[Vito]

Is anybody running the front wider wheels package ? Does this actually cure the under steering ? Or is it enough by just getting some Michelins fitted ?  

I was driving down a B road a couple of days ago, took a bend a bit too fast and the front end just lost grip making the car skid in to the on coming traffic lane, that was bloody scary, need to do sumet about it .

[Anakin]

I've heard of quite a few TT RS owners say that a good geo set up can help alot. I know where to find the setting for TT's but not RS3's. Something worth looking into I gues.

[MacD]

If you understeered into the other lane then the answer is simple..... Too fast for the corner!

 

Changing the tyres by all accounts to Michelin Super Sports makes a big difference (Awaits MBK's opinion on them)

 

Also upgrade the ARB's which will also help eliminate the understeer, Not sure who's doing them as ive not looked yet.

[MBK]

Hey Vito, all that track action is rubbing off on your road driving then!

 

Steve is right, if you turn in too fast you will understeer, every car initially understeers, even cars like GT3RS or Caterham 7s, it's what happens afterwards that matters.

 

The RS3 is a typical Audi, it's nose heavy and ultimately it will always understeer.  Fitting the wider front tyres will increase the level of grip and the speed/cornering force needed to reach that point for sure.  The German car magazine Sportauto rave about the ability of the 255 front tyres in the wet.

 

Reducing the understeer tendency:

 

- Turn off ESP, the ESP causes a lot of the understeer and interferes way too early.  You have a quattro car, you don't need ESP as well!

 

- Michelin Pilot Super Sports are a massive improvement over the Conti 5Ps - the Conti's have a real cliff edge to them, you reach the limit of grip and then the front slides wide as you describe.   You've seen my track video, fast lap in the dry - no understeer to speak of.  True awesomness in the wet, utter grip and traction - and all the same, turn in too quick you get understeer.  On a quiet track and no other cars in sight I've deliberately turned in too fast to find out what happens, you only know where the limit is when you've gone beyond it.  With the Pilot Super Sports the grip/slip/grip transition is far more progressive, you approach the limit of front grip and you have options, lift a little and trim your line or if you've reached the apex get back on the loud pedal hard and wake the haldex to push you through - all four MPSS tyres howl in protest but they also grip hard (if you do this on the Conti's you just get a nasty noise and more understeer).  The MPSS are the biggest transformation of a cars handling I've experienced from just a tyre change. Almost as much grip as a Toyo R888 when dry and yet hugely capable in the wet too.  For most people (me included) the MPSS alone will improve the handling enough.

 

- If you still feel you have too much understeer then yes sure Geo set ups and ARB's can adjust the way the car handles, but it's best to get some good advice on this.  The RS3 is fast and safe as it is, you want to keep it that way.  My Type 20 spec Impreza had ARB's and Geo set up and was great in the dry but twitchy as hell in the wet, until it was also fitted with:

 

- Coilovers - for the ultimate change some top adjustable coilover suspension would help most.  Set them firm in the dry and you get incredible grip and minimal understeer.  Set all the way to soft in the wet and you get suppleness and much improve contact with the road surface (the standard RS3 suspension gets very busy in the ultra wet, tyres skipping over the wet surface, it still grips hard but you get a lot of ABS action in braking zones.

 

Personally I like the way the RS3 handles, it's fast and progressive, good in the dry, amazing when wet - I'd rather have this anytime over snap oversteer, that's for Go Karts and 7s.

[P_G]

Running Goodyears and 034 Motorsports ARB on agressive setting, feels far more accomplished now with both changes and understeer reduced with a touch of oversteer now when really puishing. Sacrifice may be a little on the ride comfort with it being stiffer but it was a hard ride already.

 

Agreed that switching ESP to sport mode changes the chratacter of the car again.

Edited by P_G, 10 May 2013 - 12:02 PM.

[MacD]

P_G is that front and rear ARB's you've had fitted?

 

Thinking of springs and wondered whether to get ARB's too all in one go.

[P_G]

Nope just the rear one. H&R do a front and rear kit but I worried about it making the car too stiff and fidgety. H&R kit is about £360, 034 bar including shipping and duty £200.

[Vito]

P_G does your car achieve less body roll ( as well as the reduced understeer ) with the ARB fitted just at the rear ?  Or would you need also a front one to get the proper result ?

 

But I 'll definitely be getting some Michelins when the Contis are finished. 

Edited by LattyboyRS3, 10 May 2013 - 09:35 PM.

[MBK]

Vito, do you think body roll is an issue on the RS3?  

 

I think it has a remarkable lack of roll for an extreme hatch.  Making it firmer will be good for dry conditions but have serious downsides in the wet.

[P_G]

P_G does your car achieve less body roll ( as well as the reduced understeer ) with the ARB fitted just at the rear ?  Or would you need also a front one to get the proper result ?

 

But I 'll definitely be getting some Michelins when the Contis are finished. 

 

Less body roll and less understeer. If you fling it into a corner faster than you should it will still understeer to the limit of the tyres, I think most cars bar a Zonda R of McLaren would. But it is far more composed. We took it for a test drive to work out whether to go soft or agressive and went agressive int he end which when pushing round a large roundabout made the tail step out before the nosh pushed wide.at speeds around 60+mph allowing a little 4 wheel drift.

[Vito]

No Mark I don't think is an issue, but I really liked the ride/set up of the TTRS when I tried it at Silverstone and wouldn't mind to have the same on the RS3, that's why I was being curious about P_G's car and tbh I would rather have a bit of oversteer then understeer.                                         

 

Ummh !!! I think P_G car set up would just be perfect for me.

Edited by LattyboyRS3, 11 May 2013 - 10:15 AM.

[MBK]

Fab, go for it, it sounds like a good set up!

[ryes3]

I have the 255 fronts on mine and have never got to the point where I experience any under steer. The rear will start to skip before that happens.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[Vito]

I have the 255 fronts on mine and have never got to the point where I experience any under steer. The rear will start to skip before that happens.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

The easiest and cheaper option, I thought so, thanks Ryes3.

[MBK]

Make sure you wrap them in 255 Pilot Super Sports for an even better effect!

Edited by MBK, 11 May 2013 - 06:04 PM.

[MacD]

If you find them Vito give me a shout, I'd like to upgrade in the future.

 

I say upgrade because its not classed as a modification,  which is what i said i wouldnt do this time.... !

[Vito]

45bvtc as ordered some, I need to ask him.

[Vito]

I might just give a ring to the guy who's been looking after me at Audi UK, he did say to me to to get in touch if I ever needed anything.

[SwissRS3]

There is another posibilty to reduce the understear at leat a little bit.
e.g. Sportec of Switzerland offers a Haldex Gen 4 "Tuning Kit" with you can order wit a remote control (actually it an original Haldex add-on kit).

see details at: http://www.sportec.ch/page8752.html

It has three modes:
- Eco: all power to the front wheels - recommended for long trips on motorways, as they claim it would reduce the fuel consumption
- Standard: wheel power distributed same like in the series
- Sport: more power to the back wheels.

I habe it implemented to my RS3 and I am not juggling around with the modes, instead its permanently set to "Sport" (as such, I could have also omitted adding the remote control - in this case it will be set to Sport permanently).
It improves understear just a litte, especially when you go un damp roads.

*** Just wanted to let you know ***

Edited by SwissRS3, 18 May 2013 - 06:30 AM.

[MBK]

Thanks, I've read other good reviews of the upgraded Haldex controller. Time for a serious look at one of these.