2011 Golf R understeer

[worx]

Hey,

I guess a lot of people have the same problem as me.

Sorry for starting a new thread that is not needed, if this is a repost.

What do people do on here to fix understeer with a new Golf R?

[Corey_R]

There are a range of things

Suspension
Sway bars
Anti Lift Kits
Unibrace Underbody
Haldex AWD controller

Different people do different combinations of the above. I don't know anyone who has done all of them, or even evaluated all of them, to give an opinion about which gives the best bang for you buck, biggest change, or which combinations work best. I presume some of that would come down to driving styles and requirements anyway.

I'll let other people recommend specific brands and components.

[worx]

So far I have had the car two weeks and I have done the whiteline rear sway and the whiteline adjustable castor/anti lift kit.

It is a loads better, but I still get a bit of low speed understeer. I was thinking about playing with the camber next. Also looking at the Haldex AWD controller (don't really want to go that far tho)

[Corey_R]

Well, the Haldex AWD controller will change it from FWD bias to RWD bias meaning under/oversteer at low speeds can be controlled with your right foot. I remember a video of a Eurotec or Sportec R (in another language) on Youtube who had done the Haldex controller, and they could do a flick 180 at a rather low speed. Was great!

[worx]

Looks like it mite have to be the go ah well, who needs money anyway!

[5pot]

You can try unbolting the front sway bar to see if that changes things... Even trail braking into the corner can help turn-in. Is it pushing wide when you're exiting a corner or on the way in?

[Mr_Bob]

Definite gains to be had in driver technique.

I did a half day rally course in Evos and STis
At first they would understeer, but as I got the confidence to brake later and harder, the rear got lighter and i got more and more turn-in, then oversteer.

Whilst that was on dirt, similar principles still apply on tarmac
Timing of brake/steer/throttle is critical to the balance of the vehicle, as does apexing technique.

If your entry to the apex is shallow (early), you may be inclined to hit the throttle before the car has turned in, which is likely to induce understeer.

AWD's do tend to have so much grip that you can get away with a hamfisted approach through corners.

[worx]

You can try unbolting the front sway bar to see if that changes things... Even trail braking into the corner can help turn-in. Is it pushing wide when you're exiting a corner or on the way in?

Sort of mid corner I think.

Definite gains to be had in driver technique.

I did a half day rally course in Evos and STis
At first they would understeer, but as I got the confidence to brake later and harder, the rear got lighter and i got more and more turn-in, then oversteer.

Whilst that was on dirt, similar principles still apply on tarmac
Timing of brake/steer/throttle is critical to the balance of the vehicle, as does apexing technique.

If your entry to the apex is shallow (early), you may be inclined to hit the throttle before the car has turned in, which is likely to induce understeer.

AWD's do tend to have so much grip that you can get away with a hamfisted approach through corners.

I have put 3,000km on it now. I would have to agree with the driver technique thing, I don't have much of a problem anymore. Guess I'm getting used to it. I am so used to getting oversteer easy, I that was the thing putting me off.

[triode12]

So far I have had the car two weeks and I have done the whiteline rear sway and the whiteline adjustable castor/anti lift kit.

It is a loads better, but I still get a bit of low speed understeer. I was thinking about playing with the camber next. Also looking at the Haldex AWD controller (don't really want to go that far tho)

Before spending money on the AWD controller and regardless of the brand of sway you choose...I would recommend getting a front sway bar to go with your RSB. You will find the improvement to be worth the money. It is a shame that you didn't get it when you did the ALK as the cost of install would be a lot less installing it together with the ALK than on it's own.

I've had my car with just an RSB installed and now with both sways installed. The car has virtually no understeer with both installed and tracks like it is on rails and is much more composed and predictable on turns.

[worx]

I'm a bit careful with front sway bars, I have had them make the car understeer. I put one on my last M5, it was shocking! mite give it a go on this car if you think it is the go.

[LWR]

I haven't discovered understeer in mine yet.Are you tracking yours?

[5pot]

Mid-corner? Maybe you're giving it a bit too much gas too soon? When I tracked my quattro, i found it helpful to trail-brake through the corner, unloading the rear. Also, when you're on the throttle, sometimes backing off a little bit when you feel the front start to push wide will help bring the rear around.

But I've never driven a R before only largely anaemic B3&4 quattros Bigger rear bars on those cars have helped immensely but with their nose-heavy nature, they always tended to understeer anyway... I think it's hard to get away from that in an AWD road car.

[LWR]

Mid-corner? Maybe you're giving it a bit too much gas too soon? When I tracked my quattro, i found it helpful to trail-brake through the corner, unloading the rear. Also, when you're on the throttle, sometimes backing off a little bit when you feel the front start to push wide will help bring the rear around.

But I've never driven a R before only largely anaemic B3&4 quattros Bigger rear bars on those cars have helped immensely but with their nose-heavy nature, they always tended to understeer anyway... I think it's hard to get away from that in an AWD road car.

My R handles like a dream and hangs on like a leech.I haven't tried it on a track though and may never will.
I could imagine an R32 understeering though if pushed.

[dave_r]

Only time I noticed any real understeer on the track last week was if I went in too hot or started accelerating a bit early. The stock setup with ACC did a pretty good job I thought. How you drive it probably makes up for a lot.

I'm about to purchase a set of the H&R sways for my R along with a Unibrace for the rear hatch area. I didn't think the underbody one would provide as much of a benefit.

Didn't realise Whiteline had updated their website since I looked there last time. I know the WRX guys swore by the ALK's, don't know much about them but would add that to the shopping list if its a worthwhile BFYB gain. Plus fitting at the same time as the other stuff makes sense.

[Corey_R]

triode12 has done a Whiteline ALK and Swaybar review in the MKV forum.

dave_r, I see that you've just found it... but I thought I'd post the link here for others who aren't aware of it.