Spare Wheel

[Stu8]

Was a bit clumsy this weekend.

I'd been working on my car and took the spare wheel and the cowling out.

and I totally forgot to put them back in afterwards

Anyways I went for a quick blast round three sisters with a Few mates on Tuesday, and my car was understeering way before the limit

It wasn't anything to bad just a bit nerver wrecking, as it messed up the pattern in which I drive it.

I kept pitting in just check my tyre pressures as i thought i had a puncture or summat.

Obvioulsy i didnt, so I could it a day after an hour.

But last night was the final straw.

I was coming home from the cinema, and as I went over a mini roundabout the car just didnt want to corner at all (the road was wet)

So I flicked the rear end out just to get me out of harms way, which made exist the roundabout completely sideways

After a good fight with the steering to get me on the straight and narrow, I took at deep breath and thought to myself :censor: lol

Oh and my date wasn't to impressed, I've never seen a face so green in my life

It's not till this morning I reliazed there is no spare wheel in front.

So all i'm going to say is, dont drive your car with no spare wheel in the front.

[Bobby-H]

Was a bit clumsy this weekend.

I'd been working on my car and took the spare wheel and the cowling out.

and I totally forgot to put them back in afterwards

Anyways I went for a quick blast round three sisters with a Few mates on Tuesday, and my car was understeering way before the limit 

It wasn't anything to bad just a bit nerver wrecking, as it messed up the pattern in which I drive it.

I kept pitting in just check my tyre pressures as i thought i had a puncture or summat.

Obvioulsy i didnt, so I could it a day after an hour.

But last night was the final straw.

I was coming home from the cinema, and as I went over a mini roundabout the car just didnt want to corner at all (the road was wet)

So I flicked the rear end out just to get me out of harms way, which made exist the roundabout completely sideways 

After a good fight with the steering to get me on the straight and narrow, I took at deep breath and thought to myself  :censor: lol

Oh and my date wasn't to impressed, I've never seen a face so green in my life

It's not till this morning I reliazed there is no spare wheel in front.   

So all i'm going to say is, dont drive your car with no spare wheel in the front.

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I took my spare out because its pretty much useless and I'd prefere to have the extra space. Cant say I've noticed much difference in handeling and I definately havent noticed any understeer. Maybe its just your tyres???

[Stu8]

nope these bridgestones are by far the best tyres I've ever had on it.

[Stu8]

whether there was any oil on the road, is possible.

but that doent explain Three Sisters.

[Bobby-H]

nope these bridgestones are by far the best tyres I've ever had on it.

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Thats a bit wierd then, I wouldn't have thought a car would be so sensitive to such a small weight difference. I did think there might be a chance of understeer when I first took the spare out so I was looking out for it but there was definately no difference.

[Stu8]

When I say going round Three Sister I mean pushing the car quite hard.

The balance of the car was just to great, i couldnt get any decent traction on the front wheels.

[couldnt_think_of_a_name]

Had the same thing on the cat and fiddle road the other night stu ! understeering all over the show - my spare wheel and other stuff was at home too !!!

Had to keep swinging the back round, just to corner !!! got a bit scary in the fog though so had to come home in the end :(

J

[jaxx]

what sort of suspension you running stu?

[Stu8]

standard, but with TRD bushes

[RowMR2turbo]

My car tends to suffer with understeer too.

Despite trying different makes of tyres the problem still persists.

Based on your experience of removing the spare wheel I'm wondering if I added some 'ballast' to the front whether I'd notice an improved difference?

Having said that I don't know of any other SW20 owners who've resulted to placing sand bags or similar under the front bonnet!

New tyres for me tomorrow and maybe I'll experiment at the weekend!

[ricomr2]

I had a full size alloy spare for a while and noticed a big difference

when i took it out and put a space saver in, so it defo makes a difference.

[Stu8]

Had the same thing on the cat and fiddle road the other night stu ! understeering all over the show - my spare wheel and other stuff was at home too !!!

Had to keep swinging the back round, just to corner !!! got a bit scary in the fog though so had to come home in the end :(

J

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That road aint forgiving whatsoever!

I bet that was a brown trouser experience

[Stu8]

Having said that I don't know of any other SW20 owners who've resulted to placing sand bags or similar under the front bonnet!

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Me neither, I wonder if Bibbs front spoiler helps?

[EarL]

MR2's are prone to understeer anyway. There are a couple of mods you can do to the front end to reduce it by altering the front end camber if memory serves me right.

Mine has been ok for months without the spare. Took it out because it was too heavy :). I have the crappest, cheapest "winter" tyres in existance on mine, and it handles great.

[BLOODUK]

How much difference in terms of weight does the spare tyre have on the mr2?

Does removing the spare really increase your acceleration times?

[EarL]

Not sure just how much it weighs, but it's enough to make a difference.

[BLOODUK]

Wonder how many people have there spare wheel out <_<

[Stu8]

So what do you do when you get a puncture?

[BLOODUK]

So what do you do when you get a puncture?

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Cry?

[Stu8]

[Bobby-H]

So what do you do when you get a puncture?

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Tyre weld! :D

[midmotorsteve]

I haven't run my car with the spare for 2 years, no problems, the back has also lost alot of weigh, more than the front has, maybe this balanced it out. ?

530kg front axle

720kg rear axle

almost perfect balance according to ferrari, they say 40/60 is perfect :D

p.s. extra in the front is a GAB strut brace additional to stock and a bag containing a foot pump, tyre weld, tyre iron, 12, 13, 14, mm spanners, a funnel & plastic tubes for coolant bleeding, also a spare bit of fuel hose.. :D

[EarL]

I haven't run my car with the spare for 2 years, no problems, the back has also lost alot of weigh, more than the front has, maybe this balanced it out. ?

530kg front axle

720kg rear axle

almost perfect balance according to ferrari, they say 40/60 is perfect :D

p.s. extra in the front is a GAB strut brace additional to stock and a bag containing a foot pump, tyre weld, tyre iron, 12, 13, 14, mm spanners, a funnel & plastic tubes for coolant bleeding, also a spare bit of fuel hose.. :D

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I 'ate peeps like you Steve. You're all so flaimin' organised.

[Stu8]

what you've done to lighten the rear?