Strange handling issue

[Azimuth]

Hey hey!

I'm having a strange issue with my car's handling at the moment. When turning right it feels like it's turning in too much, almost like it's trying to rotate. I put new Michelins on the back a couple of weeks ago and I noticed it then.

I did have a really nasty slide a few days prior to that where the car aquaplaned and was violently sideways for over a hundred metres, so I'm wondering if I broke something.....
There have also been a couple of slides in the wet at low speeds, which is completely out of character for my car.

There isn't anything obviously untoward when looking at all of the wheels / suspension, but I don't really know what I'm looking for. I also feel like it's getting worse.
It's quite strange that it isn't hugely obvious, but I don't have confidence in the car at the moment.

Does anyone have any ideas what this might be, or any ideas what to examine?
Cheers.

[Azimuth]

The first things to check are the anti-roll bar drop links. Just look under the car, all four corners and make sure they're still connected and not broken away.

Also check that the tyres have been fitted the right way around. Many tyres have a rotation arrow and some tyres are marked "Outside".

Having a tyre rotating the wrong way or fitted inside-out can make the car feel very strange.

Check tyre pressures while you're at it.

[Azimuth]

Cheers!
Checked pressures straight away, but I didn't check to see if the tyres are on backwards...it never occured to me.

There must be dozens of drop links for the RX8 on eBay, all varying prices and complexity. Is there a preferred aftermarket manufacturer for bits like this, or are they much of a muchness?

[Azimuth]

Drop links are one of the strange things that the generic aftermarket options are (mostly) not only cheaper but last longer than the original Mazda parts.

Mazda chose to use a plastic vibration isolator within their drop-link bushes, which makes them fragile and they often break through age, impact or the stresses of jacking one wheel up at a time, e.g. when getting tyres fitted.

I've not noticed any difference in vibration switching to metal ball-jointed links.

MRP does them for £25 each (less OC discount)
https://www.mazdarotaryparts.com/RX-8-- ... r-End-Link

or you can get random ones on ebay
note that the fronts are handed (left/right) but the rears are both the same

[Azimuth]

Great information, thanks again, and for the link.

Do you know Tim from RX-Motors? He told me last time I saw him about how he wrote off one of his turbo'd RX7s, basically aquaplaning while overtaking. Driving in the rain I was thinking how horrible that must be, literally seconds before I did exactly the same thing, like an idiot! I was just lucky to have an extra empty lane I could slide into instead of a Range Rover. :/

[boosted]

What Michelins? Make sure not a snow tyres fitted brilliant in snow awful anything else.

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

[Azimuth]

What Michelins? Make sure not a snow tyres fitted brilliant in snow awful anything else.

Pilot Sport 4s, so I was quite taken aback when my back end went for a little wander. The previous Vredesteins never lost traction unintentionally.

[boosted]

Compound release agent still on tyres? The tyre mould release agent needs scrubbing off?

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

[njkmr]

Most people fit larger spoilers to keep the rear end planted.
Think them balloons may be causing the opposite effect and inducing a lighter rear end and the oversteer aquaplaning...!

[Azimuth]

Compound release agent still on tyres? The tyre mould release agent needs scrubbing off?

That is definitely a possibility, as they were less than 100 miles old at that point. Unfortunately the weird handling feel I'm getting appears to be independent to the level of grip from the tyres. My feeling is the handling exacerbated the lack of grip of new tyres. It's probably better now but the car still feels wrong.
I'm loathe to "test" it much really!

[Azimuth]

Most people fit larger spoilers to keep the rear end planted.
Think them balloons may be causing the opposite effect and inducing a lighter rear end and the oversteer aquaplaning...!

Hahah. I was going for higher mpg.

[SeeJay]

Pilot Sport 4s...

I'd be surprised,too,my R3 runs Pilot Sport 3's,and on the few occasions the car's been out in the wet,she's been as sure footed as in the dry..

[Azimuth]

Most people fit larger spoilers to keep the rear end planted.
Think them balloons may be causing the opposite effect and inducing a lighter rear end and the oversteer aquaplaning...!

Hahah. I was going for higher mpg.

Although after experimentation I found the ultimate solution to that.

[warpc0il]

You might want to check the steering column universal joint.

These can get (very) stiff over time, as they get dried-out by the heat of the exhaust manifold.
viewtopic.php?f=25&t=47002

A stiff uj means that you have to put more force on the steering wheel to turn and then over-shoot, over-correct, rinse'n'repeat

[PeteH]

I agree with Warpc0il about drop links (failed fronts would cause the issue).
Next I'd check for broken springs.
Check your wheel bearings while your prodding things.
Then I'd get a 4-wheel alignment.

Remember you have summer tyres on, and it's well below the temperature where they work well. Be careful for the first few miles, until they warm up a bit.

But my best bet is that you had a bit of a scare, and you don't have your confidence back yet. It happens to us all. A good track day is what you need!

[warpc0il]

It could be the classic "Loose nut holding the steering wheel"
or, if you've recently had a scare, more like "a too tight nut holding the steering wheel"

Seriously, after a scare you can find yourself grasping the wheel so tightly that it's difficult to make smooth steering inputs.

One of the great things about driving a well sorted 8 is that you hardly have to grip the wheel at all, to get it to go the way you want.

[Azimuth]

I agree with Warpc0il about drop links (failed fronts would cause the issue).
Next I'd check for broken springs.
Check your wheel bearings while your prodding things.
Then I'd get a 4-wheel alignment.

Thanks for the ideas. An alignment is on the cards for sure! I noticed today that my rears lean in quite a lot more than I would ever have thought normal, but they both look the same.

I wish it were in my head, but she definitely isn't happy.

[350matt]

Try swapping the tyres front to back and see if the oversteeer tendency goes away
if it does then you know the tyre is at fault

then you can always paint the tyre with bleach to soften it up and make it grippier

might want to also check the rear camber