Baleno levitation at 125+

ritik123 · 13th July 2005, 14:43

I do 100 kmph (only driver with a.c) everyday on my Baleno. It has stock tyres. Have never felt any such issues. Have done 140 -160 kmph with 4 passengers and luggage on the highways. Above 150 the steering feels light but I guess it might be (as also suggested by others) subjective to me as i drive at those speeds maybe once in 4 months. So since I am not used to such speeds everyday, maybe i am not accustomed to it. I keep my tyre pressure below the recommended 29psi. This provides a softer ride and more grip. You may try this. For the sake of completeness I hope you were not driving with any of ur windows down. this can seriously affect handling at such speeds.

Anyway i guess there isnt much to worry about....a Baleno will NEVER EVER lift on a straight road no matter what !!.

Samurai · 13th July 2005, 14:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by ritik123

I hope you were not driving with any of ur windows down. this can seriously affect handling at such speeds.

I never drive with my window down.

May be in the next T-BHP drive I will ask some of you guys to take it to 130KMPH and see how it feels.

RX135 · 13th July 2005, 14:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by ritik123

I keep my tyre pressure below the recommended 29psi. This provides a softer ride and more grip.

Please go through other threads on correct typre pressure. Running at less than recommended pressure, can land you up in serious trouble at high speeds.

speedsatya · 13th July 2005, 18:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by ritik123

. I keep my tyre pressure below the recommended 29psi. This provides a softer ride and more grip. You may try this.

!.

dude,
never do that.if its 29 psi that maruti recommends,try and keep 2-3 psi more on the highways whenever high speed driving is involved.your chances of a tire burst will increase with lower pressure.

search an du will find many topics on this.

Ford Rocam · 13th July 2005, 19:52

Has wheel balancing & alighnment done properly ?Just check it with other wheel alighnment dealer not from where you bought the alloys and tyres, after doing this check wether the problem persist or not, if still problem persist just swap ur rear tyres to front and front to rear in same direction and check again, if still ur problem is not solved try to borrow a different brand of tyre like bridgestone and check it again. is ur tyres are directional tyres ? if yes all the tyres has to be installed in a particular direction specified on tyre ,usually u will find some sort of marking.

balenopower · 13th July 2005, 22:13

nah...never felt anything like that on my baleno.....hit 140 + speeds on my baleno during teh lonavala trip last sunday....well the steering did lighten up at 140 +.but i think thts because its a lightweight car.....might be wrong....but not to an alarming extent...im running stock tyres

Samurai · 13th July 2005, 22:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford Rocam

Has wheel balancing & alighnment done properly ?Just check it with other wheel alighnment dealer not from where you bought the alloys and tyres, after doing this check wether the problem persist or not,

It is a brand new car from the factory, therefore alignment was necessary. However wheel balancing was done after the wheel change.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford Rocam

if still ur problem is not solved try to borrow a different brand of tyre like bridgestone and check it again.

Oh, C'mon. Iceman's Super Baleno had the same tyre, that can't be it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford Rocam

is ur tyres are directional tyres ? if yes all the tyres has to be installed in a particular direction specified on tyre ,usually u will find some sort of marking.

Yes, it is directional. It is V pattern from the front all over.

v1p3r · 13th July 2005, 22:58

One theory: Maybe it's just that you're sensitive to it. I mean, your last car was a 3.2l V6, with over 240bhp. That was obviously configured for much higher speeds. So when you drive an Indian car, you find it less stable at a similar speed.

I've not really noticed it on my car, but that's not saying much. My speed bursts are limited to the Ring Road, unlike your own highway experiences, and like I told you, I'm busy as hell just trying to concentrate and stay focussed.

But having said that, the car itself feels much lighter at those speeds.

Maybe you should drive mine the next time we meet, just to check.

Mpower · 13th July 2005, 23:01

Get a deep front spoiler for your car. Hopefully that should take care of it. Another thing to try is the toe alignment. Increase the 'toe-in' (although its done to prevent wandering)

For further advice, best to contact Leela's garage in Coiambatore. They are in the business of making the Baleno fly (......I mean stick to the ground)

ritik123 · 14th July 2005, 12:34

Samurai,

If u were driving a bigger car before, then the Baleno (or any smaller car for that matter) will feel lighter. I drove a 170 bhp V6 in the US for 2 months and after coming home my Baleno felt very nimble. Aided no doubt by the condition of our roads !.

I think its just a matter of time before u get used to the car.

speedsatya · 14th July 2005, 13:18

Quote:

Oh, C'mon. Iceman's Super Baleno had the same tyre, that can't be it.

hehe,u just cannot compare your stock car with that beast.it had those tires with modded suspensions.but u have the stock one

Shan2nu · 14th July 2005, 14:00

Well, if your steering alone feels light at high speeds, then you've got excess toe-out.

Get the toe angles checked at a service station and get it set according you your style.

BTW, is the car nimble on the twisties? Toe out helps get the car into corners but not very good at hgih speed stability.

Shan2nu

Revvhead · 14th July 2005, 15:19

Well, i have caned it at around 160 flat on the expressway with really no problems at all,
yes under mod/heavy braking i do get a light feeling (luckily have never needed to do any of that in my case at 160 odd, but need to do so at 120 in the city)

My suggestion (a hopefully cheap solution) would be to go for a front air dam (skirt)
a decently made one will help push the air around the sides of the car rather than under, giving you a lot more stability

sidharth · 17th July 2005, 21:41

well, i dont know about u guys.... but me in the blue team fs ikon and the black baleno with the 17" were on the express.... i was doin about 180 and fahad(fs) passed me in the baleno at around 200....... and i dont think he had any problems with the baleno with that smile on his face.......

turbo_lover · 17th July 2005, 22:11

its not like the baleno is taking off at such speeds ..but how stable do you think it feels while cutting lanes at 150 ? the front doesnt bite as much as you'd want it to ...

pulling a straight line speed is not an issue ...

have you guys been cutting lanes at such speeds in the baleno ? i wasnt feeling too confident doing so in a baleno ..

