Can anyone Explain Over-steer Vrs Under-steer and...

[240ZR]

Okay So I am reading books on racing, (I know this is lame, i should Just go out to SCAA events and try) But I learn by reading not doing for the most part, so I am trying to understand, How Caster and camber Effect both, and how Toe in and toe out Effect them....(Using simple words of diagrams is good)

 

Also I was reading that breaking can Induce Over-steer, dose this mean you can change your line in a turn with Breaking? Is this how you Adjust your line mid-turn?

 

Can anyone suggest a GOOD book for learning racing fundamentals? and/or how to tune suspension.....

[Drax240z]

First off, reading about driving techniques is a great way to improve off season.

 

To start with the basics of suspension, I'd take a look for "How to make your car handle" by Fred Puhn. All your questions and more will be answered there. There are lots more technical reads out there but I found it was a good intro book. Next step would be to go with the Carroll Smith series (tune to win, drive to win, etc). Next step after that is probably Milliken "Race car vehicle dynamics".

[2126]

There are numerous good books available on this subject, but as to which one is better....I'll leave that answer to the track guys. But to give you a basic understanding of understeer and oversteer.....understeer is typically a result of frontend push. In an extreme case, the car wants to continue going straight. In other words your car turns less than the input given on the steering wheel. Oversteer is just the opposite. Typically its a result of a loose car (*** end wants to come around to pass you) In other words your car will turn into a corner more than you intended. Ok you race guys, this is not intended to be a technical explaination...just the very basic lyman desription. Hope this helps explain it. One thing I've learned from reading these books and from personal experiences is....the more you know about the subject the more there is to know and actually put it to use. It's certainly an art and it will vary from car to car. However, understanding the basic will help you understand why racer do what they do to their race cars. There are no hard and fast rules to setting up a race car, as driving styles will vary from driver to driver and track to track....hence different set-up for a given car.

[grumpyvette]

http://phors.locost7.info/contents.htm

 

you might want to read thru this to get a better (GRIP) on the concepts

[fastzcars]

Very informitive Grumpy, Thanks alot.

[zcarnut]

Often heard quote around race tracks:

 

“Here is an easy way to remember the difference between oversteer and understeer: If the front end hits the wall, it was understeer. If the rear end hits the wall, it was oversteerâ€.

[jt1]

Ross Bentley's "Speed Secrets" series is an excellent read for learning how to handle a car on track. There are three of them, Speed Secrets, More Speed Secrets, etc, available at B&N or Amazon.

 

Basically a understeer/push/tight condition means the front of the car slides first in a turn; oversteer/loose/free means the rear slides first.

 

jt

[SpeedRacer]

The NA$CAR boys usually call it "tight" and "loose" but I think Sterling Moss said it best.

 

When you exceed the limits for a corner, slide off the road and go through the fence nose first - that's understeer. When you go around the same corner and go through the same hole in the fence BACKWARDS - that's oversteer!