Last month when Oscar got rebuilt, I've only driven him a few times because I got my H2 back from CA from getting a Duramax conversion.

Point is, I haven't driven him much....

When I put the OS Giken LSD in the car, it seemed to drive fine. Very shortly, I started to feel what felt like torque steer.

It was minor and I really only noticed it as I was coming out of a long turn such as an exit ramp and would nail the gas.

It seemed to pull in a straight line though I was still "in the turn". I thought this was because of my unfamiliarity with the LSD and blew it off.

I'll wait till I've driven it more to get accustomed to it.

Over the last couple of weeks, I've only driven him 3-4 times. It felt like the torque steer was getting worse and worse. Last night I drove Oscar and the torque steer made the car not even driveable.

I'd hit the gas and the car would pull HARD to the right... when I pushed the clutch in, the car would violently jerk to the left and back again when released.

Forget going to the track, this thing isn't even driveable on the street.

At that point, it became evident I wasn't imagining it, this is plain unsafe.

I was going to pull over and check it out but with the car so low to the ground, there wasn't much I was going to be able to see so I drove it home gingerly.

I figured I'd drive it to work, put it up on the lift and check it out.

I started the car up this morning and made it one block down the road and then it happened.

The nut holding the balljoint onto the spindle fell off. Needless to say, the wheel slammed into the frame as I immediately came to a stop.

Thank God I was doing about 20 mph, another mile and I would have been running on a highway on the way to work.

I walked home, got a jack and some tools, found the nut on the road and bolted it up enough to drive it home.

When I got home tonight, I installed another nut and Monday I will redo the alignment.

That could have been ugly....

Mark

PS. Yes, I can only assume we didn't tighten the nut up all the way, I can't imagine why it could work it's way loose by itself.

 

Or even better....imagine if it was a customer's car...

Lucky it was your own and that you weren't going fast...

 

wow. glad its still alright.

 

Wow, that's nuts.

Good it was not major!

 

When is your next trackday? I am really interested in hearing your thoughts on the BC coilovers on the track and normal day to day driving.

 

Yikes. Glad it all worked out.

 

I was suppose to go this coming week and at the end of the week also... but to be honest, I've been up to my eyeballs, I just don't have the time to make these ones.It may be next spring before I get a chance.

I'm really anxious to go again, I just need to find the time.


Mark

 

Same here, i was really wanting to go back to VIR on the 14th and 15th but its just not looking good. I cant wait to see oscar in person again and get some more track time to boot.

 

Orangecrush has had more Mini escapades than anyone, I swear. But I think you should have known something was going on with your car the way it was acting. That could've been a nasty accidente if that had come loose at speed. Yikes.