In the wet yesterday at a roundabout I lost the back end really badly: I wasn’t going for it! not too fast and not particularly clog happy exiting. Took me by surprise (brown trousers).
Is the MX5 2.5 known for this? As soon as I got back I bought a matching pair of uniroyals on the net and released a few pounds pressure at the back (they were about 33psi) in the meantime.
I like to think I’m not a bad driver (biker as well!) was I being a muppet and do you think matching tyres at the right pressure will calm it down in the wet?
Welcome! I also have a mk2.5 and have for nearly a year now. I like to put my foot down if I get on a good run and my missus doesn’t like my roundabout approaches, but I’ve never lost the back end or felt like it was going to go. I am a little surprised as I had heard it might do both online and a few people said so but not yet. I am pretty careful in the wet though if I were going to give myself any credit.
I also have none matching tyres (really need to sort that when I get some coin).
I run my tyres at 28psi from memory, I think the recommended is 26psi but I’ve read of people doing front different to back and all sorts of things (I think I went with 28psi as someone said it’ll give better fuel economy…) Please note I am NOT a car person and nothing in this message is a recommendation. If you search the forum you’ll find enough threads on tyre pressure to replicate the Bayeux Tapestry and I’d recommend having a look but sounds like they might be a little high.
I have to thank you as I’ve not checked mine for a while so will go and check them out later today, thanks for reminding me!
A) You have yet to learn the quirks of a front engined lightweight vehicle. Let’s be polite and refer to it as acclimatisation.
having had a diet of front wheel drive…perhaps?
B) Tyres a mixed bag of 2nd division + wrong pressures. You got that one.
C) The adjustable chassis…is needing adjusted.?
D) some suspension components are busted or overworn?
C) You hit a nice oily bit? We call that fun. A great chance to apply throttle balance and the correct amount of oppo lock.
Unless you hit something.
Or, a mix of all of the above.
What you are really referring to is sheer mechanical grip rather than actual handling.
Frankly a well set up and sound 5 chassis is the most balanced 50/50 you can buy for the money.
Watch sone Mk1/Mk3.5 Mx5 Cup on telly…then see how the boys do it in the wet.
TBH, the vast majority here over around 60…having been through the Cortina/ MGB/ Spit/ Granada/ Capri days…probably are hardwired to rear wheel drive no worries.
If you have the lsd it can ‘assist’ in the generation of oversteer. Extra care is required when asking for gas in the wet. If you have come from front wheel drive you will have to recalibrate for the differences. Good pointers for you in the above posts, let us know how you get on.
then i contacted Mazda On Track for some tyre advice (club sponsor and damn nice company) and on their advice brought a full set of Kumho Ecsta for my 2.5.
two track days later, never ever had the problem again - old tyres + rain on roads that have been dry for AGES = a very loose back end (in more ways than one )
i run at 26psi on 205/45/16 and it’s just about perfect now.
oh, and had a full 3D wheel alignment just make it extra perfect well worth getting a “fast road” set-up
Really enjoyed the gentle and gradual tail out stance of both my NAs when pushed that little tiny bit past the limits of adhesion. That was until I came off a roundabout onto a left handed uphill curve on a slip road to the A1 in fairly heavy rain. The back end swung round 180 degrees and I finished up facing the wrong way on the slip road. Absolutely nothing I could do to stop it. Might have been some oil or diesel but no way of knowing. I was certainly not pushing it. A fully loaded boot and two up on a touring holiday so not light at the back end.
The car had been fitted by the previous owner with a matching set of Pirelli P6000s. A good high end tyre by all accounts but just didn’t suit a light RWD car like the MX-5. It’s not all about the money with tyres, they need to suit the car. You will find many varied suggestions of which tyres you should fit. Kuhmo KU39 was my preferred choice on the NC, better than the original Continentals. I liked the Avons on my first NA but it also performed really well when I fitted Barum Bravuris. A real budget brand but a damn sight better than Pirelli. Go figure.
Haven’t had Uniroyal Rainsports on a 5 but they do find favour with a lot of people on here. I have them fitted on our other car, A Nissan Juke. I’ve driven that in torrential rain with patches of standing water and couldn’t praise the way they performed enough.
As a motorcyclist since the 1970s I soon learned that many roads are treacherous after a prolonged dry period followed by rain. Maybe that was your problem
. Once the rains have washed away the slippery stuff, things get back to normal.
I Had a mk 2.5 sport for nearly 10 years and despite owning a Mk 2 Escort track day car(flatters your driving unbelievably) I found that in the wet you could get snap oversteer but the car had to be provoked and in normal fast road driving stability and handling were excellent.
The worst issues I found were with people on very old tyres and they could get instability in the wet on straight roads, unbelievably scary at 70+ mph.
Get your tyres checked by a reputable tyre dealer and if they are old any reputable “named” tyre will improve grip and ride profoundly. My preference has always been for Continental Contact Sports or Michelin Pilot Sports but you’ll find everyone has their favourites but definitely go for a big name brand.
I hope the OP doesn’t mind me asking a question here, but on the subject of tyre pressure, it seems many people are questioning the accuracy of the tyre pumps. I appreciate the point about different temperatures and in most circumstances I would imagine this is unavoidable, but are we saying the tyre pumps at petrol station are inaccurate? Perhaps it’s time to invest in a decent little home pump if so. I pay 40p for fresh air each time, would expect it to be nearly accurate!
I recall reading or hearing that if a petrol station charges for use of its airline to pump up tyres then the gauge should be calibrated but if there is no charge then there is no guarantee of accuracy!
Even with a calibrated gauge I would allow a small margin of error!
Not forgetting that (presuming) if you kick off from cold in a Mk2.5 at 26psi…or say 29 in a Mk3/Mk3.5…you will end up with a few PSI’s more depending on ambients & how hard the tyres are being worked. Call it an additional 2/5 PSI on top…if you care to check as I have. That is what makes the difference…on an infinately variable scale.
This happened to me on a couple of occasions and scared the **** out of me. The last time it happened I was on my way down to Blink Motorsport in torrential rain. After having my suspension fully set up by the lads, it was peerless on the return journey.
I even tried to make it break away on the way home at a quiet spot, but it was very easily controlled.
Tyres were fairly new, all the same quality brand with 26psi in them.
I’m not saying that a correctly set up car won’t oversteer in the wet, but you will be able to catch it without soiling yourself.
My new Mk1 is going in for alignment this week. I’m not going through that experience again.