Yep, my MINI S does this as well. I have had a very good alignment done and though it helped, the swerving still occurs when going flat out. I also blame the sixteen inch all season run flats. Going to Toyo Proxes T1R presently (I think that is what they are called) Got a deal with a local tire center who works with the MINI, BMW and Porsche clubs (Radial Tire in Silver Spring) We'll see if this helps a bit more. If not, camber plates are on my list!

 

There's a review of the JCW, and looks like they aren't too happy about the torque steer.

 

Torque steer--so what else is new? The MCS has plenty, I'm sure the JCW has plenty too. The suspension isn't any different, mainly the torque. I was surprised that they didn't offer the JCW suspension upgrade as an option, because for this market there would be plenty of takers, plenty that would forego the carbon fiber bits, etc, and get what will make the car go like it should around the corners (which is its forte). But so what, parts is parts, and they're available.

 

Huge torque steer with spirited acceleration - you get use to it

 

Maybe I'm in the few who likes torque steer...

My 1992 Mazda Protege (stock 100hp?) is probably a very calm kitten.

But whoever sold the car to me had it heavily modified, and I didn't know any better back in those days before I knew a thing about vehicles. It gave my father a bit of a fright when I first floored it during a test drive. That thing was fast, probably about as fast as a MINI Cooper S, which is impressive for a car with 12 second 0-60 times. It's suspension wasn't as well engineered as the MINI so that car shook a bit in a turn. It was fun!

I guess I just got used to it. My wife still isn't though. Ah, well... it might keep her out of the drivers seat of my MIN!

 

Robin Casady your assumption is correct! My car is equipped with an LSD and I have been experimenting on some crazy back roads near my house. When pushing my MCS to the limit, with ASC turned on, the car is a serious "hand full" negotiating the various turns, bumps and undulations of the road surface. It's quite a wrestling match between me and the steering wheel!! After reading your post I decided to take some runs on the same stretch of road with the ASC turned on and off. With ASC off the car is far more controllable and I don't have to wrestle the steering wheel nearly as much. I do get more tire squeal when one of the front tires lifts but the car is defintely easier to control in that condition. It's ASC off for me!!

 

Sorry to sound ignorant but everything in this post seems to go 100% against everything i have ready of a mini "handling like a go kart"?

I am currently waiting to take delivery of a MY/B MCS and this whole thread is a little disconcerting. the mini i test drove was an 08 MCS with no LSD and i DID feel some torque in the test drive but i was under the impression that the LSD would help even it out at least a bit more?

i guess all of this rambeling boils down to, why all the talk of handeling like a go kart if the tourqu steer is so bad and prevailant?

-Hutch-

 

it does still handle like a go kart... be it a FWD go kart

 

It handles well for it's price range. You'll find handling like this in higher end vehicles, but since it is FWD, it is a bit... spirited when you floor it around a turn.

It isn't as dramatic as most people say, such as, "It almost made me fly into oncoming traffic which happened to be a funeral procession!" It is noticeable, but isn't bad. I think it's fun.

Ah, well. Maybe I got a lucky MINI.

 

after i switched my wheel/tires i feel it less. i got some of the sea sawing with the stock wheel/tires but nothing drastic. however, it seems like some people are having the seasaw action while going straight.. mine never did that.

 

I don't feel any torque steer no more.

 

and what do you attribute this too?

 

The supremacy of my MINI?

 

Well, I don't feel no torque steer either when I drive like my granny.

 

+1




If you don't feel it, you're not pushing it.

 

I can feel it in mine sometimes when I get on it and trying to corner or go over a ruff road. But this is a dream compared to my 02 Maxima I had back in the day that had 255HP it was like trying to hold onto a cat while giving it a bath if you romped it at a light. I loved the power but it was not fun to drive with all the torque steer. This one brings back hope to a FWD car to me.

 

Push hard on a twisty mountain road there is some TS out of corner, but in a MCS is manageable with little steering correction since you have so much feedback and direct connection through the steering. I won't say I like TS but it gives me a clear indication of what is going on in a powerful FWD car.

Do this on a bad FWD car like an old ford Taurus, back off is your only option.

 

Ryephile, one of the most technically knowledgable NAM'ers and former owner of both an R53 and R56, asserts that torque steer in the R56 is the result of deformation under load in the soft, rubbery front suspension bushings. He asserts the R56 torque steer can be cured by swapping the front suspension bushings for aftermarket polyurethane bushings, such as those from Alta or Mini Mania. Ryephile recommends this as one of the very first mods a new owner should make to an R56. I cannot corroborate this hypothesis first-hand, but it sounds plausibile and I am considering this mod. Installing these bushings apparently is not altogether simple or easy.

There is ample discussion of this topic in the modification section under "suspension".

 

I would agree with his hypothesis. in the z3/m coupe world the stock rear sub frame bushings are webbed and causes a lot of "flex" result of the flex is very unstable cornering under power. after changing the bushings the cars rear is planted no more wobbling under power. i swapped mine with a help of a few friends(they actually did 100% of the work, i just watched) with ireland engineerings poly bushings.

i'll probably look into doing the same with the mini

 

I've read a lot of reviews of the MCS that comment on excessive torque steer. Seems odd that the BMW/MINI engineers wouldn't have noticed this. If it is as simple as changing the specs on the suspension bushings, I can't imagine why they wouldn't have done it. Big improvement/low cost = no brainer.

Maybe they like bad reviews?

 

They know about it but they have opted for a more comfortable ride/feel. Add less forgiving bushings and the car will definitely feel LOT rougher. Believe me you will feel every little pebble you drive over. Some people will like this but most will not. They can't please everyone and those they can't please will mod their cars.

 

yep it's true, after i changed the subframe bushing in my m coupe, i can feel every vibration from the exhaust even. the whole hatch area is now a big amplifier for the muffler. it sounds like the factory forgot the sound insulation material in the rear hatch. it's a good thing the car is not a daily driver anymore.

 

In my backhanded way, that's where I was going with my comment: although I'm not an expert, I assumed that on something as important as torque steer, there must have been an explicit tradeoff by experienced automotive engineers.

 

I noticed today that using the sport button reduces the feeling of torque steer by at least 50%. My car is an MCS with LSD, DTC, and 16" continental run flats.

 

Hmm. I guess this is a problem mostly experienced with stick-shift Cooper Clubmans? I've driven both an R56/55 S auto's only and this has never been an issue in any driving style or conditions. Perhaps it would help MINI to offer the JCW version in either an auto or some sort of dual clutch setup?