15 replies to this topic

[richdutton]

My first car was a Fiat Panda (don't laugh: it was all-right) and when it span it's wheels it did it in the way I'd come to expect where the car stayed totally stationary. Next I bought a Puma. This had the horrible habbit of shuddering violently when it wheel-spun. I put this down to the (useless) partial traction control but my next car, a Celica, did the same trick. Another Puma (couldn't get enough of them) did it too. Now the VX seems to do it sometimes, but not always (most of the time it behaves as the Panda did).
Does anyone know what causes this shuddering and why it happens?

[mcarrick69]

I've 'eventually' came to the conclusion that vx220's are not meant to wheel spin!! The traction seems pretty much amazing compared to previous cars I've owned. In addition to this I snapped an engine mount in the first few weeks of owning this, surely due to to wheels spinning deliberately. P.S Accidental wheel spin seems pretty smooth nowadays. However I did get horrible judders with a snapped mount. You may wanna search for 'engine mount' to check you dont suffer any other symptoms!!!

[Paul.Stuhlfelder]

Before the engine in my spider died (damn Alfa's!) it used to spin a lot in the wet when driving off. I always found that it would judder and bounce if there was even a slight bit of turn in the wheel, but would squeal smoothly if it was in a straight line. The spacesaver was a right challenge in the wet

[DanL]

The shudder is due to the tyres loosing and regaining grip. The better the car is at keeping grip with the road, the more shudder is likely (also depends on road surface and conditions, obviously). By this I mean if the tyres grip, spin, grip and spin again, you get loads of shudder. My old GTV never used to shudder - it just span or gripped. MX-5 had an alarming amount. Never really span the wheels of the VX (unless it was very wet, in which case no shudder as the tyres didn't regain grip and then loose it again - they either had it or they didn't). Current BM has no shudder, but I think the TC helps there! Dan

Edited by DanL, 28 October 2004 - 10:50 AM.

[Whiteboy]

I would guess light cars wheel spin alot smoother, but it still does the car no good at all

[WoodenDummy]

My MR2 would bouce badly when the wheels span, as said above it's as the wheels grip then spin then grip again. S'almost a good thing.

[madasahatter]

Could it be Axle Tramp? Not sure what to do about it though. Steve

[NOEXCESSBAGGAGE]

On RWD cars - the shudder is poor damping control. On FWD cars - it is a combination of torque-steer & poor damping control. On cars fitted with Traction Control - you shouldn't experience shudder unless the TC is switched orff, in which case it will then depend upon the above two situations...........

[Gedi]

Mine spins all the time in first second and third, and it's as smooth as a babies bum. You would never know its spinning if it wasn't for the engine revs rising rapidly and the car not picking up speed.

[BogBrush]

You would never know its spinning if it wasn't for the engine revs rising rapidly and the car not picking up speed.

You sure that's not a slipping clutch?

[chetwin]

Gedi, am I right in assuming your wheelspinning "all the time" refers to in the wet? My VXT, similiar spec to yours just grips and goes in the dry.

[Gedi]

Gedi, am I right in assuming your wheelspinning "all the time" refers to in the wet? My VXT, similiar spec to yours just grips and goes in the dry.

Yeah, it's not too bad in the dry.
Throughout the summer I didn't have any issues with losing straight line traction, but now as winter is seting in it spins quite a lot.

Always in the wet, occasionally in the dry.

It's getting more and more powerful as I put the miles on. When I first had my stage 2 (3K miles), it used to grip in the wet and the dry.
Another 5K miles later and it's a different car.

[Timbo]

Gedi, you know how to stop it spinning all the time.....gentle on the throttle As someone on here told me its not a bloody switch you know

[Gedi]

Yes, but you need telling as your always losing it. I've yet to spin mine* *I hope I'm not tempting fate

Edited by Gedi, 28 October 2004 - 06:55 PM.

[DanL]

Axle tramp - that's the fella. Knew there was a name for it... Dan