I am highly curious as to what can be done to squash a vicious case of torque steer. I have the DSC which is disengaged (if I want to straight line accelerate) and the sport button on. The car is plenty fast, but I notice tremedous side to side torque steer. It pulls hard to the right then switches up to the left equally in distance about 6-8 meter intervals all the way to 4th. Is there ANYTHING to buy to limit this? I am curious to hear everyones ideas.

 

Gym membership work on those forearms!

J/k, It does get pretty bad especially when you are not holding on tight and hit the gas a little too hard.

 

Many have reported that lowering springs help a ton, or the JCW suspension if you have money to spare. Both keep body roll and drastic weight transitions under control. Also a good set of non-RF performance tires should combat it to some amount.

Other than that, options are rather limited. It's pretty much 'the nature of the beast' when your dealing with a relatively high powered FWD vehicle. Hold on to the wheel tight and enjoy the ride! Hmm, that said, maybe the JCW 'fatty' would be of assistance as well.

 

i have h&r's on mine and it still pulls bad some times. When the dsc is off it will just spin the tires, slide to the right then track back

 

I have lsd (i leave dsc off) and I find that it pulls pretty straight, it fights you a little, but that its WAY easier to control with sport off, the steering isn't quite so hernia inducing. Its not that bad but it certainly wanders a little bit. I have hankook RS2s, they're really sticky, so it doesn't really happen anymore in a straight line.

 

I didnt like that feel at the begining but now I really like it it great. you just have to get used to it.

 

I might offer a consideration solely for potential MINI owners concerned w/ excessive torque steer.....perhaps a Cooper is a good fit. I know this sounds mad, but the R56 Cooper S is a very special car and, short of the steps outlined in this thread, unless one is prepared to accomodate the effects of added MCS power, the R56 Cooper with it's improved torque curve might still be ample fun for the average MINI owner in a way that it might not have been w/ the R50/53 generation.

Trust me....I have nothing but high-respect for the MCS, but as msteadman mentioned, the MCS is a different "beast" and power is one of the variables that could be dialed-down for perfectly capable MINI motoring. Naturally, some want more than that and so certain accomodations must be made as unsalada says.

Not intending to flame here at all...just trying to get at the issue by all realistic means available to the potential owner trying to configure the MINI they'll motor in every day.

 

Got to agree. I have the MCS and, personally wouldn't get an MC. But, it is that "S" that gets you the torque steer. If it bothers you that much, and you can't back off the quick-starts, an MC is a great solution.

 

I dropped mine with H&R springs, and my torque steer is almost completely gone. Plus it looks totally bitchin!

 

anyone have get their mini with the sports package? any comment on any significant torque steering. i hate torque steering but have yet to purchase a mini myself. im planning on gettin the sports package which i think comes with a different suspension setting or suspension all together.

 

I have the sport package. I don't remember what that included, though. If you hate torque steer, I seriously suggest you test drive to see if you can live with it.

 

Ya my Mini has the Performance pac....I dont remember what it intails either however. Brakes....suspension.....?????
I rented a 06 cabriolet for 2 months non S and it was a terrific car. So terrific I didnt even drive the R56 Coop S before buying it. I definetly want to lower it seems like that might help, It sounds like I should get the front end "locked" up 100% power to each wheel.
Is there any after market steering componets that combat the torque steer?

 

For '07 the sports package wouldn't affect torque steer any, other than the upgrade to 17" wheels and 205 width tires which may play a factor. For '08 the sports package includes the sports suspension (previously available a la carte or as part of the hyper-sport package). I'd also be interested to hear if the SS helps torque steer at all, especially given its firmer damping. I know the JCW suspension does, but that's a whole different animal.

+1, you can only 'have your cake and eat it too' to such a degree with high output FWD cars. If you don't like it you'll need to go for something with a relatively weaker engine and/or RWD/AWD. So if the torque steer is a huge issue, yet you want a MINI, a Cooper would be your best bet. Personally, I was willing to deal with the torque steer of the almost 300hp MS3, so the MCS' isn't such a big deal for me. Like unsalada, I've actually come to appreciate it to a certain extent.

 

Mine has been lowered with H&R springs on Sport Suspension. Runflats have been replaced with regular rubber.

DSC & sport button "ON"... LSD spec'd... and I get ZERO straight line torque steer. You can go WOT with the peddal to the floor and take your hands off the wheel. It does nothing but go straight and true.

Cornering and adding power is a different matter, though. You definately have to put some effort to keep the drive wheels pointed in the right direction.

 

This supports my theory that the wild ride under hard acceleration comes more from differential traction than true torque steer.

Nice to know that it can be tamed. Too bad Mini won't do it at the factory...

 

911,

I'm not sure how a lowering spring supports your theory on this one. I would think that the lower spring is stiffer and thus when you accelerate there is less weight transfer to the rear. When the front lifts, the angle of the suspension changes, thus my theory is less front lift equals less steer????

Are you thinking that the tires are actually losing grip?

 

Yes.

But, according to my theory at least, they lose and regain grip at different times which leads to the squirrelly pulling in both directions during hard acceleration. The LSD, stiffer springs and non-run-flat tires might be improving the traction just enough to avoid slippage given the available torque.

True torque steer would cause the car to veer in the same direction each time during hard acceleration and that's not what I've experienced.

 

So lowering the car and changing tires would make some diference you say!!!! I cant wait till i get the pnp and the lowering springs.

 

Sport suspension, DSC, LSD, enough torque steer that I warned someone driving the car to hold on tight when accelerating,
then with Mach V springs...torque steer seems to have gone away...

 

Nice! The cornering issue I can deal with, this is a FWD car after all. It's just the sometimes enormous amounts of torque steer in a straight line which can get quite tiring. I don't have LSD (auto trans) or SS. However, I'll be adding lowering springs and regular rubber in a few weeks. Lets hope my results are similar.

 

I've had the very same thoughts, that the "torque steer" comes from torque overpowering the tire traction. The torque is strong enough to make the tires slip, and when one side slips more than the other, the car pulls to that side. People who have been able to reduce the effect have done it through grippier tires or suspension changes that improve road contact (i.e. reducing slippage, which helps to equalize traction between the left and right). I think that it is strong support for this theory that the car may pull towards either side (not the same side every time).

 

no torque steer here with LSD, JCW Engine Kit and SS

 

i went to light 7.5 wide ssr's and 215 45 as tires and they did away with the torque steer completely

 

If you don't like torque steer don't get Alta's ECU.. You'll get TS in 3rd gear!

 

LSD makes much more the torque steer when cornering. If I floor it on a corner, the car tries to tighten up and you have to force the steering wheel to get it to start to unwind from the corner. This is very repeatable but I don't understand it. I would have expected LSD to try to even up the rate of rotation of the wheels - making the inside wheel try to turn faster and the outside one slower. This should be straightening out the car, not tightening the corner. What is the physics that tightens the corner?