[squelchy451]

With most cheap cars you can wiggle the steering wheel slightly with little effort on highway speeds. How do I make is such that it takes a decent amount of effort to make the steering wheel move from the center position?

Alignment is within specs, with even some positive toe-in which is said to increase high speed stability. For the most part the car does feel stable on the highway, but just having that wiggle in the steering doesn't sit well with me.

 

[arathol]

Less rear toe in, 1/16" or less on each side, maybe new tires with really stiff sidewalls....

Supposedly OVT was working on a way to tune the electric steering used on the SkyActiv cars through ECU manipulation. Don"t know how far that went but initial reports were positive.

 

[Kiyoskia]

Does anyone remember the BMW's with Servotronic steering? Fingertip steering at low speeds, high resistance at highway speeds?

 

[Hisdem]

Does anyone remember the BMW's with Servotronic steering? Fingertip steering at low speeds, high resistance at highway speeds?

It's typically how they work now, with the electric power steering. In fact, the Mazda does a similar thing. Ironically, the most impressive system like that I've seen was in a Fiat 500. You could turn it with your pinky at low speeds, and it turned super high resistance once at speed.

I haven't eliminated the little play there is in the Mazda entirely (it doesn't bother me), but I noticed it was considerably reduced upon adjusting my tire pressures - which were low about 3psi on all corners.

 

[squelchy451]

It's typically how they work now, with the electric power steering. In fact, the Mazda does a similar thing. Ironically, the most impressive system like that I've seen was in a Fiat 500. You could turn it with your pinky at low speeds, and it turned super high resistance once at speed.

I haven't eliminated the little play there is in the Mazda entirely (it doesn't bother me), but I noticed it was considerably reduced upon adjusting my tire pressures - which were low about 3psi on all corners.

I haven't checked my PSI in a while...what do you have it set to?

 

[Hisdem]

I haven't checked my PSI in a while...what do you have it set to?

I hadn't checked mine since buying the car in October either (oops). Set it to factory specs, at 36 all round (I have the OEM 18" wheels). Steering became tighter. I was actually surprised a 3-3.5PSI difference was this noticeable.