Unsettled over kerbs
Neutral
The car is fine on smooth tarmac and awful the moment a wheel is disturbed. That's wheel-movement damping and ride height, not spring rate or bars.
The default order
The sequence for this symptom on no car in particular, at no corner in particular. Pick both and the order changes.
- 01Take less kerb, and take it squarerhalf the kerbtechnique
A kerb taken at an angle lifts one wheel and twists the car. The same kerb taken square barely disturbs it.
You may give up a little line. It is usually cheaper than the moment that follows.
- 02Cross the kerb with the car straightsquare ontechnique
A kerb taken at an angle lifts one wheel and twists the car. The same kerb crossed square barely disturbs it.
May cost a little line. Almost always cheaper than the moment it prevents.
- 03Leave the exit kerb alonehalf a cartechnique
An exit kerb unloads the inside rear exactly when you are asking it for traction, and the wheelspin that follows costs more than the tightened line saves.
Costs a little exit width. Worth it in anything with limited rear grip.
- 04Softer fast bump damping1–2 clicksdamper · adv
Fast damping controls wheel movement, not body movement. If the car is fine on smooth tarmac and awful over kerbs, this is the knob.
Vaguer body control if you overdo it.
- 05Stiffer rear springs or ride height upone stepplatform
Stops the floor bottoming and stalling mid-corner, which is what makes a car feel random rather than loose.
Costs rear mechanical grip in slow corners.
- 06Check bump stop gap—platform · adv
If balance changes abruptly at one speed or over one crest, you're hitting the stops rather than running out of grip.
None — this is diagnosis.
- 07Softer rear anti-roll bar1 clickbar
Rear rolls and builds slip angle rather than snapping. Also keeps load on the inside rear on exit.
More roll; slower direction changes.
- 08Softer front slow bump damping1–2 clicksdamper
Front loads earlier in the dive, so the tyre has grip at the moment you turn in.
Transient only — won't help at the apex.
Step sizes are a first move, not a setting. Cars differ by a factor of several in how much they respond to the same change.
Where to go next
The order above is generic. Pick your car to see it re-ranked, then pick the corner it happens at.