Ctr Ep3 Poor Handling Help!

[ALEX 98 1 Cars]

My Civic Type R has been great, not done much to it since I got it as I've been spending most of my free time on the Cti.

I replaced the worn rear Cooper tyres to Toyos recentley and now it handles soggy (a bit scary at 70-80).

I thought Toyos were good so I took it to the garage and they suggested a front shock had gone, these are gas filled and quite firm so it's hard to tell.

I had the front shocks off yesterday and they are fine. I replaced the drop links and ARB bushes as I had a light knocking, which is now gone, but the soggy handling is still there.

There's no play in the track rod ends, but they feel springy, so I'm replacing them today, the lower ball joints have been barred by the garage and they are fine, and there's no play in the front wish bone bushes either.

I'm thinking about checking the rear shocks by removing them like I did the front. If not I'm thinking it doesn't like the Toyos!

Could I have a set of Fake Toyos? the tyre place did look dodgey.

Edited April 5, 2013 by ALEX

[rallysteve 22]

Have you checked the tyre pressures. I had a set of Avons put on my volvo and they asked what pressure I wanted. I told them 32psi however after a week of bad handling (especially at high speed) i thought I would check the pressures turns out they had put 60psi in them! I assume they did that to seat the bead then just wanged them back on

 

Steve

[welshpug 1,657]

Always found Toyo's to be a bit soggy feeling.

 

Is it otherwise 100% stock? High mileage?

[Anthony 1,003]

No experience of Toyo's on a Breadvan, but they're good on my 306 which is broadly similar size/weight (195/55R15 T1-R's)

 

As said, check the pressures and remember that new tyres can take a few miles for the release agent to wear off, and they can feel a bit off until that happens.

[Rich_p 23]

may be unrelated but worth checking anyway - Check the powersteering fluid level. On my civic when it gets low (it has a slight leak) the steering feels wayward wandery and awful, top it up and bleed it and the feel comes back.

[Rich_p 23]

Also prob worth getting the tracking checked too, if that's out that can provide some unpleasent characteristics on the motorway

[ALEX 98 1 Cars]

Cheers for the replies.

I've just got a new pair of Track rod ends to swap so I'll be getting the tracking done tomorrow.

Might put the Toyos on the front and see if it feels different.

[dcc 855]

my civic was a bitch to get round a corner at any considerable speed, having checked the rear shocks were dead and the lower track control arms on the rear were also dead.

[jord294 92]

I had adjustable camber bolts and rear arms fitted to mine. Also had fast road set up on 4 wheel alignment.

 

2 brand new bt050s and it has transformed the car

[mikeygulley 19 1 Cars]

When I bought T1R's for the first time it felt like the car was on ice skates for a fair few miles.

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

A couple of times I've had awful handling from new tyres on the back of a FWD car. My solution, put them on the front and give them some bastard for the first few hundred miles then swap to the back.

[matt.f 16]

EP3's have electric power steering.

Have had T1-R's on the back of mine for two years and they seem to grip well in the dry,in the wet if you back off though you can get the back end out.Hankook v12 evo are a lot better.But ive just ordered 4x Goodyear f1 assymetric 2's(supposed to be the best tyre atm).

Mine feels good and ive never had a problem in 30k miles(now on nearly 80k).

A set of 1144 pads and decent fluid transforms them for fast road driving.

As said above a fast road set up transforms them in handling area,i keep getting blagged off stevie at Eightspeed to do it but not got round to it.

[the matt 13 2 Cars]

It might sound too simplistic, but if the problem started when you fitted the tyres, I'd suggest that they're the first port of call. Even if they're just a few psi out, if can make a big difference to the feel of the car. You could try swapping them to the front and see if the problem changes, or goes away.

[Phil H 16]

Run it on the Bridgestone RE040 tyres as they have very stiff sidewalls. They came out of the factory with them and anything else is scary. (So I found on mine anyway)

[ALEX 98 1 Cars]

Just had the traking done with new Track rods fitted and swapped the Toyos to the front and put the part worn coopers on the back.

The steering felt light but I need to take it for a propper run yet to see if its any different on the motorway.

[DaveW 6]

Run it on the Bridgestone RE040 tyres as they have very stiff sidewalls. They came out of the factory with them and anything else is scary. (So I found on mine anyway)

 

I've also read this as well, they dont seem to like other tyres. bit shocked to find they dont come with an lsd either! only the jdm ones do and they was built in swindon too...

[the matt 13 2 Cars]

Ditch the Toyos!

[jord294 92]

What he said ^^^^^^^

 

Get the bridgestones! RE050s are what I have.

 

I nearly bought Goodyear f1s. But at the end of the day Honda spent millions developing the CTR, so they wouldn't get it wrong about tyres would they

[shalmaneser 26]

Put the Toyos on the front, see if that changes things.

[matt.f 16]

Just because a company use Bridgestone,pirelli,hankook etc doesnt mean you have to keep the same make on lol.

Theres better tyres out there now than when the EP3 was first made(a long time ago now).

My v12 evo have been the best tyres ive had on mine and that includes re040a,t1r and avon zz3.

Will now see how the F1 assy 2's go.

[ALEX 98 1 Cars]

Put the Toyos on the front, see if that changes things.

 

Made a huge difference, back to normal now as I doubt it was the track rods.

I can boot it again without emptying my bowls.

[matt.f 16]

Got the Eagle F1's assy 2's on and they are awesome,in a league of their own compared with what ive had before.