Bad Handling, How Do You Fix It

[Dominic]

On Saturday we competed in our R35 at the NSW ATC.

This has been the first time we have used the car in the "dry", despite owning it since November.

I have always been concerned about the car stepping out in the wet. And as i have never driven any other R35, I just assumed it was a fault of the car in the wet.

Yesterday the car spun out on 5 occassions, once lightly clipping the wall at EC.

Even as the track dried the car was always running through turn one side ways, once at over 160km/hr.

Both drivers had the same problem, this occurred wet or dry.

Last year we won this event in the VE SS ute (auto), this year we came dead last in a GTR.

Whats the problem and who and how can you fix it?

[Duncan]

ouch...hopefully not too bad.

I would suspect rear wheel alignment first, was it checked before and if so what was the toe? Or even better what was the toe after the event?

The number of these cars being hustled safely around tracks says there is no basic issue across the model, so need to look for something bent or loose I think.

[handbrake]

I hope both you and the car are ok.

are you running VDC in 'R' mode or 'Off'?

I know there are a few R35's doing the rounds at EC with stock suspension. I'm sure Dunc (LSX 438) will be able to share with you his experience. Stock suspension though is very good, it has lapped the nurberg in a very quick time! I would be concerned your alignment is out or there is some damage.

Before I modded the car the fastest corner I took in it was only 135-140 and that felt quite easy (no big sweepers here at QR, yet to get to Lakeside).

If you are looking for a suspension upgrade I now have MCA coilovers installed and at QR up here the car handles superbly through turn 1 at about 150-160 (with slicks) if I really nail that corner, and is a cake walk if I pussy out and log 140 through it. I drive in 'R' mode for now though as I get used to my new setup. I also run whiteline antiroll bars front and back, set to soft for now which is still stiffer than stock.

[Kinks]

turn 1 sideways would be quite interesting.. like Duncan says would expect it's a rear toe or something similar, a neutral car should not be sideways through there.. but if it was a problem with the GTR overall there would be a lot more bent ones by now!

[Dominic]

the car was aligned and set up by a suspension specialist.

it does sit 15 mm lower on the passenger rear.

I race with the VDC off as I find it much too slow with VDC on.

The car still has the same problem with VDC set to R.

It runs stock everything except centre pipe and willall tune.

The car is a race only vehicle and never used for the road.

[handbrake]

15mm lower on passenger rear! That definitely isn't right. are the spring/bushes ok?

[LSX-438]

the car was aligned and set up by a suspension specialist.

it does sit 15 mm lower on the passenger rear.

I race with the VDC off as I find it much too slow with VDC on.

The car still has the same problem with VDC set to R.

It runs stock everything except centre pipe and willall tune.

The car is a race only vehicle and never used for the road.

odd problem.

which tyres?

[central coast person]

i kept spinning out in the wet until i slid into a wall at about 60km head on ..... and after that had 6 months to fix the car. It turned out too be as simple as a camber and alightnment problem (all tyres were fine but the rear left was out by -6.31) and also PSI tyre pressure had to be changed in the wet for the tyres i was using.

The car wont slide for more than half a second now its been double checked.

[Dominic]

tyre pressure and alignments were professionally done in last week.

tyres are 295/30/19 toyo 888.

car slides out in dry as well as wet.

What settings are you supersprinters using?

[Martin Donnon]

Dominic, give me a call today, there has to be something fundamentally wrong with the setup

Lets talk through it and find out what it is!

[LSX-438]

tyre pressure and alignments were professionally done in last week.

tyres are 295/30/19 toyo 888.

car slides out in dry as well as wet.

What settings are you supersprinters using?

Are you running any aftermarket sway bars? I've seen some testing done with them (at EC) and suffice to say it had a detrimental effect vs stocker setup.

What do the sidewalls on those tyres look like?

Nothing special for alignment for me, i can post the details later (scan the sheet). Perhaps something wasnt tightened during suspension setup and it really stuffed? Or was knocked out on one of the offs?

[hrd-hr30]

the car was aligned and set up by a suspension specialist.

it does sit 15 mm lower on the passenger rear.

that will make any car want to oversteer in left hander corners and understeer in right handers.

[sewid]

Well a 19" R888 is not really designed for a big fat R35 GT-R and will roll over on the sidewalls pretty quickly and very much underperform compared to a standard 20" runflat Dunlop. What do your tires look like after the track day?

[Dominic]

This is the problem.

Its the tyres, said one guy but I have tried the stock ones and it makes no difference.

It needs sway bars, The car is stock.

It needs a new alignment (now done twice)

Even at some 60-80kms if you plant the foot it will lose the rear end, but at 150+ the lightest feathering causes it to step out.

So who do i take it to in Sydney.

NB I have my own hoist and workshop so can jack it up myself and get someone in if that is more convenient.

My thoughts were to get a new coilover setup fitted and then start there.

I am really happy with the DMS on my EVO so may contact them.

[Beer Baron]

I was going to say tyres straight away. I found the 35 very tailing on the track with the 19 inch R888s. great fun but not super fast.

but ok, if you say it's still the same on stock rubber then clearly it's not 100% tyres (but I would still change them, the R888s are just not cricket on a 35 on track).

I would start by changing alingment back to standard or close to it. even bone stock in alignment they do not have any 'evil' handling traits like you are describing.

definitely continue with VDC off as well. like you say putting it into R will just slow you down. and they are very easy to drive even with VDC full off, especially for someone such as your good self with experience in a range of other quick cars.

I would not just go out and start changing sway bars and coi-overs to fix the problem. these things should be pretty neutral and safe to drive from factory. if yours isn't then something's gone wrong. try and sort it first before you change too much as otherwise you might just be masking a problem.

you could even take it to a nissan HPC to get the alignment taken back to factory settings. if you can't or don't want to do that then try heasmans. they can certainly follow any specs you give them, having said that if you get the factory alignment details you could take it to any competent wheel alignment place really.

you definitely should not be spinning all over the place unless there is something wrong with the car or the driver! for this argument we'll focus on car.

[Snowman]

Have you checked to make sure you have a front shaft?

[Beer Baron]

Have you checked to make sure you have a front shaft?

lol, that too! or disengage that rear tyre oil filled cooling spray system!

[Dominic]

Have you checked to make sure you have a front shaft?

Yes, ive dropped my pants and I definately have a front shaft.

Its very small though!

[Snowman]

Well stop admiring it and put it away Dom and go and make sure your car actually has 4WD.

I think if an R35 didn't have 4WD suddenly the location of that transaxle would make for some interesting driving challenges!

[Ant97GTR]

I know you have said it was aligned twice but was this done by a laser or by string line?