Do you find the back end goes ?

[petrolhead76]

Hi I'm looking for some advice from fellow M3 owners if possible....

I sometimes find that when I floor the accelerator on my E46 M3 the back of the car skids (moves from side to side) and the traction control light on the dash flickers like mad and tries to get it back under control (at which point I normally ease of the accelerator).

My rear tyres are on about 6mm of tread and my fronts on about 3mm - I wasn't sure if the traction difference caused by the differing tread depths on the front and back could be a contributory factor?

Any thoughts / experiences would be appreciated.

Edited by petrolhead76 on Tuesday 11th December 22:00

[Vixpy1]

If the road is flat and dry, i don't get the TC light flashing at all under WOT.

[LittleBro]

This time of year, you'll get that a lot - there's an awful lot of power flowing through those tyres!

[Broccers]

I wouldnt do so much 'flooring it' for the next few months otherwise you may find what 'stacking it' is all about.

[bher]

Broccers said:

I wouldnt do so much 'flooring it' for the next few months otherwise you may find what 'stacking it' is all about.

I second to that.
Look at my pic in profile. I floor it on the wet...Stupid mistake as tyres were cold while engine hot.
External temp has a lot of influence on grip.

[ASBO]

[E36GUY]

petrolhead76 said:

Hi I'm looking for some advice from fellow M3 owners if possible....

I sometimes find that when I floor the accelerator on my E46 M3 the back of the car skids (moves from side to side) and the traction control light on the dash flickers like mad and tries to get it back under control (at which point I normally ease of the accelerator).

My rear tyres are on about 6mm of tread and my fronts on about 3mm - I wasn't sure if the traction difference caused by the differing tread depths on the front and back could be a contributory factor?

Any thoughts / experiences would be appreciated.

Edited by petrolhead76 on Tuesday 11th December 22:00

I've got to say, when an M3 driver and PH member askes a question as basic as this I'd have to question whether it's sensible your having 340bhp available. Do you actually know about driving?!

[Rags]

youre rear trailing arm bushes are probably worn, as these are not a very well wearing part.

I would be pretty certain its these, or a cracked rear spring.

[JimboM3]

Edited by petrolhead76 on Tuesday 11th December 22:00

[/quote]

I've got to say, when an M3 driver and PH member askes a question as basic as this I'd have to question whether it's sensible your having 340bhp available. Do you actually know about driving?!
[/quote]

Exactly!

That said, I quite often find my enthusiasm overtakes physics (given a safe clear road and always abiding by the posted speed limits of course) and the traction control light is a frequent friend in the wet/cold. It is there to save the car from numpties like you and me and sound like it is working fine.

Jim

[petrolhead76]

Thanks for the responses guys.

Suffice to say there is never any danger of crashing the car when doing it - its a clear straight road and you can see down it for a mile (I only do it with no oncoming traffic) - so having a bit of the fun with the car never hurt anyone (when the back end moves its at the outset)!

That said, I've obviously ruffled a few feathers by saying the back end moved, sorry, but the car's there to be enjoyed and if the situation is safe I'll push the car to the limit.

If you haven't ever had the back end move, I suggest you get a diesel IMHO.


PS E36Guy - get off your ego trip mate, you are no more a competent driver than the rest of us

Edited by petrolhead76 on Wednesday 12th December 12:23

[ASBO]

Once again,

[petrolhead76]

ASBO said:

Once again,

So why don't you off rather than constantly coming back to a thread with nothing to input ?

Edited by petrolhead76 on Wednesday 12th December 12:25

[mmm-five]

petrolhead76 said:

Thanks for the responses guys.

Suffice to say there is never any danger of crashing the car when doing it - its a clear straight road and you can see down it for a mile (I only do it with no oncoming traffic) - so having a bit of the fun with the car never hurt anyone (when the back end moves its at the outset)!

That said, I've obviously ruffled a few feathers by saying the back end moved, sorry, but the car's there to be enjoyed and if the situation is safe I'll push the car to the limit.

