So my setup currently is:

Tein HA's
Stock Swaybars
Brand new Kuhmo tires on stock rims

My problem is this; at very high speeds the back end feels very light and unstable. Under very hard braking it sometimes feels like it is going to whip around. And if I were going at a fast rate of speed and there is even a slight curve, the back feels like it is going to whip around.

This was also a problem with my old LS integra, not just my Type R.

How can I combat the oversteer at high speeds?

Thanks for your help, because I know very little about suspension setups.

 

What PSI are you running your tires at?

 

When you brake, all the weight of the car is moved to the front wheels because of inertia, (the momentum of the car) this in turn takes a lot of weight off of the back tires, making it easier to break traction. Even in a front-wheel drive car you can over steer if you brake in the middle of a turn, this is why you all ways want to be done with 90% of your braking before you even enter the turn. (Also, braking and turning are interrelated, the more you brake, the less you turn. If you are braking 75%, then you are only able to turn at 25%).
High performance springs have higher spring rates, which mean that they can support more weight and subsequently compress less under weight transfer. The reason high performance springs help handling are because 1) They lower the vehicle thus lowering the vehicles center of gravity. 2)Compress less under weight transfer, in turn reducing body roll, dive (when the front end of your car dives down when you brake), and squat (when the back end of the car squats under acceleration).
Basically, springs are timing devices, the higher the spring rate, the slower the car's weight will move from front to back or side to side. This helps keep the weight more evenly distributed among all of the tires.
One more thing to keep in mind, with anti-stablizer bars (sway bars), with a front engine car, the stiffer the stablizer bar on that end the easier it is for the car to break traction. For example, the stiffer the front the more understeer, the stiffer the back, the more over steer. So if you do decide to upgrade your stablizers, you want to make sure that the rear is not stiffer than the front, I wouldn't even have them be at the same stiffness, because you could end up with a wildly oversteering car. Since your stablizers are stock, they are probably not your problem. I hope this helps and sorry it was so long.


[Modified by Stu, 7:33 AM 9/19/2001]

 

Um, did you read the setup TurobIntegra has? Tein HAs are definitely high performance springs and shocks.

Also, springs don't really work the way you described. A stiffer spring doesn't slow down weight transfer, it just resists compression more (a 450 lb / in spring requires 450 lbs to move it one inch).

-buji

 

Sorry, I wasn't sure what the Tein HA's were. One of my friends who has been racing for a few years, described springs this way and it sounded like an excellent way to describe how the car would act during action.
Yes, I agree that they don't actually slow down weight transfer, but I thought that would be a good way to explain how the car would act.
Sorry for the misunderstanding. Are the the shocks on his setup adjustable, I thought I heard something about having the rear damper be a little softer, but I honestly don't know about adjusting shocks, that's something I should read up on. Sorry TurboIntegra.

 

No problem Stu.

I'm pretty sure the Tein HAs are adjustable. I'm no expert on adjustable shocks either, but generally people stiffen the front shocks and soften the rear to reduce oversteer. The idea is the end of the car with softer shocks has more traction because the tires stay in contact with the road more. If the rear tires have more traction they will be less likely too break loose.

Also at high speeds downforce will help.

-buji

 

I have a Type-R with TEIN HA's and RE730's. I don't have this problem at all.

First problem may just be perception of this feeling to some extent.

Next could definitely be tire pressure.

Third could possibly be alignment (Not sure if Toe can cantrol stability Toe in in the rear might help.)

The shock settings can be set lower in the rear to allow for less oversteer. I typically run my HA's at 5F/7R (Out of 16) on the streets and notice no excessive oversteer at any speed.

I'd say check tire pressure first. I woudl run them around 32-34 psi

 

You can def change the stability of the car an alignment.

 

definitely check your tire pressure. I thought keeping the rear shock stiff helps keep the rear tires
planted on the ground?

Ron

 

Actually the opposite. Since stiffening affects rebound and compression at the same time and Stiffening slows down compression, it also slows down rebound. Slower rebound equals more time it takes to get the rubber back to the ground. THis si what allows the car to step out is lack of rubber due to slow rebound.

 

Hope these high speeds you are experiencing are on the track and not the street. Some of out here have kids riding around in our Integras and don't want you crashing in to us.

Trench