Traction issues

[Jonny_VRS89]

Is traction normally an issue in the dry in a 2.0 tsi vrs? I'm getting traction lighting up pretty easily. Car is currently standard, on Michelin pilot sport 4 tyres. 5mm tread. My friends 310bhp Astra coupe turbo seems to put power down better :s. Just 200bhp, I wouldn't expect to have much of an issue putting that down. Not sure if I should try some other tyres?

[Ecomatt]

Dont floor the throttle and try and feed the power in.

[Jonny_VRS89]

I do lol, I know throttle modulation  but traction still seems to be poor for 200bhp in my opinion if this is normal.

[Harry_vRS]

If you can afford it get a diff. Handles 340bhp no problems now. 

[Jonny_VRS89]

Not an option as I'm only keeping the car for a year or so. Just wondered if there was anything cheap I could do such as a particular tracking set up etc. 

 

Has anyone found a tyre that's particularly good on the octy for traction? 

[tubbytommy]

No lsd fitted as its not a real performace car.

Its a taxi with a spoiler.

 

[fatzy]

20 hours ago, Jonny_VRS89 said:

Is traction normally an issue in the dry in a 2.0 tsi vrs? I'm getting traction lighting up pretty easily. Car is currently standard, on Michelin pilot sport 4 tyres. 5mm tread. My friends 310bhp Astra coupe turbo seems to put power down better :s. Just 200bhp, I wouldn't expect to have much of an issue putting that down. Not sure if I should try some other tyres?

 

How old are your tyres? Rubber hardends over time and hard rubber gives less traction. There is a oval mark on tyre side wall with 4 numbers in it (month-year). Check it.

It also matters if the tyres are stored badly during winter season. If kept unused in the sun and rain the rubber deteriorates quicker and you get less traction when you put them on again.

[AVHreplica]

Correct for tyres age and mileage use......

Also any issues with your suspension?

Are shocks in good situation?

Worn such items could lead to car's quite bigger differences in up of the front while accelerations.... 

[Ecomatt]

Also try a throttle map with 1/1 as that will give a more linear response.

[fatzy]

1 hour ago, fatzy said:

 

How old are your tyres? Rubber hardends over time and hard rubber gives less traction. There is a oval mark on tyre side wall with 4 numbers in it (month-year). Check it.

 

Sorry, wrong info from my side: the oval marking on the side walls are (WEEK-year). In my example photo above, the tyre was produced week 47 in 2007.

[Jonny_VRS89]

It's not like the traction is terrible, it's just not as good as I'd expect with only 200bhp and a good tyre in ps4.

 

The tyre age is interesting. As I bought the car a few weeks ago I wouldn't know how long they've been on but it's something to look at, thanks

[Auric Goldfinger]

I have a 230 Vrs with 230 Plus (predictive 250ish) bhp, running 225/35/19 Pirelli P Zeros @ 39psi all round and have no traction problems at all.

 

I find it very difficult to light the front tyres up, does have the fancy e-diff though..............

[Redboy]

47 minutes ago, Auric Goldfinger said:

I have a 230 Vrs with 230 Plus (predictive 250ish) bhp, running 225/35/19 Pirelli P Zeros @ 39psi all round and have no traction problems at all.

 

I find it very difficult to light the front tyres up, does have the fancy e-diff though..............

 

Please put a rolling road graph up showing this magical 250-ish BHP. 

[Metblackrat]

I have PS4's on as well. They haven't only been on the market long enough to have degraded. 

 

I find that the turbo kicking in can break traction if you go to full throttle. If you don't bury the accelerator until you are doing 15-20mph then it does get going cleanly. Mines a DSG which I think is harder to launch but is then quicker through the gears as expected.

 

Mine has the XDS differential but this works more in a curved path. 

 

http://en.volkswagen.com/en/innovation-and-technology/technical-glossary/elektronische_differenzialsperrexds.html

[Ju1ian1001]

5 hours ago, fatzy said:

 

Sorry, wrong info from my side: the oval marking on the side walls are (WEEK-year). In my example photo above, the tyre was produced week 47 in 2007.

some tyre manufacturers don't use that style dot code. some use moth/year i.e 0117- so reads January/2017

[Ju1ian1001]

Mk 3 octavia has 230ish bhp, Mk 2 had 200bhp ish

[Vegasphil]

I found it easy to spin the wheels on mine. Just a part of owning one of these I'd say.  

[TheClient]

17 hours ago, Jonny_VRS89 said:

It's not like the traction is terrible, it's just not as good as I'd expect with only 200bhp and a good tyre in ps4.

 

The tyre age is interesting. As I bought the car a few weeks ago I wouldn't know how long they've been on but it's something to look at, thanks

I've got a DSG version, so a little different for standing starts.   Rainsport 3s on the front, some Pirellis on the back I don't rate that highly (they were on there when I bought it).

 

I never race from standing start, if that is where the traction is bad?  But If I manually change down for a second gear run through an empty roundabout or twisty section and floor the throttle (Edit: until the kickdown switch is reached), I don't really get any loss of traction or ESP light at all. It feels brisk but not that quick...All based on what you are used to though!  Maybe yours has a map? 

 

Edit: I think I can remember when I first got the car, running a few flat the floor kickdown tests, and when the DSG  dropped back to 1st under full throttle, it did lose a bit of traction and a bit of torque steer, but 1st gear kick down / 1st to 2nd up changes only.

Edited 8 May, 2017 by TheClient

[Redboy]

21 hours ago, Metblackrat said:

I have PS4's on as well. They haven't only been on the market long enough to have degraded. 

 

I find that the turbo kicking in can break traction if you go to full throttle. If you don't bury the accelerator until you are doing 15-20mph then it does get going cleanly. Mines a DSG which I think is harder to launch but is then quicker through the gears as expected.

 

Mine has the XDS differential but this works more in a curved path. 

 

http://en.volkswagen.com/en/innovation-and-technology/technical-glossary/elektronische_differenzialsperrexds.html

Is this from a VRS 230 or a mapped car? If it's standard, impressive....why aren't owners complaining about the extra BHP, like the TDI owners are with extra NO2 ! 

[MartynVRS]

I have 282bhp and while yeah I can spin the wheels in 4th in the wet, with proper throttle control it's not an issue. I run with traction control off too as with the extra power it wanted to cut in more but since then I've learned to discipline my right foot when making progress. You do that and these cars are incredibly capable

[CWARD]

If you've not had it long then check your tyre pressures and try 34psi all round 

[vonbeck]

Ive had my 2010 2.0ltr tsi on a rolling road and it came out at 222bhp and 233ftlb torque totally stock