Scottish Elises

Was out in rain the other night in my 135R... Wasn't pushing too hard, but was in 3rd at about 55 going round a right hander.... Then I just felt the tail drift out ...... with opposite lock required... Not quite a "fill your pants moment" but certainly wasn't expected at the speed and chassis load at the time.... Is this normal behaviour?? My main mode of transport is a rear wheel BMW 330d which is no slouch (may even be quicker than the 135...) and it's pretty planted. As I say, just wondered if this was part of the experience??

Thanks

Graham

I had this the night I picked up my 111R, driving back on the A697, in the dark and rain. A long left hander that tightened in 5th gear, little or no throttle and the car tightened its line in to a gentle bit of oversteer. It's on AD07's so perhaps that's part of the reason? It's enjoyable as long as it doesn't snap!

AD07s on mine and i loved my drive in today! many opposite lock moment, generally deliverability...

Slick summer tyres + wet winter roads = lots of oversteer. Great fun (if you know it's coming).

It's been said that the Elise is one of the quickest point to point cars in the dry and one of the slowest in the wet.

If you think about the physics, that lovely light weight that helps ease the load on the tyres in the dry means that they don't have the load that, say, your BMW would have on them to cut through water in the wet. Wet driving in an Elise is an exercise in smoothness and control - take care out there

Shug wrote:It's been said that the Elise is one of the quickest point to point cars in the dry and one of the slowest in the wet.

If you think about the physics, that lovely light weight that helps ease the load on the tyres in the dry means that they don't have the load that, say, your BMW would have on them to cut through water in the wet. Wet driving in an Elise is an exercise in smoothness and control - take care out there

What he said

Only had the car back a few days and I must be on my sixth or seventh opposite lock moment already. Mostly low speed roundabout related but had two high speed "wobbles". Thankfully all easily corrected with a little opposite lock and the slightest lift of the throttle.

Shug wrote:It's been said that the Elise is one of the quickest point to point cars in the dry and one of the slowest in the wet.

If you think about the physics, that lovely light weight that helps ease the load on the tyres in the dry means that they don't have the load that, say, your BMW would have on them to cut through water in the wet. Wet driving in an Elise is an exercise in smoothness and control - take care out there

Wot he said!

Also, these cars are very sensitive to a good geo set up, and the wet will only serve to exaggerate that.

Super sensitive to tyre pressure also. Out of curiosity what do you run your tyres at through the winter?

I am wondering if my tyres are maybe a bit over inflated. Will have to pop out and check them again.

I had a few wee scary moments a week last Friday on the way back from Dom's. M8 sh*t headlights lots of standing water... hmmmmm.... couple of 70mph aquaplanes and tail twitches, wouldn't have been so bad if I could see them coming but i could only feel them lol That was on less than 2mm AD08, lots of low speed fun in the wet too.
But it all came to an end... Addition of a set of Toyo SnowProxes has seen all my wet weather fun draw to a close unless highly provoked, great as my car is also my daily driver and i don't want starry eye rabbit level of concentration every second. A much more relaxing place to be!

Graham, slight thread detour, is your 135R light blue with exige side pods & parked near kelvinbridge? Think I maybe spotted it last week.

I'd start by checking tyre tread depth, type, age, pressures and then checking for play in the rear toe links. Full geo is generally a good idea too.

ETA, did you ever fix or check any issues from this thread?
http://www.scottishelises.com/phpbb/vie ... =5&t=40759

Graham C wrote:Was out in rain the other night in my 135R... Wasn't pushing too hard, but was in 3rd at about 55 going round a right hander.... Then I just felt the tail drift out ...... with opposite lock required... Not quite a "fill your pants moment" but certainly wasn't expected at the speed and chassis load at the time.... Is this normal behaviour?? My main mode of transport is a rear wheel BMW 330d which is no slouch (may even be quicker than the 135...) and it's pretty planted. As I say, just wondered if this was part of the experience??

Thanks

Graham

Welcome to the club... you did better than I did with my 135R!

Hi,

Glad it's not just me that has experienced this then and not something flawed with my Elise! I do mean to get a geo done, probably do in spring now.

My "R" has been safely tucked up in her garage this last week, so not me at Kelvinbridge. I am based in North Glasgow, but my machine is pretty much standard 135R except, tyres (road not ad048) and induction filter. She's mica silver.

Feel sorry for the lad with the yellow 135R. Noted post about buying it back as a rare machine. That's one thing I like about mine. As I am finding about Elise ownership however, it's only those in the know that really appreciate thes these things, but just having one of these were cars is special!

G

Graham C wrote: Feel sorry for the lad with the yellow 135R. Noted post about buying it back as a rare machine. That's one thing I like about mine. As I am finding about Elise ownership however, it's only those in the know that really appreciate thes these things, but just having one of these were cars is special!

G

Yeah, that was me. Off to Edinburgh tomorrow with the car so hopefully in the not too distant future she will be returned to her former glory