WRX handling is poor

Glanza · 12-02-2007, 03:25 PM

Hi, I am searching for some help with my problem with my WRX.
About 9 months to a year ago a few of my bushings needed replacing so I decided to just change out all the suspension bushing to polyurethane bushings. After this and alignment the handling of the car has just been very poor. It feels as if there is s disconnect between the steering and the wheels/road. I have no "road feel" as was described by one mechanic. I have tried various alignment setting but this did not help. The car feels as if I am constantly driving on wet road and the car is hydroplaning even though the wheels are not slipping, and then eventually the back will start to swing around, please note this is at ordinary speeds, no way close to scooby speeds. When taking corners I have no feel of what the car is doing until i see that the car has slipped off line. It gives a feel as if the front is pushing. I have had rally drivers drive the car and they thought it was just alignment
At the recommendation of others I had also changed the steering rack bushings to see If that would give he steering a crisper feel but no luck (at that time i also found out that these were worn)

I then decided to change back the bushings to stock (not as easy as it sounds as it is hard to buy bushings without buying a control arm). I have managed to change the control arm bushings, the trailing arm bushings and the car still drives the same. The sway bar bushings are still polyurethane. I recently changed tires and no difference, however when i look at the front tires i get the impression i am driving on the side walls a lot.

My car as it is now:
stock control arm bushings
stock trailing arm bushings
poly u sway bar bushings
poly u steering rack bushings
KYB AGX struts - about 3 years old
alignment - Front -1.5 camber 0 toe
rear -1.0 0 toe
tire pressure f -32 r -30
16" stock rims

kh15 · 12-02-2007, 09:30 PM

you haven't really done anything huge to your suspension so how can you expect much?
i have front and rear 24 mm adjustable sway bars adjusted to there stiffest setting, tein coilovers, and my alignment is -1.5 front -1 rear with toyo proxes 4, 225 tires. my car handles amazing! granted i have pretty much taken it all of for the winter.
but if you want to good results get some sway bars first and a nice set of tires
hope this helps!

metroscub · 12-02-2007, 09:54 PM

I have front and rear 24mm WHiteline sway bars, whiteline endlink(F&R), kyb shocks and tein h-struts, camber plates(can't remember brand, and alignment on the front to -1.7 and rear -1.0. moral of the story, glued to the road.

a stock wrx pretty much handles like a wet sponge, a modified one is your dream car.

Glanza · 12-02-2007, 10:09 PM

I dont think you guys understand my plight here, I am not disappointed in expectations. My WRX's handling went from good to very very very poor after the changes and then even after conveting back to stock it is still crapp. All I want right now is to be back to stock handling which I am about 5 marks below

WRXKidid775 · 12-03-2007, 12:24 AM

I think you just got used to the car, honestly.

Have a tech check your suspension over for something that might be put together wrong, but its pretty hard to screw that up.

Dunno what to tell you...

Glanza · 12-03-2007, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WRXKidid775

I think you just got used to the car, honestly.

Have a tech check your suspension over for something that might be put together wrong, but its pretty hard to screw that up.

Dunno what to tell you...

Thanks, at least you gave it some thought and didn't just take the opportunity to brag about your setup

Nose Nuggets · 12-03-2007, 08:00 PM

honestly it just sounds like your making the car understeer a lot. especially when you say the fronts have a lot of sidewall wear. "When taking corners I have no feel of what the car is doing until i see that the car has slipped off line" screams low eyes. try looking 300+ feet further down the road and look at the exit of the corner when your in-turn.

as for now, send all your settings back to stock. you really dont need to modify any of the camber/caster/toe/bump/rebound shit on a street car. honestly.

WRXKidid775 · 12-03-2007, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glanza

Thanks, at least you gave it some thought and didn't just take the opportunity to brag about your setup

No problem man.

nuggets is probably right it sounds like you need to keep your eyes up.

