How to make the car more stable on highway with wind?

[visx]

I was driving on a highway on a windy day (yesterday) at around 120-130km/h. And my passenger and myself can feel that the car is slightly swaying/unstable. I feel that the rear wheels swaying quite a bit compare to the front. My car is a 2012 3 sky hatch. What can make it more stable? Harder spring? Lower spring? Adding a ms3 spoiler? Or just don't drive that fast? ;D Is it normal for a hatch because of the body shape (more drag)? Thanks!

[The Wolf]

In the winds we had yesterday, you're always gonna get pushed around a bit. Stiffer suspension and lower profile tires would help I guess, but you'd still get pushed around in winds like that.

[Unoriginalusername]

I was driving on a highway on a windy day (yesterday) at around 120-130km/h. And my passenger and myself can feel that the car is slightly swaying/unstable. I feel that the rear wheels swaying quite a bit compare to the front. My car is a 2012 3 sky hatch. What can make it more stable? Harder spring? Lower spring? Adding a ms3 spoiler? Or just don't drive that fast? ;D Is it normal for a hatch because of the body shape (more drag)? Thanks!

Winter tires, softer & taller sidewalls and blocky tread patterns move around a lot more as do improperly inflated tires. check your PSI first as that is the least expensive fix, second is using a wider lower profile tire with a summer/all season tread pattern. slowing down on windy days is the least expensive and most practical. you drive a small econobox, there is no getting around that in the end.

After that you start looking at sway bars, these help significantly in the summer but they compromise winter grip. that extra flex is what keeps the tire in position, being 100% ridged puts all the stress on the contact patch itself. Springs can also help reduce the body's reaction to a gust of wind... combined tires, springs and sways will feel more stable at the same speed on dry roads

[visx]

Yeah, I am using 16" winter tires. Maybe that contributes a bit. The tires are inflated to 40PSI (according to the user manual, normal tires 36 psi, winter tires + 4.3). I should have slowed down. But the traffic in yesterday was so good (compare to weekdays), I can't waste the opportunity to go fast!! :chuckle

So stiffer(and slightly lower) springs are better than harder/thicker sway bars in the winter?

[Unoriginalusername]

Yeah, I am using 16" winter tires. Maybe that contributes a bit. The tires are inflated to 40PSI (according to the user manual, normal tires 36 psi, winter tires + 4.3). I should have slowed down. But the traffic in yesterday was so good (compare to weekdays), I can't waste the opportunity to go fast!! :chuckle

So stiffer(and slightly lower) springs are better than harder/thicker sway bars in the winter?

springs and sway bar changes do not help grip in snow and ice

[visx]

springs and sway bar changes do not help grip in snow and ice

Yes, I know they won't help. But which one is less "harmful" to winter handling? Thanks!

[Unoriginalusername]

Yes, I know they won't help. But which one is less "harmful" to winter handling? Thanks!

springs would be less harmful IMO

[Fuman]

I was driving on a highway on a windy day (yesterday) at around 120-130km/h. And my passenger and myself can feel that the car is slightly swaying/unstable. I feel that the rear wheels swaying quite a bit compare to the front. My car is a 2012 3 sky hatch. What can make it more stable? Harder spring? Lower spring? Adding a ms3 spoiler? Or just don't drive that fast? ;D Is it normal for a hatch because of the body shape (more drag)? Thanks!
1) Your car is FF, the weight distribution is front heavy. In other words, you need more energy to move the front than the rear.
2) From the side perspective, the front has less surface area than the rear for which the wind can push against.

[visx]

1) Your car is FF, the weight distribution is front heavy. In other words, you need more energy to move the front than the rear.
2) From the side perspective, the front has less surface area than the rear for which the wind can push against.

Hmm, #2 make sense. I guess I shouldn't try to make my 3 handle like a real sport car. It is just not built that way. At least it is not an ordinary econobox. It corners great even with stock suspension!

