As the title says really. Is there an option anywhere that I could have a specialist chance that would make the steering/power steering more directly as it all seems to be setup for lazy driving. 

Using sport mode adds some weight but I'd like to see if there's a way to sharpen it up?

For example, driving down a road, you can move the wheel back and forth and there's very little movement of the wheels themselves. It seems to be very linear rather than direct.

I've got the car booked it at a VAG specialist on Wednesday so if there's any settings I can get done at the same time I will.

There are  2 mods used in the Octavia section that adjust the throttle.  Pretty sure when I did one of them (Audi mod?) it changed the steering characteristics too.  Could be what you are after.  Search audi throttle mod and you should be able to fin the other one too.

Ditch the stock alloys! Especially if they are 19", they weigh as much as an anchor...  (14.7kg  )

I switched to aftermarket 19" at 10.5kg and the steering came alive immediately. If you are fine with 18" you can get to 9kg easily which is a huge difference compared to stock.

Just sayin...

 

6 hours ago, MarkyG82 said:

There are  2 mods used in the Octavia section that adjust the throttle.  Pretty sure when I did one of them (Audi mod?) it changed the steering characteristics too.  Could be what you are after.  Search audi throttle mod and you should be able to fin the other one too.

In my experience this was mostly a placebo effect due to probably the name of the VCDS Module the mod was in (Steering Response). I'm not aware of any software setting, at least of all the known ones that I've tried  including "Audi throttle mod" etc. that would really change steering feel.

I can't move my steering wheel at all without the car changing direction. Are you sure there's not something loose?

Can the steering not be set to have less assistance as on other Skoda Models,

they can be set to have more assistance for 'Disability use',  as can the Brake Assist.

 

eg

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/236545-power-steering-adjustment

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/294303-vcds-steering-assist-polo-gti-setting

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/366759-power-assistance-value-weight

 

Edited 2 November, 20205 yr by e-Roottoot

2 hours ago, facet edge said:

I can't move my steering wheel at all without the car changing direction. Are you sure there's not something loose?

 

There's nothing wrong, it's just not sharp. The problem could be compounded because I'm jumping between the Superb and a Mini Cooper S. The mini is really sharp, and while I know the Superb is never going to be that sharp, I'd like a little more response from the steering on initial turn in. Maybe having a stiffer sway bar might help as the suspension is probably absorbing some of the initial steering movement.

2 hours ago, facet edge said:

I can't move my steering wheel at all without the car changing direction. Are you sure there's not something loose?

Yeah I’d second this. My 280 sportline seems to react straight away to steering input even when being pushed hard

Changing the level of power assistance is not going to change the gearing of your steering, it will not change it into a quick-rack and cannot make it sharper, you turn the steering wheel through X degrees in Y seconds and the road wheels will turn through X/n degrees in the same Y seconds.

 

You are more likely to achieve some of the result you desire by suspension and damping mods.

Edited 3 November, 20205 yr by J.R.

7 hours ago, TheBinarySheep said:

 

There's nothing wrong, it's just not sharp. The problem could be compounded because I'm jumping between the Superb and a Mini Cooper S. The mini is really sharp, and while I know the Superb is never going to be that sharp, I'd like a little more response from the steering on initial turn in. Maybe having a stiffer sway bar might help as the suspension is probably absorbing some of the initial steering movement.

 

I had a test-drive in a Mini Cooper SE (hybrid), didn't feel that it had that much sharper steering, a little bit more nimble but it's a smaller car, it also felt really artificial compared to the Superb. I have the progressive (i think it's called that) steering - 1 turn each way end to end, maybe that makes a difference to the standard steering in terms of directness?

Another way to go is to increase the toe in a little bit to make the car more eager to react (from center), can also make your car feel more nervous and if done wrong or to much increase tyre wear.

@J.R.

Changing the steering assist to less did not change anything other than giving the feeling of heavier steering, and that felt better in spirited driving.

The same could happen with wider tyres being fitted. 

The point is it can be felt and needs tried to see the difference from a skittery feeling to the steering to feeling as though you have control.

 

The new cars should not feel as though they have vague steering but some can.

But then tyres and pressures can be the reason for that and are an easy thing to change before starting replacing suspension parts or upgrading.

