What causes a car to go into a spin?

[mightyS]

In the autocross last November, some cars like the 1993 red mustang went into a spin (tail came forward) during the back left curve sweaper. What causes that and how can it be prevented?

[Jrubins]

The simple answer is the back loses traction in the turn faster than the front, without traction, the rear just slides around

there can be lots of different specific causes for different situations
common ones:
going too fast in a turn
lifting off the throttle/hitting the brakes midway into a turn
too much throttle (only applies to powerful rwd cars)
something broken

[Kbag]

Jrubins Wrote:The simple answer is the back loses traction in the turn faster than the front, without traction, the rear just slides around

there can be lots of different specific causes for different situations
common ones:
going too fast in a turn
lifting off the throttle/hitting the brakes midway into a turn
too much throttle (only applies to powerful rwd cars)
something broken

to add you your list, super heavy, lots of roll stang! gooooo stefan!

[Hraefn]

Loose nut behind the wheel

[Hraefn]

Jrubins Wrote:too much throttle (only applies to powerful rwd cars)

Ahem. Too much throttle can make even a Miata oversteer!

[Silonius]

Scandinavian flick
trail braking
bald rear tires
rear tire pressure too high
massive rear sway bar
whatever a "clutch kick" is

too much throttle? I don't see how that would cause oversteer

I can't wait for RWD.

[ZoominMX-5]

Hraefn Wrote:

Jrubins Wrote:too much throttle (only applies to powerful rwd cars)

Ahem. Too much throttle can make even a Miata oversteer!

Did you buy a new one yet?

[101101]

Silonius Wrote:Scandinavian flick
trail braking
bald rear tires
rear tire pressure too high
massive rear sway bar
whatever a "clutch kick" is

Having done 4/6 of these, I can promise all can do it (in addition to the too much throttle). I still maintain that the fastest way around a pivot cone at a wet auto-x I went to was to throw it into first and very un-smoothly get off the clutch (basically a clutch kick with a downshift). Even if it wasn't the fast way it sure was more fun .

[Hraefn]

ZoominMX-5 Wrote:Did you buy a new one yet?

Putting the search on "lazy" while I prep the Slowtege for H-stock.

The one I found came back with a wreck on Carfax

[93redfox]

matt morgan said suspension bind is possible in my car, someone spun his mustang on a parade lap one time! but my massive spin was mostly bc i flicked coming into that turn too fast, and didnt lift soon enough, and once it was gone, it was gone. at least the pictures were cool

[gimpstang]

Fox chassis fords (mustangs, thunderbirds) suffered from a horrible suspension design that, while in a corner, the rear would suddenly, and without warning, step out. the best and easiest way to correct this is not to buy a mustang

As has been noted previously, there are numerous reasons why a can can oversteer. Not all of them are bad however, slight oversteer is actually very fast is you are expecting it and can control it.

[zps2004]

^^^ 1st gen RX-7's had the same issue of snap oversteer because of the rear suspension binding.

[kbrew8991]

all of the above are causes for the rear end to step out

the cause of a spin is:
being behind in your steering ie - you didn't countersteer fast enough

now if you catch the first slide and it snaps around the other direction, you didn't stop your countersteering soon enough - subtle difference, but a difference none the less.

listen to what your tires are telling you - through the steering wheel, through the seat, through the air via sound, etc makes it harder to get things wrong when you're in tune with 'em

[gimpstang]

and how many spins have you had on track ken? at least once per weekend if I recall correctly.

[kbrew8991]

I've gone through some where I didn't have any so there!

I feel that experience makes you alot more aware of what it takes for a slide to turn into a full-on spin is all Dan Unkefer (NASA-MA Classroom Instructor - very knowledgeable... anyone who has a change to learn from him should) said you're not driving an MR2 fast enough if you don't spin it every now and then. He's had a couple when he was younger