Tank slapper... in a car?

[AF4iK]

So I just heard the term "tank slapper" being used for the first time to describe a car losing control. Apparently the term is fairly common in car circles but I fail to see how it makes any sense. Is this one borrowed from the bike world? Gotta be right?

One friend explained that fuel sloshing around in the tank is the origin of this term. A quick google search resulted in one forum post where someone said the same thing but it sounds silly to me. I suspect that someone just made this up one day to explain the borrowed terminology and it just stuck. Anyone know for sure?

 

[48Connor]

It's not common at all. And it has nothing to do with fuel. It's when you loose traction coming out of a corner, and continue to over-correct over and over again. It's like when people crash on motorcycle and they blame the wind or wet leaves. Just an excuse for poor driving.

 

[inreb]

I always thought tank slappers mothered the invention of steering dampers. You know, where your handlebar flails violently to and fro in a semi-circle pivoting at the steering head often, but not always, with the front wheel just grazing the ground.

 

[AF4iK]

Yea my understanding of the term is that it's named after the motion of the handlebars on a bike during oscillation because it looks like it's slapping the tank.

It's not common at all. And it has nothing to do with fuel. It's when you loose traction coming out of a corner, and continue to over-correct over and over again. It's like when people crash on motorcycle and they blame the wind or wet leaves. Just an excuse for poor driving.

I know what it is in a car but I was asking why it's called a "tank slapper" and I was given that reason. Makes no sense to me so thought I'd see what GTAM has to say.

 

[ZX600]

So I just heard the term "tank slapper" being used for the first time to describe a car losing control. Apparently the term is fairly common in car circles but I fail to see how it makes any sense. Is this one borrowed from the bike world? Gotta be right?

One friend explained that fuel sloshing around in the tank is the origin of this term. A quick google search resulted in one forum post where someone said the same thing but it sounds silly to me. I suspect that someone just made this up one day to explain the borrowed terminology and it just stuck. Anyone know for sure?

This is correct, it happens in Jeeps more often than other cars, it's a suspension issue.

its called the death wobble not a tank slapper, never heard it called that in a car.

 

[kellen]

This is correct, it happens in Jeeps more often than other cars, it's a suspension issue.

its called the death wobble not a tank slapper, never heard it called that in a car.

Saw a few videos of new dodge rams doing is really badly, another Chrysler product (shock)

 

[Riceburner]

Someone borrowed it from bike terminology. Period.