S3 handling question...
Discussion
Since upgrading my old tyres to Bridgestone RE720's I've not been too happy with the handling. I initially put this down to new tyres needing bedding in but have now done around 500 miles and it still doesn't feel right to me.
At slow speeds everything seems fine, cornering is fine as is breaking in a straight line. However, if I break from around 1XX to 70 the back-end is very VERY light, squirms away more than my boss trying to give a straight answer, and feels like it wants to overtake the front. I've not had this on my S before and initially I put it down to road surface, but it happens every time.
Anyone know why this might be? Perhaps the tyres are a herring rouge? I've fairly new shocks/springs (AVOs fitted March 2004, 11,000 miles approx and checked in April 2006) and disks/pads (October 2005, 5000 miles approx).
At slow speeds everything seems fine, cornering is fine as is breaking in a straight line. However, if I break from around 1XX to 70 the back-end is very VERY light, squirms away more than my boss trying to give a straight answer, and feels like it wants to overtake the front. I've not had this on my S before and initially I put it down to road surface, but it happens every time.
Anyone know why this might be? Perhaps the tyres are a herring rouge? I've fairly new shocks/springs (AVOs fitted March 2004, 11,000 miles approx and checked in April 2006) and disks/pads (October 2005, 5000 miles approx).
It sounds to me like the new tyres are gripping better than you were used to, so more weight is being transferred to the front, causing the back end to feel light.
It could be a number of things through - wear in the front suspension bushes, rear brakes worn or leaking, hard to tell without driving it.
It could be a number of things through - wear in the front suspension bushes, rear brakes worn or leaking, hard to tell without driving it.
500 miles is enough to buff the surface of the tyres but you need to put them through a couple of heat cycles before they are at their best. Until then they will be relatively soft and will squirm a lot under load. Also check the tyre pressures, I don't know what the 720s like to run at but while the tyres are soft and squidgy you will want slightly lower pressures. Is the brake balance reasonable under heavy braking? It isn't easy to spot unless the balance is *miles* out, but if you can find somewhere with plenty of space, get up to 50 mph or so and then with the car turning gently brake firmly then harder and harder until it locks up - ideally at 20 - 30 mph or so. If the back tried to step out you know that end is locking first. If the front started to push on you know the front is locking first. Based on past experience I'd expect to find the rear locked slightly before the fronts, but there are all sorts of factors that vary between cars which will affect this.
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