to lower or not to lower???
06-28-2011, 06:56 AM
#21
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: state of confusion
Posts: 7,635
The closer you keep them to the original inclination, the closer the rear steer effect remains to Ford's design value. Which like everything else that can affect car handling behavior is a compromise.
What the stock inclination gives you is slightly more "nimble" handling, particularly during slalom and sharp lane change maneuvers where you're steering first one way and then right away in the other. It tends to make the car "feel" like it's smaller and lighter than it really is. The flip side of "nimbleness" is less stability - where for one thing only a smaller screw-up on the driver's part is tolerated (like how much throttle you can add in a wet turn).
Since you had specifically mentioned having a little difficulty with "slipping out" in the wet I think that it might help a little to change the rear steer just slightly for a little more stability. You would still be getting better than the OE amount of straight line launch bite.
FWIW, my own '08 GT wants to get "loose" pretty easily in the wet, too. Maybe too easily for me if I was still stuck at my own age 19 patience, experience, and skill levels. (Noting here that 'quick reflexes' is what you have left to save your hide with after you've run out of the other three.)
Norm
What the stock inclination gives you is slightly more "nimble" handling, particularly during slalom and sharp lane change maneuvers where you're steering first one way and then right away in the other. It tends to make the car "feel" like it's smaller and lighter than it really is. The flip side of "nimbleness" is less stability - where for one thing only a smaller screw-up on the driver's part is tolerated (like how much throttle you can add in a wet turn).
Since you had specifically mentioned having a little difficulty with "slipping out" in the wet I think that it might help a little to change the rear steer just slightly for a little more stability. You would still be getting better than the OE amount of straight line launch bite.
FWIW, my own '08 GT wants to get "loose" pretty easily in the wet, too. Maybe too easily for me if I was still stuck at my own age 19 patience, experience, and skill levels. (Noting here that 'quick reflexes' is what you have left to save your hide with after you've run out of the other three.)
Norm
Last edited by Norm Peterson; 06-28-2011 at 07:51 AM.
06-28-2011, 08:15 AM
#22
Alright that makes sense now. And it does slip out a good bit when I hit puddles. The best thing I know to do is to let off the gas and slowly steer the other direction. But it usually doesn't get too bad as I drive more cautious when it rains because I know it has those tendancies. But I think sacrificing nimbleness would be possible. I guess it really just comes down to how it feels when I drive. I can always change it.
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