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Spinning Spider!!!!

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1K views 19 replies 18 participants last post by  Gold 
#1 ·
I having had my 2002 V6 Spider nearly 3months & I managed to spin her 180degrees this morning whilst driving to work.

I was doing approx 35mph (honest) going straight ahead on a large roundabout, it wasn't raining but was greasy.

As I hit the apex of the roundabout the backend whipped around and she spun.

Luckily the roundabout is wide and there was no traffic so I came to rest a few inches from the curb facing the wrong way.

The experience has left me concerned about the complete lack of warning before the backend went.

Is this typical of the way Spiders handle in the wet?

I was shocked because she grips so well in the dry. There are no problems with the tyres only 6months old.

Has anybody else had similar experience? Is there anything I should look at on the suspension etc?
 
#5 ·
Mate I managed to do that on a completely dry day in my old GT TDI Golf and I have to say that I nearly needed new underpants afterwards. In my case, i went back and had a look were i spun and there was a nice fresh dump of oil on the apex. Could be the same in your case.

Glad there was no one else involved and your alright mate.
 
#6 ·
Check the suspension. Mine was goosed and it was on the edge of doing that all the time whenever I went over any imperfection in the road. It's fine now it's been sorted but possibly a little less exciting to drive - if it had gone I doubt I would have been able to catch it, but it does concentrate the mind.

On a more serious note, glad that you, your car and others survived unscathed - I would get it checked out, though.
 
#12 ·
Lift off understeer is also related to the gear that you are in. Back off hard in 2nd on an apex at 35mph and could kick out the tail in the dry never mind the wet. Do the same in a higher gear and you won't.

Two effects happen with lift off, weight goes on the front tyres and off the rear and also the engine breaking effect is almost like yanking the handbrake if it is a low gear. With the extra weight of a V6 upfront it can only make it worse...
 
#13 ·
You haven't got budget tyres on the back have you? Also putting new tyres on the front and using worn ones on the back is well known for causing lift off oversteer.
 
#14 ·
I did similar to this in my old TS GTV, with 17" Pzero Rossos on... I was in a slight hurry (but not exactly nailing it) on a damp morning, not raining hard but the road was greasy.

I came to the last roundabout before work where I come off at about 1 o'clock, lifted a bit and got the back out to approx 45 deg! :eek: In one split second I thought it'd spin and I'd stop 180deg the wrong way round!

I turned (luckily quickly enough) into it and to my surprise it held off turning any more... as the back was still moving left and I was turning left I was slightly bricking it at the sight of curb (which was approaching in the passenger window) hitting my alloys! Fortunately I stopped going that way with a foot or so to spare as I took my exit! phew!

Afterwards I was in 2 minds... 1) You f*cking idiot, should be more careful... but at the same time 2) Good effort for getting the back so far out, catching it and taking the correct exit! :cool:
 
#16 ·
The only time I've gone sideways in an Alfa was in the 156 on a roundabout. It never happened again so I put it down to a slippery road, contaminated with diesel/oil. I guess overfull tanks and people going too fast means some diesel is slopping out on roundabouts?
Worth bearing in mind...
 
#17 ·
Get the rear suspension checked, especially the springpan arms. Any movement in the springpan bushes will lead to this kind of unpredicable handling. The same thing happened to me, but spun almost 360 degrees. This was due to loose offside springpan arm due to wear in bushes.
 
#19 ·
The only time I've had this happen was with very good tyres on the front, and very crap ones on the back. You say they're new - but are they any good?
 
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