So as the title says...
05 base cooper, aftermarket wheels, only slightly lowered, no run flats, CAI and cat back exhaust.

When I try to take off from a stand still, just shy of flooring it, I get some pretty strong torque, usually to the left, but it varies both ways.

Anyone else coping with this problem? I couldn't imagine what it would be like driving a cooper S or if I had any more power.

 

Torque steer is mostly prevalent in FWD cars due to the unequal length drive axles. MINI solved this by using a two piece passenger side axle. A half shaft affixed to the block by a carrier bearing allows the axles to be essentially the same length hub to CV joint. Compared to most FWD cars the MINI has almost no torque steer.

What your'e most likely experiencing is uneven road surfaces changing the camber, and subsequently, the contact patch of the front tires. It's mostly unavoidable but toe settings will make it more noticeable. Toe on a street car should be as close to 0" as possible. Toe out (- number) will make the car more erratic during launch but helps at the track.

EDIT: I noticed you have it lowered. Your car should have been re-aligned after the drop. If not, that may be the source of your troubles.

 

You can fix it by holding the wheel straight, and harder

I get that when I'm redlining like a moron in 1st gear, a little, but not generally in normal take-offs.

 

Physics causes tourqe steer....
Later gen2 mini's have a software update that tries to limit tq steer by appling the brake to one wheel whill acclerating hard to try to limit this....i would rather acclerate faster, and hold the steering wheel.....
On a gen1 mini, you SHOULD see minimal tq steer, unless you gave tons of power or like the first reply said another issue, like an alighnment issue.

 

LSD helps with some of this also.

 

I don't get it in "normal take offs" only in 1st and 2nd over around 6,000 rpm. So that's normal? Or do I have an alignment issue? Or just the roads... I don't know why I'm compaining, every car I've ever driven had torque steer.

 

I would have the alignment checked. If its not level, it will effectively place more weight on one side, result...torque steer.

 

You are getting it from almost being at peak tq and hp at those RPM's in low gears. So yes it will try to pull to oneside. A LSD would help control it.

 

I've had similar experience with my R50 and it has a proper alignment after I installed coilovers. It did it with stock suspension too. It can't hurt to check the alignment, but I wouldn't worry about it a lot if I were you.

 

I had this problem in spades until I installed my JCW strut tower brace. It made a big difference.


=Laserjock=

 

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im pretty sure an lsd fixes this

 

Walk0800, are you saying turning off the traction control will activate the LSD and cancel the torque steer? But then my wheels would spin on take off, and that would look retarded.

It is always in the high RPM ranges when I need one hand off the wheel to shift.

I'm sure you've all seen this video; skip to the 1:54 mark,
Greatest show ever.

 

You know what your problem could be.
Shot or worn control arm bushings or ball joints.
Power hits and it deflects them, boom torque steer....

 

tru truu...

 

Do I have to change the entire control arm? or just the bushings can be swapped out?
How much am I looking at for parts? how much labour?

 

Torque steer is normal from time to time on ANY front wheel drive car. Even with equal length everything and a good LSD, it'll still occur if traction varies between the left and right front tires during accelleration. And varying traction can be from any one or more of dozens of reasons. It's a quirk of FWD cars. My 06 Mini does it from time to time, most often when I'm accellerating hard and the pavement is uneven or undulating. And that's even though I have an LSD on my JCW.

 

I really think I have a control arm bushing issue, because my car pulls to one side on heavy braking and accelerating. If I hit a bump while turning, I get a little bounce and the car lands to the left or right a bit. It feels like the car has really bad handling.

And there's excessive wandering while driving, not just following the ruts in the road, but actually bouncing off the ruts. All this started appearing about 2-4 weeks ago, and is progressively worsening.

 

Then what you're describing goes way beyond simple torque steer. Get the car looked at soon and if new bushings are needed, or some other components, look to the aftermarket for better quality items.

And keep in mind that various things can help, to one degree or another, minimize torque steer but you will NEVER completely get rid of it because it's the nature of the beast. When you put power down using the same wheels that steer, unless you can absolutely guarantee that both the left and right tires will always have equal traction, torque steer will always be there to one degree or another. And, of course, we know we can't make that guarantee.

 

It started off with torque steer being the most noticeable, the other problems only came to my realization this weekend, after someone else mentioned the worn bushings

 

Be sure to not only look at the bushings, but the tie-rod ends....safety wise, more important.

 

Problem solved.
My lower control arm bushings were destroyed, tie rods are golden though. I replaced my lca bushings with oem rubber ones, I can floor it from a stand still without torque steer now, good ol' German engineering.

However I now have a squeak/creak in my steering wheel. Not constant but only in my morning drive when I turn the wheel. a full rotation will creak in two places for about a 5 degree period of the wheel being turned (if I'm making sense) strangely on my drive home I don't hear it at all.

I also get random steering wheel wobble and the car will pull to the left hard. Then I'll come to a stop light, and it'll be fine again. This happens only once a day, maybe twice.

Any ideas or do I need to sanction and exorcism?

 

Something was missed in the inspection. And check wheel bearings and CV joints.

 

What am I looking for in the CV joints? cracks, not sitting correctly, leaking, worn out?

 

Worn, too much slop/play, roughness, etc. Anything that might cause the joint to rotate off-center. And if there are any cracks at all in the rubber boots that cover and protect them, you'll have to remove them anyway to replace the boots. That's the time to really give everything the once over.