[jamis]

Hi all just recently got a 2006 forester x and have come to notice that it under-steer's really really bad.
i have been driving my mums 2003 or 02 forester x for a while before this and it has way less understeer compared to mine.
i was expecting mine to handle a lot better than hers since its newer and.
so what can be done to stop understeer new tyres, wheel allignment, different sway bars?

thanks

jamis

 

[stan_t]

Is yours automatic and your Mom's a manual? Alignment and tires may help. Many on here will tell you to upgrade your rear anti-sway bar, I personally found the front anti-sway bar to be a very nice upgrade when it came to front end stability (I did already have an upgraded rear bar at the time).

Stan

 

[2.5x_sleeper]

You can install a larger rear sway bar, you can view my write up here. I found it gave me too much oversteer. I installed a front sway bar to cancel that out, but just the rear sway bar may give you what you're looking for. :wink:

Bobby...

['07 FSXT MODding Journal] ['03 X MODding Journal]

 

[jamis]

Is yours automatic and your Mom's a manual? Alignment and tires may help. Many on here will tell you to upgrade your rear anti-sway bar, I personally found the front anti-sway bar to be a very nice upgrade when it came to front end stability (I did already have an upgraded rear bar at the time).

Stan

both my mums and mine are autos and my dad also has a forester which is an 07 x auto it has less understeer than mine . would auto or manual make a difference?
but thanks for the replys and a swaybar is deffinatley something to look at.
i know my wheel alingment is out slightly whcih will be getting fixed soon along with some other stuff since i only got the car last week.

jamis

 

[Northwest Tan]

both my mums and mine are autos and my dad also has a forester which is an 07 x auto it has less understeer than mine . would auto or manual make a difference?
but thanks for the replys and a swaybar is deffinatley something to look at.
i know my wheel alingment is out slightly whcih will be getting fixed soon along with some other stuff since i only got the car last week.

jamis

The Forester tends to push in the turns from the factory regardless of what you are doing with the throttle (on/off/holding). Trying to accelerate through a turn transfers the weight to the rear and can make your car push. Most cars will push if you try to enter a turn too hot. What are you doing to make your car understeer?

You will get more results by doing the alignment. Zero the toe and most of the front end push will go away. If you want to go even further, try to get more negative camber up front. -1.5 is the most you can get from the stock eccentric bolts. Most shops can get you -1.0 camber on all four corners (this is my favorite setup). Adjusting the rear tire pressure to 3-5 psi below the front will also help the car rotate; 38 psi front and 34 psi rear is a good start.

Upgrading the rear sway bar works very well, to a certain degree. Some after market bars can be too stiff for some people. If the front sway bar is left untouched, it will provide some interesting lift-off-throttle over-steer that most drivers try to avoid. The big bars are definitely not for the inexperienced driver, especially in emergency maneuvers.

 

[moengel]

Or you can do what most Forester owners do and just live with it. Look, you didn't buy a RWD sports car (you bought an AWD station wagon) and there's no point trying to make it one. Just relax and enjoy the fact that your Forester is reliable and will safely get you from point A to point B using little gas and with all your gear in the back.

Just a thought. . .:icon_biggrin:

 

[stan_t]

All 3 cars should feel very similar. Automatic cars are heavier in the front than manuals, also the AWD system works differently.

You difference is most likely due to tires and alignment, so you could try changing alignment setting to help dial out the understeer.

It may be a counter-intuitive, but upgrading the FRONT bar may actually help you. Stiffer front bar will preserve the negative camber when cornering, so grip will be improved. I agree that having a heavier rear bar without upgrading the front can result in snap-oversteer -- been there done that, not safe for the street.

Stan