Turning circle question for owners

[TheDon]

wont it flip if you take a snap turn like that? I do think the wide rear wheels and the negative camber only help so much

[MarkB]

It is very difficult to flip a Smart in the forward direction, but it is not hard to flip it while going in reverse. This is why they limited the reverse speed on new ForTwo's. The old ones had a problem with that (people trying to do "Knight Riders" as we called it)

[Smartdavis]

My passenger went white when I made a quick turn around in a cul-du-sac and asked the same question "are we going to flip over"....it didn't feel like it to me...the car felt glued the road...it feels very very stable in a turn

[HGB]

A retired automobile engineer told me that one should never turn the steering wheel all the way. When an extreme position in either direction has been attained, one should then back off a bit, otherwise the linkage will suffer.

[SubSlr88]

Originally Posted by HGB

A retired automobile engineer told me that one should never turn the steering wheel all the way. When an extreme position in either direction has been attained, one should then back off a bit, otherwise the linkage will suffer.

That's probably true with power steering, but I'm not sure manual steering would be affected in any way. . . just my $.02.

[Westfield 11]

Originally Posted by HGB

A retired automobile engineer told me that one should never turn the steering wheel all the way. When an extreme position in either direction has been attained, one should then back off a bit, otherwise the linkage will suffer.

Maybe he was the guy I was behind in the Costco parking lot yesterday making a 12 point turn. He seemed to have a fear of turning the wheel more than 3/4 rotation. God forbid that the wheels would turn more than 3 inches away from straightahead.

[retiltxet]

Originally Posted by HGB

A retired automobile engineer told me that one should never turn the steering wheel all the way. When an extreme position in either direction has been attained, one should then back off a bit, otherwise the linkage will suffer.

on older power steering systems it would result in overpressure, when you turned lock to lock. But, nowadays they are idiot proof. You will hear the pump make a higher pitched sound, but there is a spring with a ball bearing on the end of it inside of a threaded assembly. This prevents over pressure. That noise is the excess of fluid passing at a higher than normal rate. I still dont do it to my car, but theres the rationale.

as far as tie rods go, thats another story.

[JPaul]

Just to be sure, isn't the smart power steering an electric assist without a pump?

[retiltxet]

Originally Posted by JPaul

Just to be sure, isn't the smart power steering an electric assist without a pump?

yes it is

[smartHHO]

Second time I drove the smart for a test drive, my dealer had me park in one parking spot, then do a half turn, and then the rest of the circle to show me how it could do such a tight turn. Manuel was the way to go for me. Less $$ out of pocket and still easy to turn. But, from what I have read, the electronic assist makes the high speeds in winds easier. But I say, no small car handles well in high winds. LOL