Tailhappy

[astonmartine]

Since my Midas got its Dutch MOT last week, I've been doing some driving around this weekend. It was so nice to drive it around. I was very happy with the way it felt on the road. There was just one thing that bugged me.
On the highway, the car felt a bit unstable. First I thought it was struggling a bit with the tracks, because the wheelbase is not as wide as the wheelbase of an avarage car. Then I noticed it's only when I release the throttle. The car starts to waggle a little bit and it feels like the read end wants to overtake the front end. Something that's quite logical for a car that has the weight of engine and passengers all on the front end.
Is this a problem that you also have with your Midasses? And how have you solved it? Should I put some stones or bags of cement in the back to balance the weight?
Or maybe it helps to have a lower tire pressure in the rear tires?

[Hans Efde]

It's not normal. Is the engine sitting correctly on its rubbers? If you rock the engine it should feel solid, perhaps a little bit of movement. If it feels sloppy check all engine mounts.

[astonmartine]

I checked the mounts and rubbers and everything, but all seems ok there.
It's really coming from the back. Like the back of the car is too light.
Could it be something with the rear suspension? Everything also seems in order there, but maybe there is a known problem there?

[Rich]

I'd suggest getting your suspension alignment checked and make sure your toe and camber settings are where they are supposed to be.

[rocketron]

Had a similar problem, rear end had toe out on one side. Set it to about 1/16th ins. toe in and prob disappeared. On my MK1 with single rate rear spring, anything other than softest setting on Spax shocks was a nightmare at high speed lift off.

[Hans Efde]

How do you adjust the toe out at the rear end? I thought it was all factory fixed?

[rocketron]

You're right Hans, it is usually factory set. On that particular car it had a bespoke rear frame which was adjustable for toe-in and camber: my current coupe and the unreg'd convertible are both factory frames.