Mid Engined = Oh Bugger!
Discussion
How do you learn to control a spin? Own 2 MGFs one VVC one Trophy.
When it lets go it occurs so fast i can't catch it. A friend who is bloody good driver span the VVC out big time and was shocked he couldn't catch it.
Geo has been set and running Toyo T1Rs so should be pretty good, not talking 100% flat out driving just with a bit of gusto.
With plastic Nan-kai-poo ditch finder turbo extreme tyres the Trophy came fitted with it was positively frightening.
Never heard of MGFs being bad handling cars.
Maybe i'm just used to front wheel driven traction controlled power? Though have had MGB and Volvo 740s, which were drift tastic. Even owned a mapped T5 with Dye-yung super turbo hi glip tyres and didn't die.
When it lets go it occurs so fast i can't catch it. A friend who is bloody good driver span the VVC out big time and was shocked he couldn't catch it.
Geo has been set and running Toyo T1Rs so should be pretty good, not talking 100% flat out driving just with a bit of gusto.
With plastic Nan-kai-poo ditch finder turbo extreme tyres the Trophy came fitted with it was positively frightening.
Never heard of MGFs being bad handling cars.
Maybe i'm just used to front wheel driven traction controlled power? Though have had MGB and Volvo 740s, which were drift tastic. Even owned a mapped T5 with Dye-yung super turbo hi glip tyres and didn't die.
Off public roads and away from other road users. Plenty of tracks about ideal on wet days. You may find some of the racing motoring schools offer such opportunities. The MGTF is known to be a snapper on breakaway you could consider possible roll bars and roll centre ties to limit the roll steer? Possibly an MGTF blog?
The engine is in the middle. Like most mid engine cars, mr2 and elise included it will be very snappy when it looses it at the back.
I suggest you don't give it a bootfull mid corner
I did slide my mgf a few times, was easy to correct though. Try getting a full geo setup about £60.
Edited before the pedants strike.
I suggest you don't give it a bootfull mid corner
I did slide my mgf a few times, was easy to correct though. Try getting a full geo setup about £60.
Edited before the pedants strike.
Edited by MethylatedSpirit on Thursday 7th November 22:20
MethylatedSpirit said:
I suggest you don't give it a bootfull mid corner
Try getting a full geo setup about £60.
Not owned mid-engined cars myself (yet) but driven and passengered in Elises and the like quite a lot on track, and there is a different style required, with mid-corner throttle lifts not being a great idea. That may be what you're experiencing (as I'd be surprised if you're getting power oversteer in an MGF, at least in the dry). Try getting a full geo setup about £60.
Tuition is always a good call, especially if you're used to powerful FWD cars, where you can take huge liberties, comparatively.
As said above, in general mid-engined cars are snappier than their front-engined/RWD equivalents, just because of weight distribution.
PS - OP's says he's had his geo done.
as above - fastest way to catch a slide is let go of the steering wheel and use the caster effect for the front wheels to point the way the car is going, then catch the steering wheel again.
difficult bit is getting back from a state of massive oversteer to a straight line again! i frequently find myself thinking 'ok i've caught the slide... now what?!?' before snapping back the other way and pirouhetting gracefully onto the grass...
difficult bit is getting back from a state of massive oversteer to a straight line again! i frequently find myself thinking 'ok i've caught the slide... now what?!?' before snapping back the other way and pirouhetting gracefully onto the grass...
If it makes you feel any better I remember watching on TV an MG works Le Mans driver taking a female presenter out in an MGF for a lap of the LM circuit and he spun on the first corner 
The poor chap was extremely embaressed!
I've not driven an MGF on track yet, but certainly with my Elise and 2-11 things get serious fairly quickly once you're beyond a certain yaw angle, though I've not spun either yet. They're rear engined though if I'm honest.. mid engined single seaters seem ok to really given their stiffness and setup etc. Neither are as benign as a front engined rear drive car though, of course.
