Introduction

Whether you daily your car, track it, or build for touge/canyon runs, understanding understeer and oversteer is essential. These are the two fundamental balance behaviors of a vehicle, and suspension setup plays a huge role in how—and when—they appear.

This guide breaks down:

• what understeer and oversteer actually are

• what causes each

• how spring rates, damping, and alignment influence balance

• how Dežru’s fixed-length coilover design interacts with handling dynamics

Let’s dive in.

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What Is Understeer?

Definition:

The front tires lose grip before the rear tires.
The car “pushes” wide when turning.

How it feels:

• You turn the wheel → the car doesn’t rotate as much as expected

• The front end feels heavy or unresponsive

• You have to steer more to make the corner

Common causes:

• Front tires overloaded

• Too much front weight transfer

• Front springs too soft

• Too much front rebound damping

• Insufficient front camber

• Tires cold or overheated

• Entering a corner too fast

Benefits:

Understeer is predictable and safe. OEMs purposely build it into factory suspensions for stability.

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What Is Oversteer?

Definition:

The rear tires lose grip before the front tires.
The car rotates more than you intended.

How it feels:

• The rear steps out

• The car “wants to spin” if not corrected

• Steering needs quick inputs to stabilize

Common causes:

• Rear springs too stiff

• Rear rebound too stiff

• Aggressive rear camber

• Rear alignment out of spec

• Sudden throttle lift mid-corner

• Unbalanced weight transfer

When it’s good:

Controlled oversteer = rotation
Uncontrolled oversteer = spin

Good suspension keeps it controlled.

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Understeer vs Oversteer: The Balance Triangle

A car’s handling balance is affected by three major categories:

1. Springs

Spring rate changes how weight transfers between axles.

• Softer front / stiffer rear → more rotation (more oversteer)

• Stiffer front / softer rear → more push (more understeer)

2. Damping

Compression & rebound change how quickly weight transfers.

• Too much front rebound = understeer

• Too much rear rebound = oversteer

• Too little compression = body roll → inconsistent grip

3. Alignment

The biggest static-handling influences:

• More front negative camber → more front grip → less understeer

• More rear toe-in → more stability → less oversteer

• Too much rear negative camber → unpredictable breakaway

Suspension tuning = managing all three.

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How Dežru Coilovers Affect Understeer & Oversteer

Your coilovers have unique behaviors due to their engineering:

✔ Fixed-Length Assemblies

No adjustable hub bracket means shock stroke is always ideal.
This prevents:

• running out of bump travel

• mid-stroke harshness

• inconsistent damping response

Handling becomes more predictable.

✔ Linear Main Springs + Helper Springs

Helper springs collapse at static height.
Main spring rate is constant.

That means:

• Weight transfer happens smoothly

• No progressive “ramp-up” that suddenly causes rotation

• Balance stays predictable at the limit

✔ Vehicle-Specific Valving

Your valving is tuned to reduce:

• front-end push on platforms prone to understeer (WRX, STI, GR Corolla)

• rear snap on short-wheelbase platforms (BRZ/86, Porsche 997)

Result:

Dežru coilovers aim for neutral balance out of the box, with safe predictability for daily driving and sharper response for spirited use.

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Spring Rates & Handling Balance

Spring rate differences impact balance more than almost any other component.

If the front is too soft relative to the rear:

→ Excessive front roll
→ Tires overloaded
→ Understeer increases

If the rear is too stiff relative to the front:

→ Rear grip reduced
→ Rotation increases
→ Can produce oversteer

Your recommended ranges:

• Touring: 350/350 → neutral, OEM+

• Sport: 450/450 → sharper, reduced understeer

• Race: 550/550 → flatter chassis, more responsive, must be paired with alignment

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Damping & Weight Transfer

Increase front rebound → more understeer

Car resists front extension, reducing front grip.

Increase rear rebound → more oversteer

Rear resists settling, reducing rear grip.

Increase front compression → more understeer

Front gets harsher, reduced compliance → less grip.

Increase rear compression → more oversteer

Rear becomes more reactive → rotation increases.

The art of tuning damping is managing transient balance.

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Alignment’s Role in Balance

FRONT

More negative camber = more front grip = less understeer
More caster = better camber gain = sharper turn-in

REAR

More toe-in = more stability = less oversteer
More negative camber = less mid-corner stability

Alignment alone can completely change balance.

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Weight Transfer Basics

During braking: weight → FRONT
During acceleration: weight → REAR
During cornering: weight → OUTSIDE TIRES

Understeer or oversteer happens when weight transfer overloads one end.

Springs + damping control how fast and how much weight moves.

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Summary: Understanding Vehicle Balance

✔ Understeer

Front loses grip first → car pushes wide
Caused by: front overload, soft front spring, excess rebound, poor camber

✔ Oversteer

Rear loses grip first → rear rotates
Caused by: rear overload, stiff rear spring, excess rebound, alignment issues

✔ Suspension’s Job

Control weight transfer
Manage tire contact
Balance grip front to rear

✔ Dežru Coilovers Improve Balance

Neutral spring rates
Chassis-matched valving
Fixed-length architecture
Predictable response
Better mid-corner stability

A properly set up suspension makes the car safer, faster, and more confidence-inspiring — no matter what you drive.