My problem is my front end likes to not steer where I tell it to. The front tires don’t grip in the sand and at a transition or a hard corner I have to let way off the throttle to get it to track. They kind of just plow straight, if that makes sense. I have messed with PSI down to about 2lbs and it got better but I don't have bead locks and I didn't want to be three wheeling it home. Around 8 PSI I felt comfortable and the car turns as well as it can I guess but still leaves allot to be desired.

This is what I have now


This is the tires I am looking at



Would me going to the step tire help allot or is there a different problem I need to address?

Thanks,
Bryce

I have the tires on the bottom. I never really had steering issues, but after I lawn darted ( due to stupidity, not steering issues), I went to a wider rim based on talking to Joe at Fullerton Sand Tire. Made the car turn way better. I almost never use the turning brakes now, except to scare the or screw around...

Bad part is I dont remember what I had or what I went to 'cause CRS is setting in. I did stay with the same tire, so Im pretty sure it wasnt much of a change- maybe 3" up to 4.5". Does that sound right for sizes?

Do you have a rear or mid engine setup, and do you have some good pics of your front end geometry?

Also, do you have much toe on the rear end?

Problem may not be the tires.

I run 850 smoothies and they turn on a dime. I would try to avoid the razors unless you absolutely have to have them, they bite harder which can yank the wheel outta your hand easier, plus they throw a lot more sand......

Run the razers! 6 to 9 lbs! They are made for the sand if your running in the sand!!! Your front shocks may be to hard or stiff, they need to be softer flex to hold the terrian to start your turn! Put some more air in the back tires too!
That will help the rear end come around! And get the rear of the car off its bottom, maybe to soft or way to hard!! Little stuff that makes the car not turn well, can be easily fixed!!

And I still cant believe "SOME" people are worried about front tire sand being thrown!!! Your kidding me!!! right!!! OH GOD, dont let any sand get on me at the dunes!!!! Im going out to the pool now, I hope no one splashes me with WATER!!! I would just cry!!! hahahhhaha

Some of us are real men out there-----and I dont know "what" the rest are!!!!!?????????
But hey! To eaches own!?
Its all good, nothing like a fun slam!

late

I use to have the same tires that you have now. switched to razors and 4.5 beadlock wheeels. day and night difference. The car turns very well now and is easy to slide. A little more air in the back is good. 14.50 x 15 extremes and 8.50 on the front.

Sorry for the delayed response guys I was out of town. Thanks for the help.


I have a 4 seat rear engine setup. I have a VW turbo motor on it now so I don't think there is too much weight hanging off the back. How much toe is too much?

I also have FOX 2.5 rear, 2.0 front, Air shocks on it. I thought it may be that the shocks were set up wrong so I had McMullan Racing rebuild them last season and now the shocks are set up sweet for the way I drive. They soak up the whoops and don’t G out at all. I’ll get some pics of my front end tonight.

I run my rear tires at 18-20 PSI so they spin and save stress on the motor and tranny. Could that be a factor as well?

Here are some pics of my front end.

The higher air pressure out back should actually help. I suspect it's just a weight bias and/or front end geometry issue. Regardless, the "steering tires" were designed for this. The only negative effects I'm aware of are the fact that they will throw more sand (doesnt bug me) and they feel a bit twitchy initially.

I love cutting brakes! Just dont hammer them on too bad, I heard the transaxle doesnt like it. But turning is great.

I have the same problem. How many of you have power steering? Will these tires be a hand full with no power steering.
Rob

turn brakes = bas ars fun

I put MT Baja Pros (31x5) on the front of mine and it digs right in now. That's on desert, hard pack, and sand. I have med. travel, beam front end.

FIRST....be sure to put that bolt in on the passenger side front lower arm pivot, seems to be hanging out a 1/2" or so! Don't want the front end to com apart while driving.

SECOND...the first thing I would try before spending a ton of money on tires, wheels, a new BBQ, someones expert advice, and an F1 front spoiler for improved aerodynamics is throw some weight in the front of your car! Anything, a small child, pets, rocks, buckets of sand, cement, maybe a tool box, a lot of firearms....whatever you have. Then go drive it. See if this makes any kind of improvement!

Keep us posted,

-BT

BT nice call on the bolt. I missed that one ,possibly saved this guy some dinero or worse an injury

BT nice call on the bolt. I missed that one ,possibly saved this guy some dinero or worse an injury

What bolt are you guys looking at? I can't find one that’s loose. I'm usually pretty diligent when it comes to stuff like that. I check all the arm and steering bolts for tightness before every trip. I had a tie rod come loose on a Baja bug I had so I learned my lesson there…

Oh I see what you guys are looking at...it does look like its backed out from far away cause the rust blends in with the bolt head. I should probably brake out the scotch bright and WD-40 this weekend….

Your second picture from the top...it APPEARS to have a bolt loose. The bottom arm, front pivot bolt. It might just be against a bushing that we can't see well in the photo. I tried to open your picture in paint to circle it for you but it doesn't like whatever format it is.

There ya go, I couldn't tell if that was in fact a bushing or not. Someone got smart and make a nice double shear set up - good deal!

Whew... Y'all had me worried for a second. Thanks for the help guys. I am going to see if I can pick up some razors at the SSSS this year.

if your alignment is toed out, it will push. free to check

With a car that light on the front end you just need to learn to drive it, blip the throttle and steer back on the throttle and go. Front end design or toe wont matter if the tires barely touch, I bet most of your issues is going up and trying to make a shrp turn, remember that the load from the engine is pushing on the spiders and essentially making a foe posi in the transaxle so it trying to go straight, just unload the throttle a bit and it will go. Or add turning brakes, my car is real light on the front too and razors made quite a difference, still need to DRIVE it but much better, I dont use turning brakes either.

Pretty much all of the problem is going up and making a sharp turn. The turning breaks work great but I don't like using them unless I have to. I found this video of me going up test for the first time in that car and you can see the tires don't really touch very much. I always have to completely let off the throttle to make a turn at the top and I want to not have to do that. If the steering tires make it so I only have to blip the gas then they are totally worth it. I'll let you know how it goes in 3 1/2 months.

if you can do it add power steering i did on my car and its a car simaler to yours, you can steer threw the dunes so easy

I have a small mid engine car. Implement tires actually grabbed to much. They would skip and then just grab. It was fun when I wanted to whip it around. Never even used my cutting brakes. Switched to the same razors in the pic and it's a night and day difference. I can actually slide a lot more and with a small turn in the wheel it responds. My car only weighs 800lbs and like I said is a mid engine, so it could be apples to oranges. The razors are nice either way though.

My car pushed big time. Had to add oil and more air pressure to the rear shocks to make it stiffer. For the most part the pushing went away. But I can be third gear pinned and turn the wheel. It starts to turn then just lefts the inside tire. So I need more spring in the shocks. But with air shocks more spring means more air pressure which also means more ride height. To counter that I've been added more oil. More oil increases the spring rate.