In terms of recovering from an inevitable spin, one trick I've seen demonstrated but not tried yet is to stamp on acc and brake pedals at the same time - the throttle will stop the rear wheels locking so the front will wash out straight away. The other option if you like your sideways is to buy something front engined - you'll get more polar moment of inertia but if your smiles come from sideways you may prefer it
The poor chap was extremely embaressed!I've not driven an MGF on track yet, but certainly with my Elise and 2-11 things get serious fairly quickly once you're beyond a certain yaw angle, though I've not spun either yet. They're rear engined though if I'm honest.. mid engined single seaters seem ok to really given their stiffness and setup etc. Neither are as benign as a front engined rear drive car though, of course.
In terms of recovering from an inevitable spin, one trick I've seen demonstrated but not tried yet is to stamp on acc and brake pedals at the same time - the throttle will stop the rear wheels locking so the front will wash out straight away. The other option if you like your sideways is to buy something front engined - you'll get more polar moment of inertia but if your smiles come from sideways you may prefer it
brillomaster said:
as above - fastest way to catch a slide is let go of the steering wheel and use the caster effect for the front wheels to point the way the car is going, then catch the steering wheel again.
difficult bit is getting back from a state of massive oversteer to a straight line again! i frequently find myself thinking 'ok i've caught the slide... now what?!?' before snapping back the other way and pirouhetting gracefully onto the grass...
This works well. Definitely worth trying somewhere safe rather than on the road though. difficult bit is getting back from a state of massive oversteer to a straight line again! i frequently find myself thinking 'ok i've caught the slide... now what?!?' before snapping back the other way and pirouhetting gracefully onto the grass...
Carlimits.co.uk is useful.
Many moons ago i span my mk1 MR2 on a wet roundabout. I was being a t
t but it scared the living daylights out of me. Luckily i hit nothing.
From then on I tested my cars limits on wet (quicker to loose traction at lower speeds) industrial estate roundabouts on a Sunday. I did briefly do a skid pan trial, but this was in a BMW and felt less snappy than the MR2. This was in the days when industrial estates were empty on a wet Sunday morning!! I am no drifting king or driving god but knew how to stop getting things nasty on the limit and what the limit felt like. (famous last words...)
It has stood me in good stead and helped massively when driving my subsequent vx220 and smart roadster. I just learnt to never approach my cars limits on the public road...... (except on a wet sunday morning on a qiet industrial estate
) nowadays the only rear engined vehicle I own is a VW T25, which doesn't really count....
Mike
t but it scared the living daylights out of me. Luckily i hit nothing.From then on I tested my cars limits on wet (quicker to loose traction at lower speeds) industrial estate roundabouts on a Sunday. I did briefly do a skid pan trial, but this was in a BMW and felt less snappy than the MR2. This was in the days when industrial estates were empty on a wet Sunday morning!! I am no drifting king or driving god but knew how to stop getting things nasty on the limit and what the limit felt like. (famous last words...)
It has stood me in good stead and helped massively when driving my subsequent vx220 and smart roadster. I just learnt to never approach my cars limits on the public road...... (except on a wet sunday morning on a qiet industrial estate
) nowadays the only rear engined vehicle I own is a VW T25, which doesn't really count....Mike
100% sure first spin was diesel, though driven the same road hundreds of times in FW drive and had no issues. 2nd i've had terminal understeer in FWD. RWD never had an out of control issue.
Maybe just i'm a crap driver?
As regards grip, there appears to be lots, not had even a slight wheelspin unless it's icy.
Weird.
Maybe just i'm a crap driver?
As regards grip, there appears to be lots, not had even a slight wheelspin unless it's icy.
Weird.
You can sometimes stop a spin by braking hard, lock the front wheels hard, as anything else will just make it worse.
You turn the spin into a slide by promoting understeer then as you ease off the brake you recover grip at both the front and rear allowing you hopefully get the car back on course. If nothing else you slow down!
Yes, I have tried it and it does work. It is not pretty and not at all cool, but as a last ditch save worth a try.
You turn the spin into a slide by promoting understeer then as you ease off the brake you recover grip at both the front and rear allowing you hopefully get the car back on course. If nothing else you slow down!
Yes, I have tried it and it does work. It is not pretty and not at all cool, but as a last ditch save worth a try.
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