After being stuck at the intersection of a six-lane highway for several minutes, I finally decide to punch it and jump across. So I basically floored it across three lanes to make sure I didn't scare anyone, then turned 90 degrees left into the center turning lane. When I did the car leaned (fairly hard, as you'd imagine), then suddenly it heeled over farther and much faster. Not a potential roll situation, but there were definitely two stages to the turn; normal body roll (with an RSB), then another, faster roll sensation. The RSB didn't break or come loose (I checked ), so...

Is it possible to pull the inside wheel off the ground with an RSB? Isn't that only possible with a light, stiff-suspended car?

 

Truth is, by the laws of physics, any vehicle can roll. It is the interplay of traction, momentum, and center of gravity (plus some other forces, but those are the biggies).

 

Yes you could but I bet not very easily with street tires. FWD cars seem to do it with RSBs and sticky tires (autox).

 

You probably felt the sidewalls of your tires roll under. That will happen when they reach their limits.

 

VW Jettas do it box stock - can't see why a Max with swaybar wouldn't in extreme situations.

 

I agree with njmaxseltd...check the sidewall for scuffing. Then check your tire pressure, make sure it's up to spec.

 

After the first post I did check the sidewalls - no scuffing on front or rear, and the tire pressure was 35 (about what I normally run). I also read on maximadriver.com that with a sway bar it's not uncommon for the inside wheel to lift.

Now the problem is to resist the temptation to try it again and see if it really happened...don't try this at home...

 

I've done it at the track, didn't know it happened until someone told me the inside rear wheel was off the ground a few inches and turning slowly. Surprising a car as big as the Maxima would even more surrising that you were able to do it on the street. Time for you to get Springs and Dampers.

A sway bar will increase the chances of your wheel coming off the ground. When it happend to me I only had the Stillen RSB, not sure if it will do it now with my JICs, hopefully not.

 

I've done it both on the street and AutoX in a bone-stock Jetta (pretty much all 80's Jetta's and Golf's would do it). Also did it routinely in an 85 Civic Hatchback. I've seen lots of front-drive cars do it at autocrosses.

My own observation has been if you have a FWD car with stock springs and a RSB, you can get the inside rear wheel off the ground if the tires are sticky enough. I used to run A509's on the Civic - the rear wheel would lift pretty routinely on off-ramps. I would think that a spring upgrade would help keep all 4 tires on the ground, though it's fun seeing people's reactions to a car on 3 wheels

 

My 510 does it everytime I go up a driveway.