The famous saying is slow in fast out, I agree you are probably understeering the hell out of the car, maybe take a driving school one weekend, you will be amazed how much it will help.

thebean123 · 12-05-2007, 11:06 PM

Ya nuggets is completely correct with his suggestion. Like motorcycles looking where your going to go when your pushing your car is an absolute must. To put in its simplest terms where u look is where u go. You know that combined with proper braking and acceleration and some other crcial factors but for the most part. keep your head up and your eyes out in frnt of you. +1 to Nuggets for a good call.

b7g · 12-06-2007, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glanza

Hi, I am searching for some help with my problem with my WRX.
About 9 months to a year ago a few of my bushings needed replacing so I decided to just change out all the suspension bushing to polyurethane bushings. After this and alignment the handling of the car has just been very poor. It feels as if there is s disconnect between the steering and the wheels/road. I have no "road feel" as was described by one mechanic. I have tried various alignment setting but this did not help. The car feels as if I am constantly driving on wet road and the car is hydroplaning even though the wheels are not slipping, and then eventually the back will start to swing around, please note this is at ordinary speeds, no way close to scooby speeds. When taking corners I have no feel of what the car is doing until i see that the car has slipped off line. It gives a feel as if the front is pushing. I have had rally drivers drive the car and they thought it was just alignment
At the recommendation of others I had also changed the steering rack bushings to see If that would give he steering a crisper feel but no luck (at that time i also found out that these were worn)

I then decided to change back the bushings to stock (not as easy as it sounds as it is hard to buy bushings without buying a control arm). I have managed to change the control arm bushings, the trailing arm bushings and the car still drives the same. The sway bar bushings are still polyurethane. I recently changed tires and no difference, however when i look at the front tires i get the impression i am driving on the side walls a lot.

My car as it is now:
stock control arm bushings
stock trailing arm bushings
poly u sway bar bushings
poly u steering rack bushings
KYB AGX struts - about 3 years old
alignment - Front -1.5 camber 0 toe
rear -1.0 0 toe
tire pressure f -32 r -30
16" stock rims

Yeah, the car should behave very well with those settings. Potential problem might be a steering rack malfunctioning. I would check that. The settings you have your car in right now should be ideal. One other thing-i am not sure on the max negative camber wrx can be adjusted to in the front, but you can try that--max neg camber for the front. Good luck...
Also, you mentioned the AGX's you have on for about 3 years. Maybe mount issue: bolts worn out, pillow mount is crappy, etc.
Toe in or out is, in my experience, is a main cause for wondering feeling and disconectedness with the road. But worn out mounting points can also be the cause and probably would not show on an alignment machine.

Nose Nuggets · 12-06-2007, 11:44 AM

man you guys love your negative camber.

at any rate, the greatest benefit i have seen from looking as far down the road as possible is your hands and feet usually know what they need to do to put the car where you are looking. There is the thing called target fixation, and its one of the hardest things for inexperienced drivers to overcome. i cant tell you how many times i have seen people start to slide, and then stare at that wall, sand trap, or other car on track that they REALLY dont want to hit. and 9 times out of 10 its exactly what they hit.

Glanza · 12-06-2007, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b7g

Yeah, the car should behave very well with those settings. Potential problem might be a steering rack malfunctioning. I would check that. The settings you have your car in right now should be ideal. One other thing-i am not sure on the max negative camber wrx can be adjusted to in the front, but you can try that--max neg camber for the front. Good luck...
Also, you mentioned the AGX's you have on for about 3 years. Maybe mount issue: bolts worn out, pillow mount is crappy, etc.
Toe in or out is, in my experience, is a main cause for wondering feeling and disconectedness with the road. But worn out mounting points can also be the cause and probably would not show on an alignment machine.

thanks, that has never been looked at, had the shocks pulled down and checked this week all were fine
I have just discoverd that the tire is almost or just resting on the side wall when the wheel is turned. I have attached pics to show what i am talking about, the front tires have 36 psi of air in. When the wheel is straight it looks normal

WRXKidid775 · 12-07-2007, 01:09 AM

Definatly looks like you are pushing the car a little too hard, those shoulders don't look like they like you too much.

kh15 · 12-07-2007, 02:08 AM

ya but the angle of that tire when the wheel is fully turned is not really out of the norm.
i just dont get what the issue could be if you had the struts looked at and your alignment is right on the money....

Glanza · 12-07-2007, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kh15

ya but the angle of that tire when the wheel is fully turned is not really out of the norm.
i just dont get what the issue could be if you had the struts looked at and your alignment is right on the money....

Yep that whats baffling us!
The tires are new, about a month old, and the car has not really been "driven" as I have no control to drive hard, the most I can do is fast straight line, but god help me if i need to make a sudden swerve.