TTO: a force to be reckoned with.

[WardL]

Is TTO a cornering issue or acceleration issue? 1) Let's say you are doing burnouts (like a HS kid) and the rear end starts to drift sideways (at low speed); is this TTO? or 2) going into a corner and the rear breaks loose and slips sideways; TTO? Is TTO only when de-accelerating into corner or when accelerating out of a corner? Seems like it has to be associated with braking into a corner for TTO. Have I asked enough questions for one paragraph?

[Tom Wells]

WardL,

Before I start the lecture, all those with less than 100 horsepower may leave the room (unless it's raining LOL )

In simple terms TTO happens while turning:

TT = Trailing Throttle: the engine has been told to decelerate the car (the driver has let off the gas)
OVERSTEER: The rear of the car thinks it should pass the front as a result of TT

When you lift off the gas while the car is turning, the rear will try to pass the front. In a Cobra being driven spiritedly, it happens so fast it's almost below the level of human perception. I DO know this...

If the car is going slowly, that is, nowhere near its limit of adhesion, there is often time to correct the situation. All you may experience is a lurch.

If the car is cornering at or near 100%, you will know what being inside of a blender is like

Try to experience this yourself only in a flat, open, level space.

This doesn't include places having other vehicles, curbs, berms, ditches, trees, light poles or other relatively immovable objects.

Public roads, freeway entrances or exits, exits from parking areas where a turn is made going in or out, entrances to subdivisions, well, you get the idea, are not real fine places to experience this physics demonstration unexpectedly.

It's fairly simple. It can have less than optimal results if you haven't practiced it.

A corollary to this is: make sure all four wheels are pointed in the same direction before applying any significant amount of throttle. Almost all y'all know how much throttle that is!

Tom