My 200 handled like poo at trax

[ryan t]

Right today I've been to trax and my 200 was a complete nightmare the back end was all over the place and kept stepping out with no warning at all, at Castle combe in the wet a few weeks back I had more grip. I've got bilstein b14 coilovers, pilot supersport tyres, anti roll bar on the rear, new rear bearings. I have a slight rattle that has started coming from the rear near side area which I can not find it must have something to do with the car feeling so unsettled. Has anyone got any ideas what it could be?

 

[sevenfourate]

First thing id be doing would be getting it up on some ramps with the wheels unsupported and start checking for knocks, rattles, play in joints, driveshafts, bearings, bushes etc etc.

Anything else and your just guessing at this stage.

 

[knuckles]

Don't rarbs induce oversteer?

What tyre pressures did you have?

And how much tread is on the rears?

I have to properly provoke mine to oversteer on ns2rs at ~30psi hot

 

[jamesgw200]

Ive never had the back end step out unless i give it the old Scandinavian flick.
completely standard setup btw

 

[turkie172]

You need to think when you lost the rear was it corner entry or mild corner, under braking etc. but find the rattle will be your first thing else the rear axle bushes might have gone allowing play can have a sound like a dry creak when over a bump at low speed. But its all speculation when we don't know your experience or previous setup once you start putting adjustable parts on everything can go south pretty quick double check pressures, was the track conditions the same as before and the work that was carried out check it was all tightened up correctly and not over tightened. As from the other posts above looking for driveshaft's at the rear I would skip it if that passes as humour. New tyres on the rear are not always good the tread depth can allow the back to float more not so much on the road but on track it can. Buddy up with someone next time that has experience at the track or car that's enough said. Good luck finding your problem anyway

 

[sevenfourate]

No humour in my post turkie.

And yes i did misread the part about the rattle coming from the rear. But: As I'm more than sure you are aware, noises such as knocks, droning from wheel-bearings etc not to mention vibrations in small cars can often sound and even feel like they are coming from one area - when in fact they are coming from somewhere completely different. One of the joys of owning a small French cars

And as the OP hasn't found the source of the rattle at the rear as yet - it may just well be somewhere else. That is why I would have it on ramps to cast an experienced set of eyes over it, because as you rightly pointed out: Set-up, adjustability and uprated parts aside: no car should have a worrying mechanical noise.

My point being this would be my first port of call. Because the mechanics are clearly primary.

Not being a track-slag I can't comment on the finer points of track set-up, however as an Engineer the rattle would worry me slightly especially if I was planning to push hard......

 

[turkie172]

That's right 2 more posts and you will have 1100 congrats

 

[PAUL JA]

Ensure all the mechanicals are sound

Then look at the basics -

Tyre pressures
Rake / rear ride height
Remove ARB
Geo' set up

 

[montana]

I replaced my rear shocks as they made the back end feel unstable - made a difference too.
How old are your B14's?
Have you removed the rear bench ?

 

[TB Rich]

I'd ignore your wet day at Combe - it'll be a red herring. You'll not have the same front end in the wet at all (fwd push being the overriding factor), so think back to the last time you were at a dry track and have you made any changes since then?

 

[Chris_200CUP]

When you spoke to me you said your tyres were cold when come back in?

That isn't right. Was track still wet / damp/ greasy?


As for the rattle , how have got the springs fitted? Also you stiffened the car up so could be heat shields , exhaust? My car rattled aswell in end removed heat sheild off the diffuser