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sharp turns in 4WD


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I did the local auto cross today in the loyale. I was actually very happy with the power it delivered, But I was spinning the tires a lot. So I tried 4wd for the fun runs. On dry pavement this is. I took 2 seconds off my time even though I had trouble with the turn cones ( 180 degree turns )

 

Is there any way to put more slip into ther system to make it do sharp turns better in 4WD ?

 

Or what do you think I should do to make the front end hook up better in 2 wheel drive ?

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Well since it's just the push button 4wd you have, you can learn to take it out of 4wd for the sharp corners becasue you would probably be of the gas in a gear change anyways...

It's hard to find a spot where your wheels are pointed straight and your off the gas to make the 4WD disengage.Plus on mine it can take a second to click in and out, and every second counts. Also I ran the whole coures in second gear.

 

I gased it and spun the tires a couple times around the spin cone. to give me a tighter turning radius, and I do that when I'm on dirt but it seem like a good way to break something on the tarmac. But if all I broke was an axle I think I wouldn't mind the risk. I was thinking it might strip some gears in the rear diff. and I would have to replace that.

 

I was running 9 psi less in the rear tires to induce some oversteer. I'm going to try them all at the same psi to see if that will help. And maybe use a narrower tire than 185.

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it occurs to me that you could also try using a pair of rear tires with a slightly harder compound. If I remember right, 4wd in a sube is a theoretical 50/50 split in power front and rear. If that's the case, then hard tires should help the rear break loose a tad earlier while the fronts keep on grabbing. The combination popping in my head at the moment is Michelin Pilot XGTV-4's up front and something like Cooper Cobras in the rear. You'd probably just have to experiment with it to get a good combo.

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Well - it's not *just* axles that you could break - you might break a diff stub axle too. I doubt you would break the diff itself, but if you twist a stub axle in half, it could be really ugly to remove. The splines can get bent and lock themselves into the splines inside the diff. If you want to run on pavement, you need AWD.

 

GD

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I got some smaller tires and it does help with the tight turns. I had 185/70/R13 on there but, yesterday I bought some 185/60/R13. They turn real nice. I no longer have power steering but it feels like I do again with these tires.

 

The tires also lowered my gearing a little which is good for the auto cross. Lower profile for less tire roll and I don't have to run such a high psi. I haven't had a chance to weigh them yet but I bet I lost a pound per wheel. Rotational weight is the best place to lose weight.

 

Now I'm working on the suspention to see if I can find the sweet spot. Lower but not too ridgid. I'm working on this mod now that lowers the back end about 2 inches but still has the same travel. I am documenting this mod.

 

Last night I learned you don't have to remove the rear tire to remove the rear strut. Saves me some time when doing R&D.

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