TW VRX AWD feels as if rear is about to overtake front going around roundabouts

[DenDen711]

Hi all,
As mentioned in title, my TW VRX AWD feels as if the rear is about to overtake the front when accelerating around corners like roundabouts. I’ve only owned the AWD for a bit over 2 weeks, so I’m on a big learning curve (many thanks to AMC & members for sharing oodles of valuable information). Is this normal for the AWDs? If not what is likely to be the cause or what needs fixing / adjustment?

Thanks,
Dennis

[leadfoot6]

Hi all,
my TW VRX AWD feels as if the rear is about to overtake the front when accelerating around corners like roundabouts.

I wish my TL AWD would(only to some manageable extent).

I miss my long line of RWD cars.

Mine is prone to mild understeer, wet or dry, which is better than the pronounced understeer normally associated with FWD type cars - Magnas included.

What you are experiencing is not normal for this vehicle.

Start by checking your tyre pressures.

I use 38psi front/36psi rear.

Is there abnormal tyre wear evident?

Any strange/unexplained noise?

Start with the above.

[Wombatkarl]

It depends if the car has had any suspension work done..... Eg larger rear sway bars....heavier rear springs can all have an effect

[vlad]

Different front and back tyres where the back tyres have less traction. Mind you my KW Verada GTVi AWD did have the rear slide out on some roundabouts. Interestingly, MY Pajero slides the rear out easier than my Verada, so much so that the stability control kicks in but then again, it has a 40/60 front/rear bias whereas the AWD Magna and Verada have a 50/50 torque bias but in both cases, most of the torque can transfer to the rear wheels.

[leadfoot6]

It depends if the car has had any suspension work done..... Eg larger rear sway bars....heavier rear springs can all have an effect

2 yrs ago I replaced the rear standard 16mm anti roll bar with worn out standard original bushings to 18mm with poly' bushings.

2 yrs ago brand new 16" Bridgestone RE003 Potenza on standard wheels.

Also 1 year ago brand new lowered Dobinsons/VRX spec springs & Sachs dampers F&R and brand new front lower control arms fitted & wheel alignment.

In the above upgraded, very well maintained, condition my car only mildly understeers as I stated earlier.

The OP's handling condition, if described accurately, is most certainly different to mine and I would suggest is not normal.

I should note that all of the above modifications tended to move the overall handling away from stronger understeer(in completely standard condition when first purchased) to weaker understeer(currently after a number of mild modifications) and higher cornering speeds.....but it still understeers mildly wet or dry.

At no time have I experienced a tendency for the rear to break loose, or slide, or

as if the rear is about to overtake the front when accelerating around corners like roundabouts.

I have, not once in 2.5 years ownership of my TL AWD, ever even remotely felt the need to go searching for some "opposite lock", which I was quite used to doing when driving my long line of RWD cars such as Nissan Skylines/Holden Commodores/Toranas(including XU1's) that I either owned or happily took for "test drives" over the many years that I worked as a new and used car salesman.

These type of cars could, if they had enough power - or the road was wet, could be provoked at will into oversteer to a lesser or greater extent.

A standard, or near standard, Magna AWD?

Very, very unlikely.

Unless you are Ed Ordynski and on gravel.

Although I must say I did "loop" a Subaru Liberty GX AWD company car(94 model - the one before the first Imprezza WRX) at the Victoria Road offramp leading onto James Ruse Drive northbound in the year 2000 when I was working as a used car salesman at McGrath Mits. Liverpool.

It was wet.

I was pushing it - as I sometimes do.

It gave me the surprise of my life.

And I got out of it facing the wrong way and without a scratch to either the car or the concrete scenery.

My Magna AWD has never remotely threatened to do this.

Ever.

[an observer]

Check tyre pressures and have the suspension safety checked, that doesn't sound right. The only time I ever got my tl Awd to oversteer was on a wet skid pan.

[BergDonk]

A thing I love about my TWII VRX is that it has a rear bias under power in a corner. The front tightens its line and the rear gets a slight attitude when pushing.

If the OP's experience to date is only understeeer, it may simply be that he has yet to experience some rear bias. I'm loathe to call it oversteer, as it doesn't get loose, just hunkers down and exits a corner with a little less lock than if not powering out.

[Madmagna]

Get all your wheel alignment done and also check all bushes in particular in the rear

Your symtoms sound to me like the rear knuckle bushes have worn out. If this is the case I have the very last pair of AWD rear knuckles here which are brand new

[DenDen711]

Many thanks for all of the great advice! I've been 'off the air' with the dreaded late flu & so took a while to apply suggestions.

Running suggested tyre pressures seemed to make a bit of difference, but the wheel alignment fixed it completely. Bob Jane Belconnen (alwaya look after me well) showed rear way out (3.8 & 3.2mm) & advised knuckle bushes in fine fettle. So All good!

Been loving lots of roundabout tests to chech the fantistic improvement! The 450 degree turn at Federal Highway entrance to CBR at Watson was particularly fun.

Many thanks for all the great suggestions.
Cheers,
Dennis