I have 18's, and I guess because they are super light, and the diameter is now taller, the car wants to pull to the left and right a bit.. when I punch the throttle. Will lowering the car help this?

 

uh, wheels don't cause torque steer. The only way you are going to minimize torque steer is to get a rwd car. When you say left and right a bit that means it isn't torque steer cause torque steer is directional (i think right..) and only under accel. And MINI's don't really have torque steer (do to equal length drive shafts) unless one wheel is slipping. And 18inches technically shouldn't change the overall tire diameter (unless you get the wrong size tire). Sounds like you either got wider tires which follow road imperfections/grade more or your alignment is off.

 

No.

Most likely what you're experiencing is due to the tires - and it's not torque steer. Some tires just like following grooves in the road more than others.

 

The new Mini has equal length drive shafts so it virtually eliminates torque steering on a flat surface when you accelerate in a straight line. You will experience torque steering however when accelerate on an uneven or slope surface due to dynamic contact patch change.

Here is a good article on what causes torque steeling.

http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/ed..._technobabble/

 

With my Quaife I do get some added torque steer.
I minimize it with a smoother even throttle application.
Make sure your tire pressure is even and in the right range.
Tires and road surface are also factors.

Even though the MINI is supposed to have minimal torque steer I think there is still a little. Once you add an upgraded pulley for more power and the Quaife you can feel it even more if you are not careful. Just hold on tight when you steer

 

BMW has miraculously gotten rid of torque steer by the ingenious use of equal length drive shafts.

Yeah, right.

While torque steer might technically have been eliminated, there are enough other FWD artifacts which make hard acceleration a handful in anything other than ideal conditions. That "torque steer" has been banished is really meaningless, IMO.

The other post is correct. The only way to truly get rid of unintended wandering during hard acceleration is to get a rear wheel drive car.