how do you guys improving steering response?

[ApexVIII]

how do you guys with 2g's improve your steering response?

i really miss my old evo would snap back and forth when i turned the steering wheel.
now i know most of that comes from the closer ratio rack and pinion. but is there anything we can do?

i also hate how large our steering wheel is, would a aftermarket one help? i would not use one with out an air bag on the street unless i had 4 point racing harness.

this is not my DD, and it will soon be becoming a RR car.

thanks!

 

[Scrymerr]

Get a EVO Derek don't waste your time with DSMzzz.

 

[ApexVIII]

Get a EVO Derek don't waste your time with DSMzzz.

Savo you shut your mouth!!

you better go to the meet sunday! or ima punch you in the face!! well i might do that anyways!

 

[Scrymerr]

Savo you shut your mouth!!

you better go to the meet sunday! or ima punch you in the face!! well i might do that anyways!

Hahaha yeah I'll be there

 

[ACM]

Assuming you're already running short, stiff sidewall tyres and have stiffer springs/dampers than a stock 2G, the primary remaining cause of the sloppy response is the soft bushings in the suspension arms.

Firm those up and the steering response will be almost Evo-level. Replace all the bushings with spherical bearings and that should net equally responsive steering, as that's why the Evo is so responsive.

Charles

 

[ApexVIII]

Assuming you're already running short, stiff sidewall tyres and have stiffer springs/dampers than a stock 2G, the primary remaining cause of the sloppy response is the soft bushings in the suspension arms.

Firm those up and the steering response will be almost Evo-level. Replace all the bushings with spherical bearings and that should net equally responsive steering, as that's why the Evo is so responsive.

Charles

ahh yea and being these bushins are 14+ years old that makes sence

i have Tein Coilovers and 17" rims
thanks!! bushings are the next thing on my list!

 

[Dallas J]

Evo response is exaggerated with their incredibly quick steering ratio which we dont have an easy fix for (custom steering speeder/reducer). IOW, their wheels move more for a given input so when youre use to a 2g the evo will feel much different.

Beyond what Charles has already said, alignment can also change the feel. A car with a touch of toe-out will feel more responsive than one with toe-in. I personally set my car up for 0" Toe in front and turn one of the tie rods 1/2 rotation for more toe-out when Auto-xing and set it back after the event.

 

[ApexVIII]

Evo response is exaggerated with their incredibly quick steering ratio which we dont have an easy fix for (custom steering speeder/reducer). IOW, their wheels move more for a given input so when youre use to a 2g the evo will feel much different.

Beyond what Charles has already said, alignment can also change the feel. A car with a touch of toe-out will feel more responsive than one with toe-in. I personally set my car up for 0" Toe in front and turn one of the tie rods 1/2 rotation for more toe-out when Auto-xing and set it back after the event.

thank you!

ihad an alignment done about a year ago, i have -1* camber up front, i think -0.8 is stock and the rest is set for OEM spec.

ill try that with the front toe when i get out to a autoX!

 

[Dallas J]

Not rear toe, front toe.

 

[ApexVIII]

Not rear toe, front toe.

ahh gotch ya! i thoguht i read rear toe nvm haha

 

[ACM]

There hardly any difference in the response between my 2G autocrosser and an Evo - in fact with the lower pressures required by A6s my 2G is actually more responsive than several Evos I've driven. I'm not sure whether it's the lower CG resulting in less roll, or whether it's the wider rims I run (10.5") compared to most Evos (10") - probably a combination of both. Oh, and I still have plastic bushings, just quite a bit stiffer than stock. A 2G would be quite the go-kart with metal bearings instead !

I run a fair amount of toe out front and rear on the autocrosser - it does make a major difference in responsiveness, as well as making the car quite unstable - much over 70 and you hold your breath...

Evo response is exaggerated with their incredibly quick steering ratio which we dont have an easy fix for (custom steering speeder/reducer). IOW, their wheels move more for a given input so when youre use to a 2g the evo will feel much different.

Beyond what Charles has already said, alignment can also change the feel. A car with a touch of toe-out will feel more responsive than one with toe-in. I personally set my car up for 0" Toe in front and turn one of the tie rods 1/2 rotation for more toe-out when Auto-xing and set it back after the event.

 

[Dallas J]

Of course it completely depends on other parts of the setup, but I didn't like toe-out in the rear of my car. The back was just too unstable in transitions like slaloms.

Ive convinced myself that the chassis stiffness (or lack there of) on my sunroofed car is a contributor to steering response. If the car is flexing during turn-in their would have to be a delay in the response, right? Im working on getting a new sunroof-less chassis thatll get the prothane bushings vs the energy suspension ones I have now. I think itll end up being the bee's knees in feel and response.

 

[ApexVIII]

Of course it completely depends on other parts of the setup, but I didn't like toe-out in the rear of my car. The back was just too unstable in transitions like slaloms.

Ive convinced myself that the chassis stiffness (or lack there of) on my sunroofed car is a contributor to steering response. If the car is flexing during turn-in their would have to be a delay in the response, right? Im working on getting a new sunroof-less chassis thatll get the prothane bushings vs the energy suspension ones I have now. I think itll end up being the bee's knees in feel and response.

are the prothane ones better?
i have a 95 GSX so no sun roof on mine, i also dont have ABS

 

[Dallas J]

Their stiffer. So if youre more competitive in autocrossing youll be in the 700-900lb front spring rates. At that rate, the bushings become effectively undamped springs. The most hardcore racers will run spherical bearings in place of the bushings which I might do in some of the more stressed links. But for the rest the profane should work great.

 

[UnsafeAtAnySpd]

On that note, what non-suspension bushings can be swapped with metal replacements to help handling? (I can't run metal suspension replacements on my set-up)

 

[D_Eclipse9916]

If I am remembering right on our cars we have bushings from the steering rack to the subframe. These are replaced with firmer bushings in other applications for improved steering feel.

Trying to remember if ours were...damn worked on too many other cars since.

 

[turbosax2]

The rack is bolted straight to the subframe on the driver side IIRC. And on the passenger side there is a bracket bolted to the subframe that cradles the rack with a rubber bushing in between, but I'm not sure replacing that with a firmer bushing would net the results you're looking for.

 

[D_Eclipse9916]

Definitely helps on other cars....

However the 2g feel, that bushing would be my last choice to replace to improve steering feel. Alignment, tire choice, wheel choice, all new ball joints, spherical bushings have a far greater effect.