legacycentral bbs

it could all be in my head or it could be a real issue and i bet its been talked about before. i probably did put this in the wrong place though.

when im flyin down dirt/mud roads the rear end seems to like to take off in its own direction, is it a weight problem. suspension problem, or a drivetrain problem. im not sure what else to say or ask so ill wait for replys.

*edit* sorry its a 92 wagon with AWD

Umm... could you be a little more specific? Turns, straight line, what speeds, what's the condition of the car, etc.

one way more than the other?

Is this a new issue or a new car? What are you used to driving? These wagons have better weight distribution than most sports cars and should easily shift to controllable oversteer. Especially left foot braking.

it does this on straightaways on muddy roads anywhere between 35 and 45. this is my first AWD vehicle ive always had FWD. usually the rear pulls out to the driver side but sometimes the other way as well. ive only had the car for like a month or so. mechanically the car is in pretty good shape as far as i can tell.

a couple years ago i drove a friends SVX in the snow and it seemed like it was really really light in the rear, i hardly had to try to get the rear loose on it but it wasnt in very good shape though.

If it's doing it on even road it sounds like shot bushings.

who said anything about an even road? when im driving on a dirt road and hit a spot thats muddy then it does it. i have to countersteer on a straightaway to keep the car from for the most part startin its own drift.

not to be rude but isnt that what i said?

It's probably just pulling because your hitting mud.

That said, at the last Feed&Speed, Matt and I were bombing forest roads at 120, and my car never felt anything but solidly planted, even sliding through turns.

Then maybe it's a driver issue. If the car hits something uneven and gets pulled by it that's normal so I don't understand why you'd be asking that question. Due to the better balance than most cars they tend to want to switch more easily rather than just understeering or just oversteering. Like a fighter plane these cars are inherently a little less stable, making them better for rallying, but not for the novice. If the suspension is stock and this is excessive oversteer, the degree of which is impossible to quantify from the post, and not unfamiliarity then it's probably worn bushings, but it would also likely show up on even roads as it changes toe. There is a small amount of passive rear steering and worn bushings would likely compound that.

are u sure you have power going to your front wheels... My 93 SS is stock and from day one i NEVER had ANYHING like that. I have been in ice and snow and slush mud dirt giving my car H E(double hockey sticks). If anything it takes effort to make my rear come out

rear bushings is a possibility id suppose, i hadnt taken the time to see if any of the rear bushings where dry rotting or torn up. the one thought that i had some to mind was that there wasnt as much power goin to teh rear as there should be cause iirc ive had issues like this in some of the fwd cars ive drove.

now as far as power to the front i know it atleast has some power cause i intentionally let it sink in the mud a little so i could make sure all fours where spinnin and they all threw up mud and got me out, but who knows if the power is bein distributed evenly. i honestly wouldnt know how to check the power distribution. another thing i was thinkin was maybe the rear struts where getin weak and resultin in a little bit of rear wheel hop.

maybe im shootin the wind with some of these ideas, but who knows so i may as well ask.

what condition are your struts in? bounce each corner of the car a couple of times, and when you stop bouncing, it should stop as well. A one down-up is normal. That could also be part of the issue.

no offense man but maybe you are just imagining it?
what cars do you have to compare it to? I will say that legacy is one of the more tail happy cars Ive driven.

It could just be what Steve is sayin. Novice driving, not familiar with how it handles.

i dont tihnk its my imagination im sure the rear pulls out. ive driven quite a few different cars and owned quite a few as well. some in real good shape and some not. this one is in pretty decent shape but like i said i havent checked the bushings or the rear struts. its kinda cold out today or id check those struts.

next good rain storm ill take a drive afterwards down those muddy roads and get some more ideas. it rained last night but i dont think it was enough to get much mud like last time.