Lift off oversteer
Discussion
Ok, hopefully a really quick question.
My focus is extremely prone to lift off oversteer.
My question is simple: On a damp/mildly wet road, should it be easy to do at low speeds, say 25mph or less and 2nd gear.
Obviously it will depend on factors but the back end just seems a little bit too happy to start having fun and getting out to quite wide angles at what I would view as pretty sedate speeds and cornering.
I know how to avoid it, that isn't my question or concern, more the apparent "ease" with which it happens.
Last couple of cars were RWD/AWD and my prior FWD numbers lacked the power to really pull this off properly (at all?) so I've limited exerience of it to this particular car. Maybe it really is just that easy but I figured I should ask.
My focus is extremely prone to lift off oversteer.
My question is simple: On a damp/mildly wet road, should it be easy to do at low speeds, say 25mph or less and 2nd gear.
Obviously it will depend on factors but the back end just seems a little bit too happy to start having fun and getting out to quite wide angles at what I would view as pretty sedate speeds and cornering.
I know how to avoid it, that isn't my question or concern, more the apparent "ease" with which it happens.
Last couple of cars were RWD/AWD and my prior FWD numbers lacked the power to really pull this off properly (at all?) so I've limited exerience of it to this particular car. Maybe it really is just that easy but I figured I should ask.
StottyZr said:
I used to get it at high speeds in my Zr but I figured this was because it wasn't a well balanced car. I figured a Focus would be pretty well balanced? What model is it what you drive?
Odd, my ZR doesn't seem to at all, perhaps it's they tyres people run?I think it feels really well balanced and at high speed it has mild understeer if anything.
Now my Laguna Estate, that was a beast!
Its an ST, c27k on the clock.
I did it deliberately this morning, but I was a bit surprised just how far around the back end got at, as I say, what I view as a pretty sedate speed. I estimate but the time I exited the roundabout it was probably about 15mph, give or take.
It isn't something that bothers me per-se, I know how not to do it and how to deal with it, but my mrs may sometimes drive it and if it is that 'easy' it worries me a little she might do it by accident. Although granted she'd not turn esp off....
It may be par for the course, I was just more surprised at the degree of slide.
My personal bet is cheap s
t tyres which will be addressed shortly but figured asking can't hurt - as I said, it was a total non-issue in previous vehicles.
I did it deliberately this morning, but I was a bit surprised just how far around the back end got at, as I say, what I view as a pretty sedate speed. I estimate but the time I exited the roundabout it was probably about 15mph, give or take.
It isn't something that bothers me per-se, I know how not to do it and how to deal with it, but my mrs may sometimes drive it and if it is that 'easy' it worries me a little she might do it by accident. Although granted she'd not turn esp off....
It may be par for the course, I was just more surprised at the degree of slide.
My personal bet is cheap s
t tyres which will be addressed shortly but figured asking can't hurt - as I said, it was a total non-issue in previous vehicles.Cyder said:
StottyZr said:
I used to get it at high speeds in my Zr but I figured this was because it wasn't a well balanced car. I figured a Focus would be pretty well balanced? What model is it what you drive?
Odd, my ZR doesn't seem to at all, perhaps it's they tyres people run?I think it feels really well balanced and at high speed it has mild understeer if anything.
Now my Laguna Estate, that was a beast!
I think mine was broken.It's definitely a "characteristic" of the the Focus, though IME it's not something to show itself unless there were mitigating factors (heavy on the throttle release, dieselled roundabout etc).
If you're worried about it, make sure you've got decent, well treaded boots on the rear. It's easily avoided though. Just be happy that you own a shopping car for which the brief to the engineers wasn't "make this car as safe and boring as possible".
If you're worried about it, make sure you've got decent, well treaded boots on the rear. It's easily avoided though. Just be happy that you own a shopping car for which the brief to the engineers wasn't "make this car as safe and boring as possible".
Tyres.
I had an old escort 1.8 diesel which did the same - because it had decent michelins on the front and linglong ditchfinders on the back (or to be honest, 2 different brands of cheap st on the back) - lift off oversteer was comical at miniscule speeds...I LOVED it 
Can you swap the wheels front/back - if that doesn't cure it you'll need to look at suspension issues - perhaps the geometry needs to be checked, if the rear has been whacked on a kerb it could also cause this.
I had an old escort 1.8 diesel which did the same - because it had decent michelins on the front and linglong ditchfinders on the back (or to be honest, 2 different brands of cheap s
t on the back) - lift off oversteer was comical at miniscule speeds...I LOVED it Can you swap the wheels front/back - if that doesn't cure it you'll need to look at suspension issues - perhaps the geometry needs to be checked, if the rear has been whacked on a kerb it could also cause this.
kambites said:
Defcon5 said:
The ESP would stop this would it? What could it possibly do - surely its not going to keep the throttle on when you lift off?
Yes, I think ESP will keep the throttle open when you lift if it feels it has to. Not certain though. If it is happening as easy as you say on a car like a focus i would say your tyres could be the problem.If the front tyres are grippier than the rears ie.more tread,softer newer rubber or just a different better quality tyre this could easily give you lift off oversteer.Also check the pressures.
It wont be a common trait of the car.The is no way ford would sell a car to the masses which swapped ends everytime you came off the throttle!!
It wont be a common trait of the car.The is no way ford would sell a car to the masses which swapped ends everytime you came off the throttle!!
kambites said:
Defcon5 said:
The ESP would stop this would it? What could it possibly do - surely its not going to keep the throttle on when you lift off?
Yes, I think ESP will keep the throttle open when you lift if it feels it has to. Not certain though. How it works here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUVkRYUZZ6c
Rawwr said:
roachcoach said:
I did it deliberately this morning, but I was a bit surprised just how far around the back end got
Stop it. In all honesty it just sounds like you're driving akin to a moron. It is still extremely tail happy even when not 'trying' however.
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