Spin Out

[Gerald Cashiola]

Anyone done this? Driving in a straight line on the highway (dry road, excellent conditions), accelerate hard in second gear, nail third HARD, and loose it. Happened so fast I couldn't believe the guy actually did it. What did he do wrong? Talked to the guy, it's an '01 RT-10. I have one as well, and am wondering about all the spin stories, don't want to become one of them. Any thoughts?

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

Possibly he just thinks he nailed third, but instead got first?

 

[GTSREDDOG]

I did the same in mine except the spin part..Once the tires broke loose in third gear i let off...Still getting used to all this power...Be careful and enjoy!!!!!

 

[Phil]

Well, it happened to me awhile back. I was driving up a straight road and speeding up....then i spung. But lucky the it swift toward the right and the car finally stop after the wheels hit the curb and thank GOD i'm ok. But my condition was different from yours since it's a little wet that night on the road when this happened to me. But after that, i've learned to take it a bit easy with the Viper. Good luck!

 

[jimandela]

i too have a 2001 and have gotten her half way around ( not a full spin) when i first got her....
took a turn too fast and hit the gas to drive out of the turn and the rear end broke loose and i was sideways...
just takes a while to get used to all the HP..now i have 4500 miles and i feel much more comfortable with her!!!
actually love the car!!!

 

[SAM Team]

For someone who has spun his car out now about 6 times and thank goodness it has all been on the track under controlled conditions, this is what I have learned:

Vipers brake well, accelerate well, and turn well but never do any of the two at the same time, I have really learned this the hard way. Skip Thomas covers this in class at Viper Days but it was a little late for me...I found if you go into a corner a little to fast and you are already in take your chances and stay off the brake and the throttle and you just might get out of it without her coming around on you. It can be a little scary.

I know this did not address the straight ahead problem on the streets which I did have take place with me on one of my more stupid moments with my wife in the car. When I slammed it into second the car tried to come around on me but as soon as I got out of the accelerator it straighten up. Two things to note my car now has a "quaife" in the rear end which is suppose to keep the rear from jumping out from underneath you in a corner and when I have my Hoosier slicks on the car I do not seem to have this problem at the track when I really get on it.

Just a small note at Putnam last weekend, on a wet track, with street tires, car set up for that track at 45 mph pretty much in a straight line no braking, no acceleration all 4 wheels broke lose and the car did a 360 on the track but I never touched the dirt...(I have it on video)go figure you have to watch these beast. I put it in the trailer and went home. I talked to Bobby Archer about this and he said if the car has been track aligned and with the "pilot" Michelin street tires it will not handle at all on a wet track. I believe him...

Come out an join us at Viper Days..

See ya,
SAM 316

 

[Gavin]

MY bet would be "Cold Tires" and a rookie viper driver. Folks if you are going to get randy with the left foot you MUST warm up the car including the tires.
There is nothing wrong with the xar - it is doing what you are asking it to do.
Time for a driving school me thinks!!

 

[Afy]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by CHRIS NJ C5:
The problem is that there is so much torque, the a$$ end can break loose pretty quick with out much of a warning.. Ask Afy, he has pulled a few loops himself..

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I have spun out on dry roads, wet roads, had the brakes lock and spin me 180.. with smoke every which way..

I am surprised that the car is still in one piece..

The car demands respect.. and one should give it..

 

[mayo_pasco]

After having my car for about 10 months of which 8 of them were driveable I still learn things, or should I guess

Saturday night making a right turn just after which I go from 1st to 2nd, rear end wants to go left so I adjust the steering but too much and rear goes right and continues for an eternity to the right, to the right and I end up making a 180 degree facing the traffic (no traffic at the time) and stops slamming my rear right wheel up onto the middle divider cracking the rim and might have tilted the axle too much to ignore it :-(.

Although a too expensive experience I am still amazed how much power this baby has and how much more there is to learn before mastering her (if ever...).

