Improve the steering feel

My Nissan Leaf Forum

Help Support My Nissan Leaf Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
TomT said:
Alas, when I went to the Michelins, there was no real improvement in steering feel. Turn in, handling, ride and braking yes, but the on-center and steering feel was just as numb and uncommunicative as with the OEM Crap-o-matics.
Yeah, but that's probably because the MXV4s are crap tires, IMO. ;)

Had some on my last car (Subaru WRX) and they sucked - same size as the LEAF. Way too much tread-depth, but that's how they get a 620 something treadwear rating. Had stock Bridgestock RE92s before that which were better, but not by much.

Best tires I had on the Subaru were RE070s. Way too noisy, harsh ride and reduced fuel economy, though.

Any summer tire should be a good improvement over all-seasons if you're looking for improved steering feel and never drive in the snow.

The Pirelli Cinturato P7 that TRONZ mentioned look like a good choice, the GoodYear EfficientGrip and Michelin Primacy HP also look interesting in LRR tires. Lots of non-LRR summer tires available in stock size to try, too.
 
Nope, it is 90 percent because the Leaf has crappy steering... All of the non-steering-related inputs were decidedly better with the Michelins than with the Ecopias... However, the best tires on the planet are not going to improve the Leaf's steering deficiencies, unfortunately... The Leaf steering reminds me of the Detroit luxo-barges of the 60s and 70s; way over-boosted and devoid of anything even approaching road feedback...

I honestly don't know why that had to make it so bad since something as simple as a tweak to the boost algorithm would produce a significant improvement. I've driven other inexpensive cars with EPS that had very nice feel in comparison...

drees said:
TomT said:
Alas, when I went to the Michelins, there was no real improvement in steering feel. Turn in, handling, ride and braking yes, but the on-center and steering feel was just as numb and uncommunicative as with the OEM Crap-o-matics.
Yeah, but that's probably because the MXV4s are crap tires, IMO. ;)
 
smkettner said:
To me it is just a point A to point B car not a sports car.
I like it as is. Well unless possibly significantly more range could be obtained by reducing the assist.


I totally agree. If you want steering feedback to the nth degree, buy a Porsche (no, I won't sell you mine). Electric steering does have the capability of feedback but that comes with a high price. It's very similar to "fly by wire" in an aircraft, where we don't have stainless steel stranded wire cable with turnbuckles looping over pulley and anti-jack points to the control surfaces.

My experiences with my Leaf are OK, I have a feel for the steering and can't complain about it, but then again, I am not driving it in performance runs up and down the San Diego Freeway avoiding gang-bangers, snipers and washing machines tossed over the bridges. Up and down Franklin Pike and maybe a sharp left at the Donut Den in Green Hills as an after-thought at 0700 hours to pick up a few glazed, is about a tough as it gets for me.

Just sayin'

Dave, who has actually dodged a clothes dryer one time on the Anacostia Freeway in the District of Columbia, them young 'uns were just having some fun, that's all ...
 
ebill3 said:
mkjayakumar said:
I actually like the way the steering feels both at low and high speeds.. !
Man, when I now drive my wife's SUV, it reminds me of steering an Army 6X6 back in the early 50's.

I like the LEAF's light steering.

Mee too. And my wife positively loves the Leaf steering. I will never be able to get her to go back to a car with heavy steering again. So here's hoping for light steering in the Model S ;)
 
smkettner said:
To me it is just a point A to point B car not a sports car.
This is why we need a "Motorsports" forum and not just a "Mods" forum: there are those who like the LEAF the way it is. They don't need to hear about tires' performance, steering performance, suspension mods etc. Conversely, I'd rather not see "the LEAf is not a sports car" remarks every time those topics come up.

CWO4Mann said:
I totally agree. If you want steering feedback to the nth degree, buy a Porsche (no, I won't sell you mine). Electric steering does have the capability of feedback but that comes with a high price. It's very similar to "fly by wire" in an aircraft, where we don't have stainless steel stranded wire cable with turnbuckles looping over pulley and anti-jack points to the control surfaces.
Just to be clear, in case anybody got the wrong impression: the LEAF does not have steer-by-wire. There is a direct connection between the LEAF's steering wheel and the front wheels. Said steering is assisted by a electric motor via a reduction gear on the steering column, hence "electrically assisted".
 
aqn said:
smkettner said:
To me it is just a point A to point B car not a sports car.
This is why we need a "Motorsports" forum and not just a "Mods" forum: there are those who like the LEAF the way it is. They don't need to hear about tires' performance, steering performance, suspension mods etc. Conversely, I'd rather not see "the LEAf is not a sports car" remarks every time those topics come up.

CWO4Mann said:
I totally agree. If you want steering feedback to the nth degree, buy a Porsche (no, I won't sell you mine). Electric steering does have the capability of feedback but that comes with a high price. It's very similar to "fly by wire" in an aircraft, where we don't have stainless steel stranded wire cable with turnbuckles looping over pulley and anti-jack points to the control surfaces.
Just to be clear, in case anybody got the wrong impression: the LEAF does not have steer-by-wire. There is a direct connection between the LEAF's steering wheel and the front wheels. Said steering is assisted by a electric motor via a reduction gear on the steering column, hence "electrically assisted".


Glad you clarified that Andy. Thanks!

Dave
 
aqn said:
... This is why we need a "Motorsports" forum and not just a "Mods" forum: there are those who like the LEAF the way it is. They don't need to hear about tires' performance, steering performance, suspension mods etc. Conversely, I'd rather not see "the LEAf is not a sports car" remarks every time those topics come up....

A very strong +1 from me.
 
