Twitchy/fast initial turn in. Any cures???
Discussion
I've a 1995 Chimaera 4.0 fully poly bushed, Nitrons, T1R's on standard 15 and 16 inch wheels.
Tracking was done a month ago to standard specs and on a hunter machine.
It drives straight and cruises at high speed very well.
However, bumpy fast roads the steering gets very twitchy.
The worst thing it does, to the point of making my bum clench is the violent initial turn in.
Example
60mph A-road many left and right flowing bends. I know the road well and can despatch the bends very quickly on my motorcycle and in my daily diesel car and this is where my issue lies. My daily car gives me much more confidence than the TVR.
The TVR when coming to a bend I start feeding in the steering and the turn in happens so suddenly and fiercly I have to correct it which is frustrating at best and s
ts me up at worst.
What can I change to smooth this out?
Does the rear need to be softer on the shocks than the front? The front softer than the rear or both ends at the same setting taking into account the position of the engine and transmission? I plan to wind all 4 shocks to full soft and set them up again. (Untouched since I purchased the car in December. All ive done is wind them is to see if they were all set the same and then put them back.
Fronts was/is on full soft and the rear was/is 4 clicks hard from full soft.)
Ride Height. It may sit slightly higher at the front but that could be the 15/16 wheels deceiving my eyes. Measuring the car as per the advice on here it seems to be stock ride height.
Should it be lower at the front than the rear? Should it sit level?
Should I set it lower than standard height?
My head hurts.
Stu
Tracking was done a month ago to standard specs and on a hunter machine.
It drives straight and cruises at high speed very well.
However, bumpy fast roads the steering gets very twitchy.
The worst thing it does, to the point of making my bum clench is the violent initial turn in.
Example
60mph A-road many left and right flowing bends. I know the road well and can despatch the bends very quickly on my motorcycle and in my daily diesel car and this is where my issue lies. My daily car gives me much more confidence than the TVR.
The TVR when coming to a bend I start feeding in the steering and the turn in happens so suddenly and fiercly I have to correct it which is frustrating at best and s
ts me up at worst. What can I change to smooth this out?
Does the rear need to be softer on the shocks than the front? The front softer than the rear or both ends at the same setting taking into account the position of the engine and transmission? I plan to wind all 4 shocks to full soft and set them up again. (Untouched since I purchased the car in December. All ive done is wind them is to see if they were all set the same and then put them back.
Fronts was/is on full soft and the rear was/is 4 clicks hard from full soft.)
Ride Height. It may sit slightly higher at the front but that could be the 15/16 wheels deceiving my eyes. Measuring the car as per the advice on here it seems to be stock ride height.
Should it be lower at the front than the rear? Should it sit level?
Should I set it lower than standard height?
My head hurts.
Stu
Front lower by about 20-30mm.
Measure under the corner plates, iirc about 140mm front, 160mm rear.
Wishbones should be level when under load.
Wind dampers full out. Set fronts + 6 clicks, rear + 2 clicks. Start from here and adjust by driving the same road over. Always keep the fronts stiffer than rears.
Ensure tyres are 22f & 24r.
The above is a good start.
When I had a different set of dampers fitted which were far too stiff for the car, even when they were dialled out, the car would jump around and feel very unstable on country lanes.
I binned those and have had a good set of Gaz monos for about the last eight years and they seem to suit the car quite well.
HTH
Measure under the corner plates, iirc about 140mm front, 160mm rear.
Wishbones should be level when under load.
Wind dampers full out. Set fronts + 6 clicks, rear + 2 clicks. Start from here and adjust by driving the same road over. Always keep the fronts stiffer than rears.
Ensure tyres are 22f & 24r.
The above is a good start.
When I had a different set of dampers fitted which were far too stiff for the car, even when they were dialled out, the car would jump around and feel very unstable on country lanes.
I binned those and have had a good set of Gaz monos for about the last eight years and they seem to suit the car quite well.
HTH
when the nitrons were fitted was the car set up and corner weighted with you in it. If it wasn't it will not be right. get it to a local decent idie who can corner weight cars and get it done properly.
phased recommendation for damped settings are also about right as a start. no 2 cars are the same because of the spring rates but a difference of 4 clicks front rear is a good place to start. I am on heavier springs than you will be and I am I think 12 from soft front and 8 form soft rear. it would be most unusual for shocks to work well at full soft or full hard.
phased recommendation for damped settings are also about right as a start. no 2 cars are the same because of the spring rates but a difference of 4 clicks front rear is a good place to start. I am on heavier springs than you will be and I am I think 12 from soft front and 8 form soft rear. it would be most unusual for shocks to work well at full soft or full hard.
Edited by jesfirth on Sunday 17th June 09:28
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