Torque Steer?

[Alec]

Hey all,

Could someone explain exactly what torque steer is? I've heard this term a bunch and have never been able to get a clear definition/explanation. Is this what causes my truck to drift counterclockwise when I lose traction? Or is that just the cause of my open rear diff and a tendency for the passenger-side tire to catch first?

Thanks.

 

[jimbo74]

yes i think you are right. i belive that torque steer is the over or understeer that you get because you have more power applied to one wheel or the other. i think this can happen with a lsd and locker too. it may even be more prevalent with the locker.

 

[HIX]

It usually applies to Front wheeldrive cars w/ good power. The power will shift from on wheel to the other as they slip sightly. This whips the steering wheel from side to side. My mx-6 does it something fierce when the boost is turned up.

As far as why the truck drifts counter clockwise it could be so many things.

Most roads are crowned so that they are tilted tward the gutter.

It could be the way that the engine shifts in it's engine mounts. Rev it up! Which way does the car tilt?

How about the way the drive shaft turns.

I'm no Physics guy! Gerald? Help us out here!

 

[jimbo74]

oh ok. yes now i remember that always happened with my tercel for some reason it was way too fast for a 1.5 liter... i got a ticket for going over 90 mph. it got dismissed because the cop later dropped the charges (probably figuring that this toyota tercel 4 door sedan coulnt do that.) and i took it past 110 several times. it was probably all the tweaking i did in autoshop. it was cool when i left the 20 foot stripe at work and cool whenever i would 2nd gear scratch next to stangs and the like

 

[Alec]

95% of the time Splat drifts counterclockwise. I can actually use the throttle to correct for a clockwise spin without turning the steering wheel. I lose traction more often now with the blower, and there's always a counterclockwise tendency when the wheels brake loose. With over 250 ft/lbs. of torque I really have to watch it in the wet.

 

[HIX]

It could have something to do w/ the controltrac or allwheel drive thingy you have.

and I guess one wheel would get more torque just due to how the pinion turns in the diff and it would be the opposite one in the front....hhhmmmm

 

[Alec]

Sorry, but I don't have a computer traction system and the truck is 2wd with an open diff.

 

[Stephen]

As someone who used to drive a 300horsepower FWD Cadillac STS (the king of torque steer) let me agree whole heartedly with HIX.

 

[sink]

I have always heard of torque steer in regard to front wheel drive only and it is just as the Stephen and Hix explained. Rear wheel drives get mentioned with throttle steer, but that isn't what happens when it brakes loose, but is your ability to tighten or open the circle by laying on the HP. For you always going counterclockwise, HIX is onto it with the crowning and engine inertia. On a independant rear vehicle this would be an effect of misalignment- but not for Splat.

 

[Alec]

Cool, Thanks Guys!