13th July 2005, 14:43	#16
ritik123 BHPian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United States Posts: 123 Thanked: 4 Times	I do 100 kmph (only driver with a.c) everyday on my Baleno. It has stock tyres. Have never felt any such issues. Have done 140 -160 kmph with 4 passengers and luggage on the highways. Above 150 the steering feels light but I guess it might be (as also suggested by others) subjective to me as i drive at those speeds maybe once in 4 months. So since I am not used to such speeds everyday, maybe i am not accustomed to it. I keep my tyre pressure below the recommended 29psi. This provides a softer ride and more grip. You may try this. For the sake of completeness I hope you were not driving with any of ur windows down. this can seriously affect handling at such speeds. Anyway i guess there isnt much to worry about....a Baleno will NEVER EVER lift on a straight road no matter what !!.
	() Thanks

13th July 2005, 19:52	#20
Ford Rocam BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Mumbai-India Posts: 878 Thanked: 23 Times	Has wheel balancing & alighnment done properly ?Just check it with other wheel alighnment dealer not from where you bought the alloys and tyres, after doing this check wether the problem persist or not, if still problem persist just swap ur rear tyres to front and front to rear in same direction and check again, if still ur problem is not solved try to borrow a different brand of tyre like bridgestone and check it again. is ur tyres are directional tyres ? if yes all the tyres has to be installed in a particular direction specified on tyre ,usually u will find some sort of marking.
	() Thanks

13th July 2005, 22:13	#21
balenopower BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Bombay Posts: 957 Thanked: 465 Times View My Garage	nah...never felt anything like that on my baleno.....hit 140 + speeds on my baleno during teh lonavala trip last sunday....well the steering did lighten up at 140 +.but i think thts because its a lightweight car.....might be wrong....but not to an alarming extent...im running stock tyres
	() Thanks

13th July 2005, 22:58	#23
v1p3r Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: BLR / DXB / LON Posts: 5,334 Thanked: 6,896 Times View My Garage	One theory: Maybe it's just that you're sensitive to it. I mean, your last car was a 3.2l V6, with over 240bhp. That was obviously configured for much higher speeds. So when you drive an Indian car, you find it less stable at a similar speed. I've not really noticed it on my car, but that's not saying much. My speed bursts are limited to the Ring Road, unlike your own highway experiences, and like I told you, I'm busy as hell just trying to concentrate and stay focussed. But having said that, the car itself feels much lighter at those speeds. Maybe you should drive mine the next time we meet, just to check.
	() Thanks

13th July 2005, 23:01	#24
Mpower Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 10,409 Thanked: 1,729 Times View My Garage	Get a deep front spoiler for your car. Hopefully that should take care of it. Another thing to try is the toe alignment. Increase the 'toe-in' (although its done to prevent wandering) For further advice, best to contact Leela's garage in Coiambatore. They are in the business of making the Baleno fly (......I mean stick to the ground)
	() Thanks

14th July 2005, 12:34	#25
ritik123 BHPian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United States Posts: 123 Thanked: 4 Times	Samurai, If u were driving a bigger car before, then the Baleno (or any smaller car for that matter) will feel lighter. I drove a 170 bhp V6 in the US for 2 months and after coming home my Baleno felt very nimble. Aided no doubt by the condition of our roads !. I think its just a matter of time before u get used to the car.
	() Thanks

14th July 2005, 14:00	#27
Shan2nu Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Hubli - Karnata Posts: 5,533 Thanked: 125 Times View My Garage	Well, if your steering alone feels light at high speeds, then you've got excess toe-out. Get the toe angles checked at a service station and get it set according you your style. BTW, is the car nimble on the twisties? Toe out helps get the car into corners but not very good at hgih speed stability. Shan2nu
	() Thanks

14th July 2005, 15:19	#28
Revvhead BHPian Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Bombay Posts: 450 Thanked: 20 Times View My Garage	Well, i have caned it at around 160 flat on the expressway with really no problems at all, yes under mod/heavy braking i do get a light feeling (luckily have never needed to do any of that in my case at 160 odd, but need to do so at 120 in the city) My suggestion (a hopefully cheap solution) would be to go for a front air dam (skirt) a decently made one will help push the air around the sides of the car rather than under, giving you a lot more stability
	() Thanks

17th July 2005, 21:41	#29
sidharth Newbie Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: bombay Posts: 3 Thanked: 0 Times	well, i dont know about u guys.... but me in the blue team fs ikon and the black baleno with the 17" were on the express.... i was doin about 180 and fahad(fs) passed me in the baleno at around 200....... and i dont think he had any problems with the baleno with that smile on his face.......
	() Thanks

17th July 2005, 22:11	#30
turbo_lover Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,377 Thanked: 9 Times	its not like the baleno is taking off at such speeds ..but how stable do you think it feels while cutting lanes at 150 ? the front doesnt bite as much as you'd want it to ... pulling a straight line speed is not an issue ... have you guys been cutting lanes at such speeds in the baleno ? i wasnt feeling too confident doing so in a baleno ..
	() Thanks