If you haven't ever had the back end move, I suggest you get a diesel IMHO.


PS E36Guy - get off your ego trip mate, you are no more a competent driver than the rest of us

Edited by petrolhead76 on Wednesday 12th December 12:23

It's not that you said the back end moved - it was that you were dumb enough to ask if it was normal to get the back to move when you floor the throttle!

If you knew what to do to have 'fun', then you should know what 'having fun' will feel like. Try it with your 'driver aids' off and you'll see what it really does.

[E36GUY]

mmm-five said:

petrolhead76 said:

Thanks for the responses guys.

Suffice to say there is never any danger of crashing the car when doing it - its a clear straight road and you can see down it for a mile (I only do it with no oncoming traffic) - so having a bit of the fun with the car never hurt anyone (when the back end moves its at the outset)!

That said, I've obviously ruffled a few feathers by saying the back end moved, sorry, but the car's there to be enjoyed and if the situation is safe I'll push the car to the limit.

If you haven't ever had the back end move, I suggest you get a diesel IMHO.


PS E36Guy - get off your ego trip mate, you are no more a competent driver than the rest of us

Edited by petrolhead76 on Wednesday 12th December 12:23

It's not that you said the back end moved - it was that you were dumb enough to ask if it was normal to get the back to move when you floor the throttle!

If you knew what to do to have 'fun', then you should know what 'having fun' will feel like. Try it with your 'driver aids' off and you'll see what it really does.

Not on an ego-trip at all OP but kinda making the same point as the above. Flooring the throttle at blast off with 340bhp at this time of year is bound to break traction and cars with RWD tend to step out slightly sideways by nature requiring a spot of steering correction. My point is that you appear unaware of this given the original question. Sliding the car should be done on purpose when you know what is going to happen. If it's taking you by surprise then you are driving too aggresively for the conditions.

[petrolhead76]

My post is not about whether the back end is going to move - which is a no-brainer - but how excessively.

Therefore my comment about whether uneven tread on front / back could be excacerbating the situation ?

I mean FFS guys give a chap a chance to breath before you stamp on them !!

[Broccers]

petrolhead76 said:

My post is not about whether the back end is going to move - which is a no-brainer - but how excessively.

Therefore my comment about whether uneven tread on front / back could be excacerbating the situation ?

I mean FFS guys give a chap a chance to breath before you stamp on them !!

Oh deary me.

The degree of stepping out is controlled by your right foot - I think you may need some instruction.

[E36GUY]

Broccers said:

petrolhead76 said:

My post is not about whether the back end is going to move - which is a no-brainer - but how excessively.

Therefore my comment about whether uneven tread on front / back could be excacerbating the situation ?

I mean FFS guys give a chap a chance to breath before you stamp on them !!

Oh deary me.

The degree of stepping out is controlled by your right foot - I think you may need some instruction.

Precisely.


@petrolhead76.....to answer your question. No. Uneven front/rear treads will make no difference to how far your car steps out. Only your right foot.

[petrolhead76]

Errr so if I had bold tyres at the front the car would behave (in terms of back end) exactly the same as if I had full tread - I don't think so. The ability for the engine power to be evenly translated to the car is dependent on traction on the road - which treads help with.

Think the above poster (not e36) needs some instructions.

Edited by petrolhead76 on Wednesday 12th December 13:32

[Vixpy1]

petrolhead76 said:

Errr so if I had bold tyres at the front

[E36GUY]

petrolhead76 said:

Errr so if I had bold tyres at the front the car would behave (in terms of back end) exactly the same as if I had full tread - I don't think so. The ability for the engine power to be evenly translated to the car is dependent on traction on the road - which treads help with.

Think the above poster (not e36) needs some instructions.

Edited by petrolhead76 on Wednesday 12th December 13:32

Yes it would. Bald fronts don't do much for your cornering grip but in terms of a full bore start it'll make no difference given it's the rears that will break traction.