Re: [T3] Steering Question

[Jim Adney <jadney@vwtype3.org>]

On 29 Apr 2002, at 22:33, Simon Glen wrote:

> A few years ago I had a totally standard unmodified 1970 Type36 Variant
> or squareback (with constant camber CV-joint rear - so called IRS).  A well-
> known motor racing identity here took this car for a test drive on the then
> Australian Grand Prix circuit.  I sat in the passenger seat.  After the first
> lap, he stopped and we changed the 165x15 Michelin tyre pressures from
> 19front/28rear to 32front/28rear.  I was astounded at the transformation.

It's really hard to argue from a distance about a claimed experience, and I 
have no reason to doubt your honesty, but I can't understand how 
overinflating the front tires, leaving them with a greatly reduced road contact 
footprint could lead to oversteer. If anything, I would expect it to lead in the 
opposite direction, allowing the front wheels to slide out quickly, or 
understeer.

I agree that a bit of oversteer makes for a much more responsive drive.

The complaint that I most often hear is that with overinflated front tires, the 
car is just hard to keep going in a straight line. It is often described as 
"bouncing all over the road." While this may sound like "oversteer," I think it 
also points to a kind of uncontrollability which is undesirable. There is a good 
chance that this is less noticable in spirited driving with lots of turns. It's 
certainly true that the complaints come from people who are trying to drive 
straight down the highway.

-
Jim Adney
jadney@vwtype3.org
Madison, WI 53711-3054
USA

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