What's the best approach to reduce wet weather understeer in the above standard golf..?

Or is it a bit futile due to the amount of low down TDi grunt & FWD..?


Please don't say 'use less gas' as this happens at 'normal' easy driving speeds..!

Cheers,
Jason

 

Well, heavy weight over front wheels doesn't help. You can make it 'better' but probably end up with rock hard ride. I guess but you'd be fighting a losing battle ultimately.

Try lifting off mid corner

 

Cheapest way to improve it is the Audi S3 Upper and Lower strut braces, the upper one is about £50, and about £20, if that isnt enough then I suppose either R32 springs/dampers or aftermarket would help things.. Not sure if they have an anti-roll bar on the rear as std, if not maybe one off another car would fit (S3 / Leon Cupra R etc)

Dracoro's right though, the heavy engine cant be helped...

 

Enter in slower to the corner, then apply the throttle progressivly once you clip the apex. Learn to left foot brake as well, but not on open roads.
Kam

 

Cant left foot brake on most of the newer golfs, it kills all power

 

let your tyres down a bit.

 

left foot braking doesn't help on these cos i've tried it myself, my golf has got the optional sports suspension so is better than the standard set up

 

As i said braking instructs the ecu to cut all power, Ive the sports pack too, which does help...

 

What tyres are you on Chris? I've got a Passat sport PD130 and just changed the factory-fit Conti sportcontacts for Vredestein Ultracs.

Oddly the Vredesteins understeer more in the dry than the Contis, but MUCH less in the wet. Also much less road noise.

 

Goodyear Eagle F1s GSD3 made a huge difference to the front end grip on my focus when i changed to these from pirelli's

Mark

 

Best wet weather tyre bar none is the Goodyear Eagle Ventura. I think its still available in Golf sizes. My friend had the same problem with his tuned Golf GT TDi 110, and he used to swear by these tyres. I've used them on two seperate cars myself, including a 306TD and they are exceptional in the wet, and very good in the dry also. Wet weather grip literally allows you to drive round the outside of other cars, resistance to aquaplaning is almost unbelievable, and for the coming winter months with snow and ice, they kick ***. They aren't winter tyres, but make a good fist of it.

If you can't get any Eagle Ventura's look for their replacement the Hydragrip.

One word of warning, do not just fit Eagle Ventura's to the front axle of your car, unless you really like oversteer in greasy/wet conditions, I speak from experience here.

 

Cheers guys,

It isn't actually my car (cousins) so I'll pass on tyre reccomendations as he's not keen on going too mad with suspension mods.

Out of interest, the comments about stiffening up the suspension, I was under the impression that stiffening up the whole car would increase understeer (esp.in the wet..!). I can see that stiffening the rear (ARB) could help as can lower tyre pressures in the front (or bit higher in rear).

So a rear ARB from an S3/LCR would fit straght on..?

 

By stiffening the rear ARB the car will put more weight/cornering force on the rear as the front is giving less resistance to the roll. In turn this makes the rear more likely to slip out of line than the front, reducing understeer.
Watch you don't put a huge ARB on with standard springs/damping as you'll get a bit of a mismatch as the bar will probably by too much for the damping.
Also note that a small increase in bar diameter is a big difference in torsional strength. ( I went from a 19mm to a 25mm and it nearly doubles the 'strength' - -good fun on the corners !)
Well that's my take anyway.

 

when i had my tdi,i lowered it 30mm and fitted 17" TT wheels and it improved it loads in the wet and the dry,cost me about £500 in total.

 

The rear S3 ARB wont fit as it has different rear suspension due to 4WD but the leon Cupra R should fit no probs.

Mark

 

Thanks again, will pass this on..

Dosen't fitting bigger wheels (with wider/lower profile tyres) increase wet/greasy traction..?

Any suggestions on the bests place to source an ARB at the right £££..?

 

not much. force=mass x area so if you widen the wheels slightly the force on the tyre decreases.

 

Whiteline adjustable rear anti roll bar seems to make a huge difference. Much better traction too.

Cheers

 

Had a peak under the back of cousins car today and it dosen't look like there's an ARB fitted (unless thery're well hidden..!) does this sound right for a 2003 130tdi Golf..?

If this is the case are there mounting points on the car ready to fit an ARB and what diameter would you recommend for a car on std. springs..?

Lol questions, questions....!