Note to self - after leaving car wash...

wstar · 07-02-2009, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kannibul

As with anything, you don't know your limits until you exceed them.

Apparently, I found a limit relating to the amount of available traction, and my expectations of what the input I was doing with the car, and the output it gave me.

"Lesson Learned"

Yeah, there was a bit of learning curve for me with this car as well. I came from a much more oversteer-happy car than this one, so in smoother curves I had to learn to actually use the steering wheel more than the throttle to push the car around. On the flipside, when trying to push through quick sharp sliding oversteer corners (or U-turns), I have to give the Z a lot more gas to get the job done. I'm pretty comfortable with handling my Z now, but I've had 7K miles to figure it out already

xiven · 07-02-2009, 12:41 PM

is the turning radius pretty good when doing u-turns?

thats one thing i hate about my eclipse. i have to swing wide like a big truck to make the turn and pray i don't hit the curb.

m4a1mustang · 07-02-2009, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xiven

is the turning radius pretty good when doing u-turns?

thats one thing i hate about my eclipse. i have to swing wide like a big truck to make the turn and pray i don't hit the curb.

RWD. Turning radius is as tight as you want it to be.

xiven · 07-02-2009, 12:51 PM

i imagine so if i want to whip it around

m4a1mustang · 07-02-2009, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xiven

i imagine so if i want to whip it around

It's not as good as the Nissan Cube but it's close.

kannibul · 07-02-2009, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m4a1mustang

It's not as good as the Nissan Cube but it's close.

No offense to those who will buy one of those - but I'd buy just about anything else before buying one of those.

That rear window

kannibul · 07-02-2009, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m4a1mustang

RWD. Turning radius is as tight as you want it to be.

I've not observed it, but I wonder if one of the rear wheels isn't moving when you have to wheel kicked over all the way.

It's crazy tight.

That, combined with the sharp steering...coming from Ford's and Chevy's to this - yeah...it's different

kannibul · 07-02-2009, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wstar

Yeah, there was a bit of learning curve for me with this car as well. I came from a much more oversteer-happy car than this one, so in smoother curves I had to learn to actually use the steering wheel more than the throttle to push the car around. On the flipside, when trying to push through quick sharp sliding oversteer corners (or U-turns), I have to give the Z a lot more gas to get the job done. I'm pretty comfortable with handling my Z now, but I've had 7K miles to figure it out already

I can easily say this car handles a LOT differently than other vehicles I've owned - none of them had a locking diff, so I could break one wheel loose and drag the other in a fishtail.

With this, it's more like the rear of the car is on a huge ball bearing. That combined with the incredibly tight turning radius...

I think what threw me a bit too was that the tires bit down unexpectedly too - but, hey, I won't know. If I do it again, I have more knowledge about how the car reacts to driver input now than I did before last night.

racerxj17 · 07-02-2009, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kannibul

I can easily say this car handles a LOT differently than other vehicles I've owned - none of them had a locking diff, so I could break one wheel loose and drag the other in a fishtail.

With this, it's more like the rear of the car is on a huge ball bearing. That combined with the incredibly tight turning radius...

I think what threw me a bit too was that the tires bit down unexpectedly too - but, hey, I won't know. If I do it again, I have more knowledge about how the car reacts to driver input now than I did before last night.

we have a locking diff?

kannibul · 07-02-2009, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by racerxj17

we have a locking diff?

Sport package has something like a locking differential...viscous something...

All I know is it's easy as hell to slingshot the rear end - soapy tires or not

VCuomo · 07-02-2009, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kannibul

Sport package has something like a locking differential...viscous something...

All I know is it's easy as hell to slingshot the rear end - soapy tires or not

Here's a good explanation from a G35 forum:

Quote:

VLSD = viscous limited slip diff

The stock viscous limited slip works by immersing a series of round plates, alternately attached to an axle or the differential housing, in a fancy viscous goo. When you go around a corner, the outer wheel will turn faster than the inner wheel, but because the differential housing itself is going at a speed halfway between the two wheels, the differential housing sees the outer wheel turning forward and the inner wheel turning backward.

The plates can be stacked various ways, but let's assume that on each side of the differential there are eight plates, with half of them attached to the axle, and the other half attached to the differential. Call the axle plates "A" and the differential plates "D", and they will stack up like DADADADA.

The plates in a viscous limited slip don't actually touch each other. Instead, they are separated by a thin film of this viscous goo. When you go around a corner, and the A and D plates start turning at different speeds, the goo trapped between them heats up. Some chemist somewhere figured out how to make a magic fluid that expands and thickens under this shear load, making it more difficult for the plates to go different speeds.

While the fluid tries to lock the plates together, the tires try to rip them apart. At low speeds and gentle turns, the fluid doesn't get thickened much and the tires win. Boot it and try to spin one tire and the plates suddenly are going dramatically different speeds. The fluid thickens just as dramatically and, with the stock tires, the fluid wins, locking both rear tires together and letting you have your glory slide. A little less throttle and you have the smooth, seamless acceleration Nissan engineers had in mind. If you have really sticky tires, though, the tires win, and the long, gooey molecules of the stock diff's viscous snot get sheared into smaller, less thermo-reactive visco-thickening stuff; stuff that would make that mysterious chemist blush with embarrassment.

kannibul · 07-02-2009, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VCuomo

Here's a good explanation from a G35 forum:

Really good info...

Thanks!

That said, I know with oil sheering is what damages it's ability to function - I also seem to remember reading about the viscous stuff needing to be replaced every so many miles because it gets weaker with time.

Maybe I read it in the manual - lol, I don't remember...but it does have me curious if we'll have issues in the long term.

TheWeatherman · 07-03-2009, 11:28 AM

Hey Kannibul, after just browsing, it looks like RCZ is really nice to you.

Hey, I'm having fun reading your posts. The rain thing? Isn't that the truth. Keep havin' fun buddy. We all are allowed to share stories with others who have had the same things happen. General means general to me.

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07-02-2009, 12:41 PM	#2 (permalink)
xiven A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Atlanta Age: 44 Posts: 4,128 Drives: Cookie Monster Rep Power: 294	is the turning radius pretty good when doing u-turns? thats one thing i hate about my eclipse. i have to swing wide like a big truck to make the turn and pray i don't hit the curb.

07-02-2009, 12:51 PM	#4 (permalink)
xiven A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Atlanta Age: 44 Posts: 4,128 Drives: Cookie Monster Rep Power: 294	i imagine so if i want to whip it around

07-03-2009, 11:28 AM	#13 (permalink)
TheWeatherman Enthusiast Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 265 Drives: 2009 370Z 6MTw/Sport Rep Power: 17	Hey Kannibul, after just browsing, it looks like RCZ is really nice to you. Hey, I'm having fun reading your posts. The rain thing? Isn't that the truth. Keep havin' fun buddy. We all are allowed to share stories with others who have had the same things happen. General means general to me.