My near side (passenger) front wheel always seems to lose traction earlier than the other. Tracking and alignment is fine (laser tested today), tyre wear / tread depth seems pretty even and steering pulls perfectly straight.

Could it just be that the driver (me) is rather heavy, or could it be a mechanical/diff issue? Car is a VRS TSI with stock Conti tyres.

Weight distribution comes to mind and if you are on a public road I guess the gutter side tends to have more debris, chippings, water, etc., so not as much grip as the crown of the road. Has anyone weighed their VRS, wheel by wheel?

and one drive shaft will be longer and a bit easier to twist (although to reduce  torque steer they should be pretty close to the same torsional stiffness), so one side will have a bit more 'give' before the tyre.  Also...have you checked the tyre pressures?

and one drive shaft will be longer and a bit easier to twist (although to reduce torque steer they should be pretty close to the same torsional stiffness), so one side will have a bit more 'give' before the tyre. Also...have you checked the tyre pressures?

This. It's likely the passenger side drive shaft will be shorter.

I'm not sure you're really trying hard enough, I get both wheels to spin quite easily with just a little 1.4

I'm not sure you're really trying hard enough, I get both wheels to spin quite easily with just a little 1.4

Where's the fun in it if all four aren't spinning? 

Tyre pressures are fine. Perhaps it is just a characteristic of the car and I am making mountains out of molehills. I have become used to driving RWD and 4WD cars, so must learn to be gentler with my right foot in the VRS. I must say that I do not like the Conti tyres and cannot wait to replace them. I have a set of ATS Radial wheels and await delivery of winter tyres. I think the Conti's are very poor on anything other than bone dry surfaces.

That'll be the 2's for ya, there is a reason they made 3's and then 5's

Must admit I've noticed mine spinning up quite easily. I know the roads have been a bit damp and greasy but it has surprised me how easily they've spun up some times. Tyre pressures are good and the Conti tyres have only got around 1500 miles on them. 

Tyre pressures are fine. Perhaps it is just a characteristic of the car and I am making mountains out of molehills. I have become used to driving RWD and 4WD cars, so must learn to be gentler with my right foot in the VRS. I must say that I do not like the Conti tyres and cannot wait to replace them. I have a set of ATS Radial wheels and await delivery of winter tyres. I think the Conti's are very poor on anything other than bone dry surfaces.

 

I'm in exactly the same boat, I find the wheels spin up WAY too easily in anything but dry. I was blaming my history of RWD/4WD, but I do think the tyres are particularly bad. Problem is the Mrs drives it most of the time so will take ages to wear the tyres out!

I think the Conti's suffer terribly in colder weather. During the summer months I could floor the car in 2nd and the wheels would grip (most of the time). Now when I floor-it on the same colder but dry roads the traction control almost always cuts in. The same applies for pulling away in first where I have to be sooo much more restrained recently. It's not even that cold at the moment.

 

My wife's Renault Megane 150bhp diesel fitted with Goodyear Efficientgrip's feels like it can pull off the line faster than my VRS. That's why I thought the tracking/alignment must have been out, but now I am pretty much convinced the Conti's are the culprit. I'll report back how my Nokian D3 winters fair when they arrive...

Edited 23 December, 201411 yr by Orville

Tyres aside, I reckon you're flooring it a bit harder on left turns than you do on the right turns. It's a natural thing when driving on the left.

Interesting: I noticed the same, but in my lhd car the passenger side is right instead of left, so it may just be a weight issue (though I'm only 65kg). 

More LSD required

My near side (passenger) front wheel always seems to lose traction earlier than the other. Tracking and alignment is fine (laser tested today), tyre wear / tread depth seems pretty even and steering pulls perfectly straight.

Could it just be that the driver (me) is rather heavy, or could it be a mechanical/diff issue? Car is a VRS TSI with stock Conti tyres.

Tracking and alignment checked or did you have a proper geometry check done on a Hunter rig?

There is a big difference between t two.

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'Cambers on the Public Highway'.

  Be it countries with Left Hand Drive or Right Hand drive, but the UK is more cambered than many.

 

So does the car act exactly the same on a Runway, Drag Strip or the likes,?  ie accelerating on a flat / horizontal surface.

&

What about the difference with TC on & TC off.?

No nipping of brakes or ESP or other electronic interventions.