[Unoriginalusername]

Hmm, #2 make sense. I guess I shouldn't try to make my 3 handle like a real sport car. It is just not built that way. At least it is not an ordinary econobox. It corners great even with stock suspension!

you should have tried driving my honda fit sport last week when we had those really high winds... cruise on at 105 and i was still both hands at the wheel sawing away at it as it is even lighter with a flatter side panel than the three

[Booter22]

well for 1, i dont think your the only one whos car was being pushed around in the super high winds yesterday, so there really isnt all the much you can do to prevent this, i was going 90km/h on the highway and still being pushed, mind you 120-130km/h is a bit excessive in yesterdays driving conditions. but theres nothing you could add that would prevent that swaying from the wind, spring lower or harder wouldnt make that much of a difference or at least i didnt notice a difference in my own car( lowering springs and strut tower bar), and a speed spoiler wouldnt help at all.

best advise i could give would be to slow down do the posted speed limit and just drive it out like everyone else had to.

[standsideways]

I was driving on a highway on a windy day (yesterday) at around 120-130km/h. And my passenger and myself can feel that the car is slightly swaying/unstable. I feel that the rear wheels swaying quite a bit compare to the front. My car is a 2012 3 sky hatch. What can make it more stable? Harder spring? Lower spring? Adding a ms3 spoiler? Or just don't drive that fast? ;D Is it normal for a hatch because of the body shape (more drag)? Thanks!


did you not see the wind warning??? damaged towns and whatnot?

ANY vehicle will be blown around on the highway at 120-130km/h with constantly changing 100kmh gusts!

seriously... what are springs going to do? blow your stock shocks prematurely causing WORSE handling?

ms3 spoiler wont do much untill around your cars speed limiter.

ide say check the weather, drive according to environment canada issued warnings, and we wont have these issues :)

[Fuman]

Hmm, #2 make sense. I guess I shouldn't try to make my 3 handle like a real sport car. It is just not built that way. At least it is not an ordinary econobox. It corners great even with stock suspension!
Improving Mazda 3's handling characteristics is really up to the driver. However, handling is for the most part separate from the wind issue.

Of all the ideas listed, the spoiler may help the most.
To explain this: Imagine there is a eraser in front of you. If you push it on the side, it will move sideways with ease. Using your other hand's finger, you push down on the eraser. Now, try to move the eraser sideways again, you will find that it is harder to push the eraser sideways.

However, how much will it help? I'm not sure as I don't know the mathematical formulas to give you a precise answer.

As some of the members have mentioned, be-careful next time there is a wind warning, we would hate to see you get hurt.

[visx]

be-careful next time there is a wind warning, we would hate to see you get hurt.

Oops! Yeah, that was a bit scary. I knew the wind was strong that day. But didn't realize it can be dangerous. No wonder I was the fastest car on the road. I was kinda testing how good the 3 is at higher speed. My poor passenger was holding the door handle tightly during the whole ride :P

In theory, lowering the car and a spoiler with more downward force will help on windy road at high speed. Both will help create a downward force for the car. And it results in more traction. The added traction will help to prevent the car from blowing off track.

[Impressive]

Oops! Yeah, that was a bit scary. I knew the wind was strong that day. But didn't realize it can be dangerous. No wonder I was the fastest car on the road. I was kinda testing how good the 3 is at higher speed. My poor passenger was holding the door handle tightly during the whole ride :P

In theory, lowering the car and a spoiler with more downward force will help on windy road at high speed. Both will help create a downward force for the car. And it results in more traction. The added traction will help to prevent the car from blowing off track.

Lowering may potentially help you, but I hope you don't go around thinking a MS3 spoiler is going to give you even a remotely noticeable increase in stability under 250km/h.

[GWN]

slam it :D

lower centre of gravity = more highway stability

1) less wind under the car
2) you won't want to drive fast when you're slammed lol

[Unoriginalusername]

Lowering may potentially help you, but I hope you don't go around thinking a MS3 spoiler is going to give you even a remotely noticeable increase in stability under 250km/h.

it doesn't help much at above 250 either (or so at least i've hear :chuckle )

[Default User]

Open all the windows up in your car so the side winds go through the car rather than push it

[visx]

Open all the windows up in your car so the side winds go through the car rather than push it

LOL. At first I thought it is a joke. But that is actually true. :)

The angle of the spoiler probably determine at which speed it is started to be effective. Eg, the electronically controlled wing on a 911 deploys at about 80km/h. If the spoiler of the ms3 is only effective above 250km/h, it is mainly there for the look.

[The Wolf]

...the spoiler of the ms3... is mainly there for the look.

bingo :thumbsup