General Cinq going sideways

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General Cinq going sideways

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Not really a complaint or a problem but more of a question. :confused:

Took the cinqi out for a drive earlier this evening along some foresty roads which are all twisty etc. Took a corner way too fast (purposly :p) and as expected, the car carried on going straight forward with the wheels spinning. I eased off the accelerator and for the first time ever, the back end stepped out.. and pretty bloody wide too! I managed to correct it and end up back where i wanted to be but Im just curious as to why it happened?

whyd the back end step out when i eased off the accelerator? surely i should have to use the handbrake to make the rear end slide?
 
If you're at a high engine speed, then you can get a lot of engine braking when you lift off. Bear in mind that this acts on the front wheels only, and your rear wheels aren't being braked at all. This can cause the back end to get skittish.
Don't believe me? Lift off abruptly at 150 mph in a Coupe :eek:
H
 
At any speed a cars engine has a braking force, therefore when you lift off the accelerator the engine wants to slow down consequently the weight is transfered to the front of the car making the back of the car lighter and therefore lifting, this is known as lift-off oversteer. Lift-off oversteer can catch out the unawares very easily as many a Pug205, R5GTT driver will testify, as they were particularly known for it as it was ever so easy to enter a corner much faster than the driver appreciated, so even tho those cars were well documented as having very fine handling characteristics, they could still be pushed to far.

If you ever get the chance of car control training in a skid pan the most unnerving thing that they teach you is to correct over steer in a RWD car is to dip the clutch as this removes the torque to the wheels, but stops weight transfer as you do not introduce engine braking, the car actually wants to go back into a straight line, the same principles can be applied to a FWD car.
 
Done the sideways bit a good few times, scary yes and it all happens very quickly, not sure if I could stop it if it happened again without having a fighter pilots reflexes!

Liam
 
Steering using the throttle is a very useful technique on track days, you dont want to get to the point you are winding on opposite lock, but its certainly useful to make it tuck into an apex.
 
Ah lift off oversteer is brilliant. Over Many years of mini-ing I have indulged alot, not tried it in the Sei yet though.

Whilst on the subject of throttle control has anyone found a decent throttle pedal cover that you can use for Heel and Toe-ing? The standard peddle is too far away and too small!

Nick
 
Did it unexpectedly in my Punto once when the road was wet, it had never done it before. Probably looked good but doesnt feel it if you dont know its coming!:eek:
 
Horney said:
Whilst on the subject of throttle control has anyone found a decent throttle pedal cover that you can use for Heel and Toe-ing? The standard peddle is too far away and too small!

Nick

Leave the pedals alone and get fatter shoes :)
 
Momo pedals, and there is some washes underneath to bring them in line to aid heel and toeing, works a treat now.

The other way is if you have the brake pedal more to the middle of the foot, you can twitch the throttle arm;)

My mates often call me the ballerina, for heel and toeing, and left foot braking, but its fun to master these skills.
 
Lift off oversteer is great ask Mase when he was following me to MK :devil:

Although not that easy to get properly sideways in a cinq as it is something like a Laguna ;)
 
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