Quicker steering rack?

[Ohio Enthusiast]

I love the steering feel on the BRZ, but coming from a Focus ST I miss the super quick steering on it. I had a post-facelift ST, and Ford never released specs for the revised steering so I only have the lock-to-lock number - 2.3 turns. The pre-facelift ST had 1.8 turns lock-to-lock, with a variable ratio from 13.7:1 to 10.1:1. Some speculation online is that the post-facelift ST has a fixed ratio rack, probably around 13-12:1 ratio.

The BRZ has 2.5 turns lock-to-lock with a ratio of 13.12:1. Turns I would easily take with the ST while keeping my hands at 3 and 9, I struggle to do in the BRZ without crossing my arms. Typical city right 90 degree turns are the best example.

It looks like there was some interest in this a few years ago, but nothing solid came out of it. I saw that for 2000s STIs they had both a shorter rack (by Rev-Lab?) and revised steering geometry mods (Perrin's Super Steer, for example). Is there any such mods for the Twins?

[churchx]

Twins IIRC had 2.5 turns from lock to lock. Though then again, due wide boxer engine and little left wheel clearance, max turn angle is low. So imho resulting rate of turn is .. normal.
Not sure for rare share of specific turns to justify moding steering rack though. It will not come without cons elsewhere (such as highspeed handling twitchiness, less granular/fine control). In most turns extent of wheel turned is relatively shallow, those rare few turns of lowest radius .. why not simply learn good hand relocation method that would work universally in most cars?
As our cars don't have variable steering rack ratio such as on some upmarket cars, right ratio should be of compromise/most universal one, which it is.

[Ohio Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by churchx

Twins IIRC had 2.5 turns from lock to lock. Though then again, due wide boxer engine and little left wheel clearance, max turn angle is low. So imho resulting rate of turn is .. normal.
Not sure for rare share of specific turns to justify moding steering rack though. It will not come without cons elsewhere (such as highspeed handling twitchiness, less granular/fine control).

The Focus ST has almost 40 feet of turn diameter (due to revised knuckles vs. the regular Focus), so even with a wide engine (although it's longitudinal, so don't know if it's really any wider that a transverse inline-4 and transaxle) the BRZ does better (at 35.4 feet). The compromise is obvious, that's why most commuter cars have more turns lock-to-lock and a slower rack ratio. I'm not asking about drifting super racks, just trying to get a little faster ratio and a little less turns lock-to-lock.

Originally Posted by churchx

In most turns extent of wheel turned is relatively shallow, those rare few turns of lowest radius .. why not simply learn good hand relocation method that would work universally in most cars?

As I said, most every 90 degree right turn in the city is like that - I can do it while keeping my hand 3 and 9, but it's not ideal. The ST did it much better. So it's not a few rare turns. Doing hand over hand for a 90 degrees turn works well on my Odyssey minivan (with 3 turns lock-to-lock and a 14.35:1 rack ratio), but from a sporty car I expect to keep my hands 3 and 9 all the time except when parking (and with the Focus ST I could do that easily).

[StraightOuttaCanadaEh]

You could do some mods to improve that, but unfortunately nothing as significant as a quicker rack. Camber, castor setting, grippier tires and the Perrin steering rack lockdown. The latter is not a night and day difference, mind you

[churchx]

Most turns most of a time, including 90dg ones in junctions are "rounded". Public roads are made for very various type of vehicles, including long wheel base. I really find it hardly to be an issue, that in some rare times/turns i need to relocate hand once or twice. Suggesting to watch some videos how to relocate hands quickly without loosing control and without loosing knowing of wheels current position and centerline. LOL, if nothing else, how animated hands in asetto corsa in-cabin videos move . Of course, old-school "shuffling" method is not of such, too slow. Lorry driving one-hand with palm steer is quick but lack of control/secure hold, better used only for parking. Modding car to be able to turn each and every turn without hand relocation like in some initial-d gum tape deathmatch seems a bit artificially thought out issue, not worth wasting time/money "fixing".

[Ohio Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by churchx

Most turns most of a time, including 90dg ones in junctions are "rounded". Public roads are made for very various type of vehicles, including long wheel base.

Ah, I just saw your location. In Europe, right hand turns are indeed rounded, with a radius much closer to left hand turns. In the US right hand turns are very sharp.

Regardless, I agree that I could take the turns hand-over-hand. Same as I could drive my minivan instead of the BRZ. As with all mods, it's a matter of personal preference and taste.

[churchx]

And as i've noted, learning good techique to relocate hands is nice universal skill. Good not just on vehicles with slower ratio steering, but also on eg. ours in drifting or on loose grip pavement, or for quick "saves" of lost grip for quick countersteering and then returning back, instead of letting it spun out.
I was taught driving long time ago with that "shuffling" method. Took lot of time and efforts to break habbits ingrained in muscle memory to learn more effective that would net quicker steering/more control/rememberance of wheel position w/o looking. Not regretting spending those efforts. It's always good and satisfactory to learn new things, new skills. This, or left foot braking, or throttle blipping/rev-match and so on.
Not sure, that Europe-iness has much to do with handling 90dg roads. If anything, then it would be eastern-european-soviet-roadtype-ness then . I have some turns that are sharper too, but not that common from all out there, yes, i cannot keep both hands on 3-9 on those, but i also don't see that an issue. Quickly turn more, quickly rewind. Without minding how, just thinking about where car needs to go, hands move on it's own just like when shifting gears.

[Tcoat]

[strat61caster]

+1 lrn2 shuffle steer

this thing has one of the best electric power steering systems out there at any price point, nobody has bothered fucking with it yet to my knowledge.

[Ohio Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

this thing has one of the best electric power steering systems out there at any price point, nobody has bothered fucking with it yet to my knowledge.

With that I wholeheartedly agree (and that was after I considered the ST's steering really good). I suppose I should be thankful my ST was a post-facelift - I shudder to think how I would have adjusted post 1.8 turns lock-to-lock.