SEVERE understeer

[240sxfastback89]

I noticed that the car DoES NOT turn when i whip the steering wheel to one direction. It just locks up and goes straight and makes this grinding noise.

I wondered if i could get the rear to swing out by other means. I tried to turn the wheel one way and then quickly turn it all the way to the other direction and then punch the gas. STILL the same thing happens. understeer and vibrating bumpy noise. I tried to punch it from a stop with the wheel turned all the way to the side... same efftect. The tires will screech, but the rear end doesnt fly out... so essentially, as of now, it is impossible to even do a simple spin out.

Any ideas on whats wrong?? THANK YOU very much.

Mike

[C-Kwik]

Just about all cars will terminally understeer as the front wheels tend to take the biggest load during a turn. It sounds a lot like you are turning the steering wheel too fast. Try turning it so that the front tires can still hold the road so the front will turn-in. Bringing the rear end around has nothing to do with how fast you fling the steering wheel. It has to do with weight transfer and directional loads on the tires, or to simply put it, asking your rear tires to do more than it is capable. By turning the front wheels too fast, you aren't putting enough lateral load on the rear tires for them to give up traction. Instead, most of the weight is going to the front wheels. With a stockish alignment setting, chances are, your front tires are riding on the outer edge of the tread block when you turn hard. There is a reason why drifters tend to run a lot of front camber. Get a flatter contact patch on the outer front wheel and it will improve grip and turn-in. A little bit of rear toe-out wouldn't hurt either to promote a littel bit of initial tail-wag.

And please do this somewhere where you will not hit anything or anyone. It sounds like you might be a little new to oversteer. The first time I did it back in high school, I fishtailed down a narrow street which was lined by cars on both sides. Thinking back, it wasn't a good idea and I was lucky enough not to hit anything.