the corner. SLOW in, FAST out.

[Maeda]

It had already been mentioned. I personally didn't see the need to repeat it.


It was mentioned earlier in the thread (by me) but all the posters afterward seemed to ignore the importance of it.

Revisiting the line also wouldn't be a bad idea.