torque steer with performance upgrades

Asked by Jonpft Nov 15, 2010 at 07:13 PM about the 2009 MINI Cooper Clubman S FWD

Question type: Car Customization

I have just purchased a 2009 clubman s. I  am looking to install the following: Magnaflow exhaust, Alta r-56 cold air intake, high flow throttle body 59.75mm, and Alta Access port ecu performance recalibration. So my initial concern was the torque steer. So if after installing the aforementioned and torque steer is bad, how would you minimize it?

1 Answer

3,875

Fortunately, the "torque steer" you observed in your Clubman S, which is present in all 2nd gen MINI, is not real torque steer. The car pulls only when there is uneveness on the pavement. This is a result of the overly soft bushings being used in the front control arms. The suspension geometry does not stay true in such situation and the resulted uneven traction across the front axle causes the car to pull. This problem becomes more pronounced only when the suspension is lowered (increasing the neg. camber), or when wider/lower profile/stickier tires are used. As a result, the list of mods you mentioned is, at least, not going to make the "pull" worse. There isn't yet a solution to completely dial out this "pull", but if you still wish to alleviate the problem, put in aftermarket polyurethane (or even harder - solid bearings) control arm bushings and there should be noticeable improvements. The ride quality, on the other hand, will be compromised as a result.

Your Answer:

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    Amandarutt4950
    Reputation
    910
  • #2
    Guru53CZ5
    Reputation
    360
  • #3
    Sponger128
    Reputation
    280
View All

Find great deals from top-rated dealers

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used MINI Cooper
47 Great Deals out of 664 listings starting at $1,999
Used Jeep Wrangler
135 Great Deals out of 5,038 listings starting at $5,450
Used BMW X3
50 Great Deals out of 1,034 listings starting at $4,995
Used Toyota Corolla
125 Great Deals out of 2,068 listings starting at $2,795
Used Volkswagen Golf GTI
25 Great Deals out of 604 listings starting at $4,900
Used Mazda MAZDA3
70 Great Deals out of 1,495 listings starting at $2,495
Used Mercedes-Benz C-Class
95 Great Deals out of 1,461 listings starting at $3,799
Used BMW 3 Series
73 Great Deals out of 1,177 listings starting at $1,995
Used Toyota 4Runner
10 Great Deals out of 299 listings starting at $12,888

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.