If anyone has a rear rim for sale '96 RT/10 pls let me know so I can put a new rim on and go out and spin again, NOT

 

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

It is very important to understand car balance. Skip Barber discounts their 2 day school 25% to VCA members. And all other schools are discounted 10%. Their schools are great and will help you understand how to control any car. You may want your VCA region to have a Viper specific school, with more Viper seat time. our Region (Terri Angen managed our event) has done this for the past 2 years. We are now considering a more advanced Viper program. Go to Skip Barber or any well know school but all drivers need to understand car control.

 

[Russ M]

Their is a simple solution available for anyone that thinks 450hp and 490lb's of torque is too much for them to handle, and are having problems breaking tires loose in 3rd gear.

Ready?

Here it is, LEARN TO DRIVE!!!
If you are past the age of 20 obviously driving on the street has not been enough experience for you. Take a driving school, if its still a problem for you then sell the Viper and get a minivan.

The Viper is by far one of the most stable, anemic feeling muscle cars on the road. Notice I said feeling, it is not anemic at all just drives like its glued to the road.

 

[AndyR]

I have a '93 and every day driving is no problem. I imagine it is the same for gen II cars also. You may spin the car accelerating around a corner or if your foot is glued to the floor, just be careful, especially in traffic. If you want to burn the tires you can, if you don't want to you don't have to. Like some others before have said, it's the driver, not the car.

 

[Janni]

Amazing. How come people think that they can drive this car like a 4 cylinder Honda? I don't know what people were used to driving before they bought the Viper, but NOTHING prepares you for the amount of torque that is so readily available with this car. And, maybe this is a chick thing, but what's with everyone thinking they need to slam their foot to the floor in order to go fast? What ever happened to s-m-o-o-t-h? Jumping in your car and slamming the gas to break the rear end loose is lame. Not understanding that this car can do that in many gears, in straight line acceleration, on dry pavement is downright dangerous.

Here's a novel idea - drive the car like you have an egg between your foot and the gas. That doesn't mean you cannot use full throttle, it just means that you don't smash the go pedal. Gradually see how the car handles ina variety of situations and after a while you will find that the car is quite predictable. This does not mean you have to drive like a granny - you can still be agreesive, but smooth. Learn what the power feels like. Learn with the brakes feel like, learn what the car feelsl ike right before the rear end breaks loose. And yes, its best to do this at a driving school - and ViperDayus is the best venue, as you have more time in your car with instructors who know how the cars handle....

So, get to a driving school - but in the meantime, don't let any of your inputs be abrupt ones - that unsettles the car and allows the ends to swap positions. Good luck.

 

[BWoodbury]

Janni,

No offense, but have you ever driven your Viper on the street? Perhaps this is not a subject you are very familar with?

Jumping in the car and slamming the gas to break the rear end loose is a hell of a lot of fun. But it is not a good idea for those who have not have some experience with this sort of power...

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Janni:
maybe this is a chick thing,

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Janni, you are absolutely correct. Women by nature will proceed gently and smoothly in and out of the turns, allowing time to "feel" everything and gradually working their way around towards a more rapid invigorating pace.

Men however, immediately want to thrust deeper and harder in and out, not allowing the fluids and lubricants to maximize their purpose. Often referred to as premature acceleration, which results in a brief and unsatisfactory evening…er, I mean day at the track.

I need to find a job.

 

[Janni]

Now there's a new one - I am getting abused becasue I don't drive my car on the street enough. Great - talk about not being able to win.

Bob, yes, playing around with breaking the rear end loose is great fun. I LOVE the skidpad. But, I have also done this a lot in a controlled environment, so I can hang the back end out in a complete lap if I want. I DID not get used to doing it on the street - I have an aversion to hitting things. And while I guess I can understand the showboating aspect of breaking the back end loose and taking of in a cloud of smoke, I cannot understand why someone would want to do it if they had not done it so many times that they knew EXACTLY where the car was going.

For the record, I DO drive the car on the street and I enjoy it - just have nothing to prove while I am out there...

And Chuck - too funny..... Hope to see you at The Glen.