 

When it can be done with simply plugging in and resetting Steering Assist it is free to try, and if you never try you will never know.

 

As it is in the UK where the NSL is 60 when there is just a single lane, then the steering being lazy can be good enough for the majority if corners are being taken at maybe 60 mph, and on roads with more lanes at 70 mph and a bit.

 

 

@Baverhanne

A MINI SE is not a Hybrid, it is an Electric Car with no ICE engine, and rather heavy and has tyres that are to help the range and not the traction.

Even with the tyres they have the range is pathetic, and if getting a demonstrator remember to go check the tyre pressures because many Demonstrators tyres are over inflated so that the range does not show as pathetic as they are.

Makes for a rather detached steering feeling though, and not the safest either if just a driver going out to see how a car performs.

 

I would hope that Harry had got out the Tyre Pressure Gauge and checked if the car was handed over to him with the Tyres on an an ECO pressure setting. 

they usually are and it really makes a difference if you lower the pressure if it is only you, some cameras and an empty boot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 3 November, 20205 yr by e-Roottoot

4 hours ago, Baverhanne said:

 

I had a test-drive in a Mini Cooper SE (hybrid), didn't feel that it had that much sharper steering, a little bit more nimble but it's a smaller car, it also felt really artificial compared to the Superb. I have the progressive (i think it's called that) steering - 1 turn each way end to end, maybe that makes a difference to the standard steering in terms of directness?

Another way to go is to increase the toe in a little bit to make the car more eager to react (from center), can also make your car feel more nervous and if done wrong or to much increase tyre wear.

Another good point as to why some cars might feel different than others: @TheBinarySheep  does yours have the Progressive steering option or is it on the fixed one?  

3 hours ago, newbie69 said:

Another good point as to why some cars might feel different than others: @TheBinarySheep  does yours have the Progressive steering option or is it on the fixed one?  

I'm going to assume it's the fixed one, unless it came standard on the Sportline?

I remember having a variable rack in the VRS and it was fantastic.

Edited 3 November, 20205 yr by TheBinarySheep

Pump your tyres up!

1 hour ago, TheBinarySheep said:

I remember having a variable rack in the VRS and it was fantastic.

 

How does that work then?

 

Or do you mean variable assistance?

 

It could work with a cone drive Gilgen of Switzerland used to be the leaders of variable ratio linear drives, cannot imagine a variable rack & pinion though.

The steering weights up when you go faster.

 

Fiat Punto and other Fiat's and the Toyota iQ had a 'Ladies button',  for light steering in town / parking, and lovely they are for laddies as well.

1 hour ago, J.R. said:

 

How does that work then?

 

Or do you mean variable assistance?

 

It could work with a cone drive Gilgen of Switzerland used to be the leaders of variable ratio linear drives, cannot imagine a variable rack & pinion though.

 

35 minutes ago, e-Roottoot said:

The steering weights up when you go faster.

 

Fiat Punto and other Fiat's and the Toyota iQ had a 'Ladies button',  for light steering in town / parking, and lovely they are for laddies as well.

Well... from VW's website: 



 

Edited 3 November, 20205 yr by newbie69

2 hours ago, e-Roottoot said:

The steering weights up when you go faster.

 

Fiat Punto and other Fiat's and the Toyota iQ had a 'Ladies button',  for light steering in town / parking, and lovely they are for laddies as well.

 

Not really the same feature - as posted above. The steering ratio is not linear, it reacts about the same around center (straight) as the normal steering but the further you turn the steering wheel the higher the ratio becomes.

@Baverhanne

When you are at the steering wheel and the roads are great the tyres and pressures are right and there are no camera van all you care about is that it does the job and not how it gets to doing the job.

4 hours ago, newbie69 said:

 

Well... from VW's website: 



 

 

I have to ask the same question then "how does that work?" with relation to the dubious sounding "variable tooth spacing on the rack & pinion"

3 minutes ago, J.R. said:

I have to ask the same question then "how does that work?" with relation to the dubious sounding "variable tooth spacing on the rack & pinion"

 

Does this help: http://www.pss-steering.com/en/prog_rack_steering.html 

 

Or maybe this different system:

 

Its a genuine question, I am a mechanical engineer, worked as a designer until my 30's often using gearing and I have not heard of a variable pitch rack & pinion but I have been out of the game for quite a while although had always kept up with vehicle engineering as a race car constructor, again now a few years out of date.

