Re: understeer/oversteer

[ejfluhr@austin.ibm.com (Fluhr)]

A good way to experience this (IMHO) is to ride go-karts (maybe at your
local Malibu Gran Prix type place).  At slow speeds, the front wheels
have very little traction and you have to turn them a lot to effect a
reasonable turn of the go-kart (understeer).  However, at higher speeds
(and especially off-throttle) the RWD & heavy back-end of the go-kart will
tend to swing the back wheels out more when turning, and you may have to
counter-steer to avoid a spin (oversteer).  

I had lots of fun oversteering in my go-kart in high school.  It was ~1"
off the ground, with 8" wide rear tires and 4" wide front, a 5hp
Briggs & Stratton engine modified with dual carbs & a straight exhaust,
and a large axle chain-ring, with a topend of 45+mph.  The fastest way
through a corner was to steer into the corner, briefly, until the tail slid
out, and then counter-steer at full throttle to keep the kart on track
through the turn.

Those were the days...   :)

Later,
Eric
'85 Coupe GT, doesn't like to oversteer like that
---
Eric J. Fluhr                                Email:  ejfluhr@austin.ibm.com
630FP Logic/Circuit Design                   Phone:  (512) 838-7589
IBM Microelectronics Div.                    Austin, TX