Yes its normal. Its the little side effect that pluages front wheels drive vehicals called Torque Steer. It comes from the fact that the front axles are not equal length. So the wheel attached to the shorter axle has more torque on it and pulls harder. Its always more noticable under heavy acceleration. Its even more noticable when you upgrade to tires with more grip. I found this out the hard way.
pull to the right on acceleration
my xB is my first front wheel drive - I've driven 'em before but always large, heavy things like chrysler vans.
One things I'm noticing with my xB is that when I hit the gas hard from a stop, there's a slight tendency to pull to the right.
Is this a normal behavior? It's kind of annoying. I don't see it other than on acceleration from stop, not during normal driving or breaking (not that I've noticed yet anyway). It does seem a bit more pronounced with my new rims/tires though.
One things I'm noticing with my xB is that when I hit the gas hard from a stop, there's a slight tendency to pull to the right.
Is this a normal behavior? It's kind of annoying. I don't see it other than on acceleration from stop, not during normal driving or breaking (not that I've noticed yet anyway). It does seem a bit more pronounced with my new rims/tires though.
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Yeah, torque steer is one of the unfortunate sideaffects that plague all high performance vehicles like the xB.
Was that sarcasim?Geezer said:Yeah, torque steer is one of the unfortunate sideaffects that plague all high performance vehicles like the xB.
Doesn't have to be high-performance to suffer from torque steer. However the higher the performance, and tire grip the worse it will pull.
Nope, pride...or optimism.eviljack said:Was that sarcasim?
Doesn't have to be high-performance to suffer from torque steer. However the higher the performance, and tire grip the worse it will pull.
Ah ok. Wasn't sure if I was supposed to take your comment seriously or if you were tyring to be funny.
I definatly enjoy its performance.
I definatly enjoy its performance.
i've honestly never noticed this at all...but then again my GF does say I don't pay attention when i drive! :rofl:
I've driven several front wheelies and I think the xB may have the least torque steer of all of them.
Hahaha I like it.Geezer said:all high performance vehicles like the xB
My friends honda civic si wasn't that bad. Till we took off the crap mods the previous owner put on, and replaced them with high qualitly mods. HOLY CRAP the torque steer. I almost wrecked his car cause I wasn't expecting it.
Geezer said:Yeah, torque steer is one of the unfortunate sideaffects that plague all high performance vehicles like the xB.
Actually, I gotta say, the xB is a lot higher performance than I expected when I went to test drive it. That's really what sold me. I already loved the styling and when I looked inside, the shocking roominess. But when I got in and did my usual pedal-to-the-floor thing and it actually TOOK OFF (with me, the sales droid, and my teenager in the back), I said to myself ("self," I said...) - this car is for me.
But anyway, good to know I don't have to get it in the shop already. Someone else in the thread mentioned it's worse with better tires, and yes, that's true, the tires I put on with my new rims are way grippier.
my moms old Ford Tempo had the worst Torque Steering I've ever driven, This xB is hardly noticeably considering the power it has compared to that old ford
Hey, I had torque steer on my 1.5L CVCC Civic -- and I still loved it -- my first front wheel drive automobileeviljack said:Was that sarcasim?Geezer said:Yeah, torque steer is one of the unfortunate sideaffects that plague all high performance vehicles like the xB.
Doesn't have to be high-performance to suffer from torque steer. However the higher the performance, and tire grip the worse it will pull.
!my 1995 Chevy Beretta Z26 had BAD torque Steer!
I'm digging up this old thread since I had an odd situation with the torque-steer. I hit something with my front passenger wheel directly on at very low speed (the base of a light pole I was parked next to), and had alignment done and still thought I had something going on. Then after more driving I realized it was torque steer, but I hadn't noticed it like this before. It was strange because it seemed so obvious now, I thought for sure it was a big enough change to notice.
So I had it checked out again and alignment checked out spot on again and there is nothing at all wrong with the steering and suspension components, and they drove it and didn't notice anything strange. The service adviser of course mentioned the natural torque-steer and the slope of most roads. Well it's definitely good news nothing is wrong, and good to see others notice the torque-steer so it could be normal but it still seems a bit odd to me. I had been driving it for a week to make sure it was really something. Maybe I really was oblivious before? However I really notice it on acceleration, the more acceleration the more torque-steer. And at stops, it seems like I'm steering back and forth as I slow down and stop and then start going again. If I'm on a straight road going 55 and I let off the gas for a few seconds to slow down and hit it again, it drifts right. It's not bad but seems obvious to me and I don't remember it from before. Maybe I just compensated without thinking before and never noticed, and now I'm paying more attention and notice it. I would probably have to drive another xB to really know.
So I had it checked out again and alignment checked out spot on again and there is nothing at all wrong with the steering and suspension components, and they drove it and didn't notice anything strange. The service adviser of course mentioned the natural torque-steer and the slope of most roads. Well it's definitely good news nothing is wrong, and good to see others notice the torque-steer so it could be normal but it still seems a bit odd to me. I had been driving it for a week to make sure it was really something. Maybe I really was oblivious before? However I really notice it on acceleration, the more acceleration the more torque-steer. And at stops, it seems like I'm steering back and forth as I slow down and stop and then start going again. If I'm on a straight road going 55 and I let off the gas for a few seconds to slow down and hit it again, it drifts right. It's not bad but seems obvious to me and I don't remember it from before. Maybe I just compensated without thinking before and never noticed, and now I'm paying more attention and notice it. I would probably have to drive another xB to really know.
never knew that
today i learned
today i learned
@hikingmike: I would bet it has always been there. Now that you hit something and were worried, you were paying extra attention to how it handled. Now that you noticed it, you can't unnotice it.
You want some torque steer, drive a Mini Cooper S model (turbo). It wants to pull the wheel out of your hands!
You want some torque steer, drive a Mini Cooper S model (turbo). It wants to pull the wheel out of your hands!
The way you guys talk about torque makes me wonder if you are all turboed, cause **** dont see how it could be so bad. **** I dont think ive ever noticed it at all.
I wonder how it feels in a speed 3.
I wonder how it feels in a speed 3.
I agree, I have one. It's even more extreme with a RMW tune with 200hp at 17psi boost.You want some torque steer, drive a Mini Cooper S model (turbo). It wants to pull the wheel out of your hands!
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I read an article on Road&Track magazine. They did a long term test on a front drive Sabb turbo that pulled when accelerated hard. It fixed itself after they put on new tires. Not that the tires were old or anything, they seem to think the actual thread design on the tire was the issue. So your next tires might fix it.. Or make it worse. I run Dunlop tires and its never been an issue.
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