Understeer

[Cangt77]

Ok so we all know the camaro has terrible understeer. Mostly off a launch when trying to get out of first to second its almost like I lost control of the car and the understeer kicks in. What would help this? A sway bar? Would the stock one(comes on verts) be good enough?
Thanks guys

[MikeSVX]

Not stomping on it so hard in a corner. Springs and sway bars both can effect understeer. most manufactures purposely set up cars to understeer. Regular people tend to get into less trouble with cars that understeer then ones that oversteer. Are you autocrossing or tracking? Changing the setup so the car doesn't understeer when launching, may result in a car that will have major oversteer issues in higher speed corners.

It's amazing what will affect understeer. I had a fwd 1994 Subaru SVX. I added a supercharger to the boxer-6 and converted it to AWD using a rear biased JDM STi drivetrain. The car went from being a heavy understeering FWD to an insane understeer AWD monster. I had to be careful not to let the boost kick in on a corner or the car would spin 180+ degrees before you could catch it. Scared the crap out of an autocross instructor the first time I took it out. I told him about the conversions before the run. After doing a donut at the first corner, the instructor said "You didn't say you made it a RWD." I replied "I didn't, It's an AWD." The car was hard to autocross, because the boost would always come on hard in the middle of a corner and try to kick the rear around on me.

Basically, call a reputable suspension company and tell them what you want and how you plan to use the car. They will be the best source for info.

[gajagfan]

Originally Posted by Cangt77

Ok so we all know the camaro has terrible understeer. Mostly off a launch when trying to get out of first to second its almost like I lost control of the car and the understeer kicks in. What would help this? A sway bar? Would the stock one(comes on verts) be good enough?
Thanks guys

Sell the stock SS, and get a 1LE....just kidding, but according to most reports, this package has eliminated the majority, if not all, of the understeer. Possibly purchasing some of the components that make this package unique woudl be a great place to start.

[woodside783]

Pedders and wheels and tires

[Jim968]

Moving to a square tire setup will make the biggest difference. If that doesn't go far enough then the next step would be stiffening the suspension in the rear.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by Cangt77

Ok so we all know the camaro has terrible understeer. Mostly off a launch when trying to get out of first to second its almost like I lost control of the car and the understeer kicks in. What would help this? A sway bar? Would the stock one(comes on verts) be good enough?
Thanks guys

When you say "launch", are you talking about a straight-line acceleration through second gear? If so - I'm not sure that's understeer...

You have to drive the car pretty hard through a corner to experience understeer...but once you do - it's very easy to fix with a properly-sized aftermarket sway bar. Ask one of our suspension sponsors on here - they'll have much more details.

[vroomapunk]

+1 on the sway bar.

But getting a square tire setup will help as well. Im also confused about what you mean by "launch"

[slick rick]

Originally Posted by Mr. Wyndham

When you say "launch", are you talking about a straight-line acceleration through second gear? If so - I'm not sure that's understeer...

I was wondering about that too

[MikeSVX]

I figured he said launch because he was autocrossing. For some reason some course designers like to put the start line on a corner. I asked why they did that one time and I was told to take the advantage away from the AWD cars. I was driving an AWD at the time and was a little PO'd by that. The cars being AWD is taken into account when they are classed, so designing a course to take that advantage away is wrong.

[Fogey]

Sway bars and bushings

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by Cangt77

Ok so we all know the camaro has terrible understeer. Mostly off a launch when trying to get out of first to second its almost like I lost control of the car and the understeer kicks in. What would help this? A sway bar? Would the stock one(comes on verts) be good enough?
Thanks guys

Could you clarify when this happens? On straight line hard launches? Accelerating out of corners???

[Cangt77]

Sorry I didn't specify, I meant like straight line launches. The the other day I was around 20 mph 3k in first and was gunning it, then when I shifted to 2nd I almost lost control of the car lol. Not sure if under steer is the right term for that then. Educate me lol
Also I don't think it was too cold outside, I know these tires don't stick in cold conditions

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by Cangt77

Sorry I didn't specify, I meant like straight line launches. The the other day I was around 20 mph 3k in first and was gunning it, then when I shifted to 2nd I almost lost control of the car lol. Not sure if under steer is the right term for that then. Educate me lol
Also I don't think it was too cold outside, I know these tires don't stick in cold conditions

That is wheel spin

There is a luandry list of things you can upgrade to more effectively control wheel spin. The easiest and the cheapest is most often over looked. Alignment.

Get your 5th Gen to an alignment shop and have the reduce the rear camber to 0.00 if possible the rear toe should be Toe IN 0.10 for a Total Toe of 0.20. My guess is you'll see am improvement of substance.

Tell us a bit more about how you drive and the mods you have made to your Camaro.

[Scott@Bjorn3D]

Leave the traction control on and that will not happen. I just went to a 1LE rear end and no way I am driving without it on now, the car is scary quick in 1st and 2nd.