 

Variable steering geometry yes, variable steering assistance yes.

"...Some cars have variable-ratio steering, which uses a rack-and-pinion gearset that has a different tooth pitch (number of teeth per inch) in the center than it has on the outside. This makes the car respond quickly when starting a turn (the rack is near the center), and also reduces effort near the wheel's turning limits."
 

8 minutes ago, newbie69 said:

"...Some cars have variable-ratio steering, which uses a rack-and-pinion gearset that has a different tooth pitch (number of teeth per inch) in the center than it has on the outside. This makes the car respond quickly when starting a turn (the rack is near the center), and also reduces effort near the wheel's turning limits."
 

I am curently looking through the links on Langers reply but the above is contrary to basic gear design, a rack is effectively a meshing gear stretched out lengthwise, it has to have the same pitch to mesh.

 

The first link is unfortunately machine translated from another language, if the rack was not straight (which it is) or if the teeth on the outer sections form a slow spiral meaning the rack must rotate around the pinion then I can conceptualise that the ratio would change, the tooth pitch would remain the same, it has to, its a fundamental of gear design but with a spiral cut rack that can rotate the longitudinal displacement could be variable, the number of teeth per linear inch of rack (measured in a straight line & not the spiral) could therefore differ but the pitch has to remain the same.

Edited 3 November, 20205 yr by J.R.

1 minute ago, J.R. said:

I am curently looking through the links on Langers reply but the above is contrary to basic gear design, a rack is effectively a meshing gear stretched out lengthwise, it has to have the same pitch to mesh.

 

The first link is unfortunately machine translated from another language, if the rack was not straight (which it is) or if the teeth on the outer sections form a slow spiral meaning the rack must rotate around the pinion then I can conceptualise that the ratio would change, the tooth pitch would remain the same, it has to, its a fundamental of gear design but with a spiral cut rack that can rotate the longitudinal displacement could be variable, the number of teeth per linear inch of rack could therefore differ but the pitch has to remain the same.

Well you must be missing some theory then, it is a commonly used technical solution on several brands and manufacturers, or maybe you are trying to call every automotive designer that claims they offer this a fraud? Hard to tell what this is all about really.

Another link out of the many that come up regardin variable steering ratio:



Steering
 

Variable Gear Ratio Steering

It would be good to have a linear, predictable steering response, but sometimes varying the steering ratio could enhance the driving experience. For example, when cruising on highway we want the steering to be "calmer" to enhance stability and ease of driving, so a slower ratio would be welcomed. In contrast, when turning into a tight corner a quicker steering ratio could speed up the response and reduce driver effort considerably. Variable gear ratio steering is the answer. It is able to vary the steering ratio according to speed and steering angle. In addition to the variable assistance of power steering, you have a fully variable steering.



Honda VGR - Honda Accord (1997)

Debuted on the Japanese market Accord in 1997, Honda's VGR (Variable Gear Ratio) was claimed to be the world's first electrical power steering featuring variable gear ratio function. As seen in the photo below, this is a simple, pure mechanical design implemented by means of a special steering rack. The teeth on the rack are closer together near the center and farther apart near the sides. This means it reacts slower on the straight ahead and quicker at larger steering angle. BTW, Mercedes uses the same means in its "Direct Steer" option.

16 minutes ago, newbie69 said:

Well you must be missing some theory then, it is a commonly used technical solution on several brands and manufacturers, or maybe you are trying to call every automotive designer that claims they offer this a fraud? Hard to tell what this is all about really.

 

 

Not missing any theory, you have to learn and understand the basics like a gear tooth will not mesh with another of a different modular pitch be it a pinion gear or a rack (a straightened out pinion) in order to work with, specify and design geared systems.

 

It is not hard to tell what this is about, I wish to understand, others have no problems in helping me do so in a civil manner.

 

The above diagram helped the penny to drop.

Edited 3 November, 20205 yr by J.R.