I was enjoying a round of on-ramp carving when I encountered something I had never experienced (nor expected to experience) in the Fit. I was taking an on-ramp at pretty close to the maximum cornering speed possible. Dry conditions. No one else around. Midway through the ramp, the bank angle decreased significantly. I was still in 2nd gear at about 50 mph when, in an attempt to gain a bit more front wheel turning traction, I abruptly let off the gas. To my suprise the rear end broke traction and I began sliding sideways, or rather snapped sideways. Luckily my old RWD instincts kicked in and I appropriately counter-steered through the remainder of the turn (even with a bit of a graceful finish). It was quite remarkable how much easier it was to control the slide than in previous vehicles I've driven. I'm not sure if I can attribute that to the weight, the steering ratio, fwd, or the 70/30 weight balance but it was actually kind of fun. I'm not sure if a RSB could make this easier to induce, but I was just curious if anyone else had ever done it?

I'm sure my rear alignment is shot now anyways

 

The same exact thing happen to me but it was slightly wet out on a entrance ramp. The rear swung out of course I counter-steered and it snapped back the other way..I feathered the gas and counter-steered the other way and was able to straighten it back out. Surprised the crap out of me because I've never experienced that in a lowered car. Even though it was fun as heck my heart was beating out of my chest because I thought for sure I was going into the guard rail rear first . After that I looked into better handling components and found the benefits of a rear sway bar on fwd cars and purchased the Progress rear sway. I have now noticed a big difference around corners. Seems like the car is a lot more controlled in corners now. The rear just feels a lot more planted now.

"In a front-wheel drive car, fitting the sway bar to the rear keeps the cornering weight distribution on the front wheels more even, allowing them to better get their power down and so reducing power-understeer."
http://autospeed.com/cms/title_Rear-...9/article.html

Here is the thread about the Progress rear sway bar....
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...r-install.html

EDIT: Just seen you were already subscribed to that thread.

Glad to hear you were able to save it as well.


Safe driving.

 

I've definitely felt this, and its kinda scary the first time you feel it. Granted it was on dry pavement and Blizzaks (haha). Went onto an off ramp at the top of third, braked a bit before turning, let of the throttle as I turned in and...WHOAH. The tail definitely wagged a bit. I've also experienced it on hard turning exits. I believe the over steer is inherent to the rear beam axle design - as I had similar moments in my 05' SER. Something a RSB may help.

 

Won't stiffening the rear add to the oversteer?

 

Yes, and no. Stiffening it will lower the chance of the rear twisting under corner loading and reduce the instability we are talking about on corner entrance and exit. Under full load it will make the car a bit more rear-biased though. Whats happening (causing the oversteer) is our inside wheel actually losing grip on the road surface as the outside wheel compresses. The RSB takes the outside force and plants the other wheel down.

 

Isn't that why in racing in FWD cars they use left foot braking to keep the front wheels pulling the car around the corners and keep everything aligned?

 

Won't be able to do that in future model Toyotas

 

Lol. A lot of car makers cut power slightly, or all together if you overlap throttle and brake.

 

Abruptly letting off the gas mid-corner = oversteer. The weight went off the back wheels and transferred to the front, so your GE's tail went loose.

Had you been more gradual with the throttle let-off the slide wouldn't have happened.

Good to know you recovered though, good car control skills there Just scary to have it happen on public roads though

 

Yes, its to induce oversteer. Best thing to do is get back on the gas. It will transfer load to the rear wheels & will help regain traction. Just countersteering and not straightening the wheel out in time, can cause the load to transfer side to side & you'll find yourself fighting for control like Committobefit08 said.

Right, the load transfer from the inside wheel to the outside wheel creates a larger slip angle on that tire, which (generally) results in the oversteer.

 

The thing I think most of you guys are missing is that the fit is very neutral. Yes, you can make it over or understeer, that's just the nature of being right in the middle of the curve so to speak.

Push too hard on either side, and it'll change handling characteristics.

Unfortunately someone will complain about the way any car handles. I find the fit to do quite well even in stock form.

 

Haha I did the same thing but graves the e break gassed it and counter steared then stopes the e break and went on my merry way lol idk y I grabbed the e break but it worked lol glade to know u got it controled. I mean everyone has tried to do something like this in their fit I just wanted to try and see how hard you could push one

 

The progress RSB could definitely get you to over steer easier. My first week of having the bar installed I went threw this nice little off ramp from 494 to 77 by the MoA. The suggested speed i think is 40 I can zip threw it in the Fit at 60 with no problem, I always blast past people then fly down the off ramp and on to 77 its fun. Any ways I went into the corner a bit faster then normal like 65/67 and felt I was going to fast so I just let off the gas and right away the back end of the car felt VERY light. It really caught me by surprise, I dint go swearving all over the road or any thing just suprised me, lol.

 

As someone who tracks a bone-stock Jazz, I agree with the neutrality. Its handling balance through a corner adjusts depending on how much throttle pressure you use.

Overcook a corner with a relatively heavy foot on the throttle and you'll definitely understeer. By comparison, as the OP demonstrated, abrupt lift-off = oversteer. The trick is to find the median and finesse the throttle so you get neither.

 

wouldn't slowing down prevent this?

 

Am I the only one that likes this trait? My old SVT Focus did the same thing, and I love it.

 

Nope you're not the only one, I love it too. It's something for the driver learn to use it to their benefit.

Remember, the fastest way to get around a corner greater than 90 degrees is to flick the rear end around.

 

That thought never crossed their minds.

I am too old and had too many skid marks from stupid stuff to try to hang the Fit's butt out.

 

You guys were just drifting and did not realize it! LOL!

Cat :x

 

At least you're getting to know your car and its behavior with the modded suspension.


Off topic: Does anyone else find this Black3sr sig funny? The circled in red part. lol.