Removal of "Understeer Shims" - what a result!

[Cisco]

I was servicing my car today and, following the posts on the US LotusTalk web site, I decided to remove the front top wishbone shims.

I was a bit sceptical but took them off - total of 3.2mm (1 x 1.6mm shim on each side) but left the thin one which secures the ABS connection..and went for a drive....

...I dont want to overstate it but FFS it's a different car. The understeer is virtually gone and when you push a little too hard the front of the car sticks and the back end steps out a little just like a real car should. Nothing drastic though and bear in mind that the roads at my location are wet and slippy today.

I had been under the impression that to get rid of the understeer would require a set on shocks/springs and some expensive geo set up. Anyone with as S2 Exige should try this.

Word of warning..Both bolts are to come fully out, clean the threads thoroughly.. check the bolt spec..should be 10.9.. and use Loctite #243 with a torque of 68Nm when bolting back up. If bolt spec is lower 8.8? then torque is 45Nm (I think this is for S1 Exige). Bolt spec is stamped on the head of the bolt.

Anyone on this side of the country (Glasgow) that wants to do this and needs a hand let me know..no problem. Its a 30-40 minute job.

Take care,

[roadboy]

Yup that's great unless you do a lot of fairly normal road miles in which case this will wear away the inside edges of your tyres pretty quickly.

Its fairly well known that altering the geo will reduce understeer but as always geometry setups are a compromise and are different for each individual's use and expectations of the car.

/2p

Dan@JPS

[robin]

You'll need to get your toe settings checked. Although in theory changing just the camber doesn't affect toe, in practice it always does a little. You wouldn't want those expensive tyres to get shredded whilst driving around town.

Cheers,
Robin

[campbell]

Elises tend to wear inside edges at the front pretty quickly even in std setup

So if you have non-asymetric tyres, get them swapped across the axle after a few thousand miles to max out their lifespan.

[Cisco]

My concern/reluctance in doing this mod was the potential increase in tyre wear, but TBH my front 48's Have 10k miles on them, including 6 track days, with lots left. My rears (2nd set) are already just about finished.

If I lose a couple of K on the fronts.. no big deal ..but according to the reports on LT the slight increase this mod makes in negative camber does not effect the tyre wear. Supposedly.

However the change in the car's feel needs to be experienced to be believed. Roll on KH on Saturday .

Take care,

[robin]

My concern/reluctance in doing this mod was the potential increase in tyre wear, but TBH my front 48's Have 10k miles on them, including 6 track days, with lots left. My rears (2nd set) are already just about finished.

If I lose a couple of K on the fronts.. no big deal ..but according to the reports on LT the slight increase this mod makes in negative camber does not effect the tyre wear. Supposedly.

However the change in the car's feel needs to be experienced to be believed. Roll on KH on Saturday .

Take care,

10K!? I think mine managed 3.5K Good effort!

Cheers,
Robin

[dezzy]

Hmmmmm . . . this sounds interesting.

You mind if I grab a pax lap with you on Saturday to see if I can notice the difference? I definitely noticed less understeer moving from the Elise to the Exige, but there's still that little bit of it that annoys me. And with you being just round the corner, will be quite handy if I decide to do this*

Cheers,
D

* - i.e. you could do it for me! In return for cups of tea and biscuits obviously!

[Andy G]

Guys - would really advise anyone wanting to do a trackdays to get their car to CLCM in Edinburgh.

When Willie set my 111R up for me, it made a huge difference, and was way more confidence inspiring. Especially under braking.

The RLC was also set up by him, and Robin, and that although wanting to go sideways at times, again was very controllable at the limit and beyond, and was tailored for my style.

The Atom will be getting checked before Donny, and will the Mule, when after it gets MOT'd. Can release a lot more potential in you and the car though if it inspires confidence.

Andy

[Cisco]

Dezzy,

No problem (on the pax or the mech) but I dont drink tea!

Robin,

If you are only getting 3.5K out of your fronts what are you getting out of the rears??

cu guys Saturday.

Take care,

[campbell]

Robin,

If you are only getting 3.5K out of your fronts what are you getting out of the rears??

Probably a whole lot less although he's growing out of doing burnouts and donuts in front of the neighbours at last

[Andy G]

[
Probably a whole lot less although he's growing out of doing burnouts and donuts in front of the neighbours at last

Not in the Atom he hasn't

[robin]

Dezzy,

No problem (on the pax or the mech) but I dont drink tea!

Robin,

If you are only getting 3.5K out of your fronts what are you getting out of the rears??

cu guys Saturday.

Take care,

A bit tongue in cheek I bought the car, took it to Oulton Park and then on to the ring twice (left it there in between visits) and abbeville on the way home - by the time I got it home it needed new tyres - I do think giving walshy the keys at abbeville and asking him whether he could manage a complete lap sideways was the final straw

BTW, understeer is often down to (mis)application of the right foot rather than geo setup - I know because it's one of my weaknesses on track If you really want the car to go round the corner, stay off the pedals until the car is well and truly turned in. If you find yourself coming to a standstill on the way in the corner, brake later next time

Cheers,
Robin

[dezzy]

BTW, understeer is often down to (mis)application of the right foot rather than geo setup - I know because it's one of my weaknesses on track If you really want the car to go round the corner, stay off the pedals until the car is well and truly turned in. If you find yourself coming to a standstill on the way in the corner, brake later next time

Couldn't agree more! I learned so much about understeer at that Lotus track training thing I got with the car. I can invoke it quite easily now if I want to play around with it a bit, just by a bit too much on the right foot. It taught me a lot about the handling of the car and I think it's also one of my weaknesses.

However, I feel that the Exige actually has more understeer than the Elise at times, which is strange because the wider fronts are supposed to cut down on that. It could just be that I understand it more now and so realise when it's happening more often now.

D

[alicrozier]

BTW, understeer is often down to (mis)application of the right foot rather than geo setup - I know because it's one of my weaknesses on track If you really want the car to go round the corner, stay off the pedals until the car is well and truly turned in...

Well at least the one on the right...the middle one can help.

[robin]

Well at least the one on the right...the middle one can help.

The "pussy" pedal?

Cheers,
Robin