I'm not aware of any regular production street car that has pure steer by wire. I suspect that the product liability lawyers would never allow it.

aqn said:
Just to be clear, in case anybody got the wrong impression: the LEAF does not have steer-by-wire. There is a direct connection between the LEAF's steering wheel and the front wheels[/url]. Said steering is assisted by a electric motor via a reduction gear on the steering column, hence "electrically assisted".
 
TomT said:
I'm not aware of any regular production street car that has pure steer by wire. I suspect that the product liability lawyers would never allow it.

aqn said:
Just to be clear, in case anybody got the wrong impression: the LEAF does not have steer-by-wire. There is a direct connection between the LEAF's steering wheel and the front wheels[/url]. Said steering is assisted by a electric motor via a reduction gear on the steering column, hence "electrically assisted".
I'm not sure that is any better from a liability perspective. There was an article in a recent Aviation Week (aka "AvLeak") concerning the ability to insert malware through the electronic sensors of various U.S. combat and combat support a/c. As an unclassified demonstration of this, a group of researchers managed to remotely insert a virus into a car with many electronic controls, enabling them to lock the doors, disable the windows and control the steering, brakes and accelerator. Shades of Stuxnet!
 
The issue is just the programming on the EPS. Drive a YARIS with EPS and you will see how it should feel at a minimum. The LEAF is a sad system designed for old farts and people that need to drive with one finger and don't understand why feedback is useful and not a bad thing. This is not a sports car thing it's a bad marketing choice and a car made for people that can barely hold their arms up. It's the worst steering feel since the 70's over boosted PS. A simple software tweak would make it feel much better and make the car feel less cheap and more refined. It's sad that many Americans don't get this and have been fed this processed steering like fast food and other marketing swill. Don't get me started on the weak regen which I now suspect is weaker post-firmware update to solve brake issues.
 
EVDRIVER said:
The issue is just the programming on the EPS. Drive a YARIS with EPS and you will see how it should feel at a minimum. The LEAF is a sad system designed for old farts and people that need to drive with one finger and don't understand why feedback is useful and not a bad thing. This is not a sports car thing it's a bad marketing choice and a car made for people that can barely hold their arms up. It's the worst steering feel since the 70's over boosted PS. A simple software tweak would make it feel much better and make the car feel less cheap and more refined. It's sad that many Americans don't get this and have been fed this processed steering like fast food and other marketing swill. Don't get me started on the weak regen which I now suspect is weaker post-firmware update to solve brake issues.
I've never understood why anyone would need or want assist at highway speeds, and for most cars at any speed over 20-30 mph. Off hand, with the exception of one model of Porsche (I think), none of the car mags has had much good to say about the feel/feedback of any car with electric power steering, although the new 3 series apparently isn't too bad.
 
GRA said:
EVDRIVER said:
The issue is just the programming on the EPS. Drive a YARIS with EPS and you will see how it should feel at a minimum. The LEAF is a sad system designed for old farts and people that need to drive with one finger and don't understand why feedback is useful and not a bad thing. This is not a sports car thing it's a bad marketing choice and a car made for people that can barely hold their arms up. It's the worst steering feel since the 70's over boosted PS. A simple software tweak would make it feel much better and make the car feel less cheap and more refined. It's sad that many Americans don't get this and have been fed this processed steering like fast food and other marketing swill. Don't get me started on the weak regen which I now suspect is weaker post-firmware update to solve brake issues.
I've never understood why anyone would need or want assist at highway speeds, and for most cars at any speed over 20-30 mph. Off hand, with the exception of one model of Porsche (I think), none of the car mags has had much good to say about the feel/feedback of any car with electric power steering, although the new 3 series apparently isn't too bad.

The handling of my RX-8 (electric PS) was excellent. But I must say the highway feel was improved when the PS went out due to a faulty connector. Parking without the PS was not for the faint of heart tho. :eek:
 
Hmm... Maybe I'll put a switch on the Leaf to turn off the PS on demand! :lol:

Nubo said:
The handling of my RX-8 (electric PS) was excellent. But I must say the highway feel was improved when the PS went out due to a faulty connector. Parking without the PS was not for the faint of heart tho. :eek:
 
TomT said:
Hmm... Maybe I'll put a switch on the Leaf to turn off the PS on demand! :lol:
This looks like a job for . . . Bicycle Repair Man!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxfzm9dfqBw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Or Phil, who's our closest facsimile. :D
 
I suppose it is nice to know that Nissan doesn't believe that just the Leaf merits disconnected steering... From a review of the new Infiniti JX CUV:

"Where the JX needs the most attention is in its steering. Designed to be light in the driver's hands, the system goes way too far and feels excessively numb and removed from the front wheels. This was especially disconcerting when going around long, sweeping curves; the driver loses nearly all sensation of control of the vehicle."
 
TomT said:
I suppose it is nice to know that Nissan doesn't believe that just the Leaf merits disconnected steering... From a review of the new Infiniti JX CUV:

"Where the JX needs the most attention is in its steering. Designed to be light in the driver's hands, the system goes way too far and feels excessively numb and removed from the front wheels. This was especially disconcerting when going around long, sweeping curves; the driver loses nearly all sensation of control of the vehicle."


That's exactly what happens. It's like steering by rubber band.
 
I put new wheels and tires on to see if steering and handling can be improved. I went with the aluminum Viper (by MB Wheels) 16X7 5-114.3 with a 40mm offset, weight 18 lbs and Michelin Primacy MXM4 tires. I see improvements in handling, cornering, pavement feedback, stop distance, and even the steering response seems better (maybe). Efficiency appeared to be a little less initially but after 1000 miles, it's about the same compared to stock wheels and tires.

Photo%2520May%252002%252C%25203%252018%252011%2520PM.jpg
 
Back
Top