# 2.0 FWD - So much wheelspin, help!



## Si (Oct 17, 2005)

Hi,

I owned a TTS from 2008 to 2011 and my wife had a 3.2 over the same period.

She's recently bought a 2.0 FWD (58 plate) and was complaining that there's lots of wheelspin. The tyres look fairly ok and we only picked it up in December from the stealers.

I drove it today for the first time and she's right. Either we're both really pants drives (likely!) or this baby needs better tyres. Leaving the toll booth at Dartford tunnel (used to be my fave in the TTS!) I ended up wheelspinning for about 5 seconds. I've been reading that the 2.0 FWD has some wheelspin, but this thing even spins and veers left and right if you're going at , say, 50mph and then floor it. After a couple of corrections you naturally end up lifting off the gas instead.

My wife describes it as rearing up - like a horse. The front feels sooooooo light.

It's probably just that we're used to the quattro's, but she doesn't drive like a nutter at all and ends up spinning her way to Sainsbury's!

I'm guess tyres are my first port of call, but is there an accepted fave, for this wheel spinning?

Si


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## viceroy (Aug 6, 2012)

Welcome to the wonderful world of FWD.
You really need to learn to feather the throttle better since its known the transverse mounted FWD cars (A3 & TT) do not have great traction.

Yes, better wheels will help, but so will learning to control the throttle better.
I'm running stage2 on my FWD and, yes traction on first, second and occasionally in third can be a problem, I don't find it to be unduly so and don't struggle with lighting up the tyres every time I pull away


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## Scottyhog (Dec 17, 2012)

I had this when I first picked mine up and it was fitted with a pair of Accelera tyres on the front which are very cheap options. Tyres spun all the time especially in the wet right up to 4th gear. Replaced them very quickly with a set of Pirelli P Zero's and it's made a huge difference. It still spins, especially when wet but nowhere near as much.

What tyres have you got not the front?


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## igotone (Mar 10, 2010)

You do need to get used to putting the power down with the FWD, but there's no doubt the best upgrade for the TTS is Quattro.


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## Si (Oct 17, 2005)

As I feared then... it pretty much sounds like we need to stop flooring it. I'll still try some other tyres just to be sure I guess. They're Continental Sport Contact (not sure which number). I was just looking at those P Zero's, so I'll try those.

Cheers everyone


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## StevieW (Feb 1, 2013)

Apparently Vredestein Ultrac Vorti tyres are meant to be fantastic. I'm gonna give them a go as I too have picked up a TT 2.0 and it has accelera tyres too.

1 word = Crap


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## roocarl (Mar 2, 2013)

Ahh maybe accelera on the back and P-Zeros on front might encourage some tail out action ?


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## StevieW (Feb 1, 2013)

roocarl said:


> Ahh maybe accelera on the back and P-Zeros on front might encourage some tail out action ?


Hmmm tbh they are proper awful, I just don't trust them at all.


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## simonc1979 (Feb 23, 2013)

good to read this post as it's helping me build up the justification to buy 4wd. I think however though going from a 3.2 to 2.0 is going to wheel spin more, not only because of lack of 4wd but also because the car's a lot lighter? go to the town centre nearest to you and practice of the lights (within the legal limits of course)


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## Hark (Aug 23, 2007)

Checked tyre pressures?

Plus the roads will still be cold and damp, which doesn't help.


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## CWM3 (Mar 4, 2012)

You will get the same issues with top quality tyres, its inherent in the FWD, just have to get used to it and have a little more throttle sympathy.


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## StevieW (Feb 1, 2013)

CWM3 said:


> You will get the same issues with top quality tyres, its inherent in the FWD, just have to get used to it and have a little more throttle sympathy.


Partly true yeah but no doubt the accelera garbage tyres and the cold damp roads are probably the biggest parts of the problem. Decent tyres will make a big difference.


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## mkw007 (Dec 29, 2010)

This is a useful website: http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyres_For/Audi/TT.htm

Just got 4 Goodyear Eagle F1 Assymetric 2's on my daily driver ST TDI Mondeo - very impressed, good deals to be had at Camskills 8)


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## moro anis (May 27, 2010)

I had Continentals on my 2.0 tfsi and only experienced wheelspin occaisionally. Yes you could make the front light and skippy with the ESP light working overtime but not actual wheelspin for the sake of it.
Are you sure all your traction controls are functioning.


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## CWM3 (Mar 4, 2012)

StevieW said:


> CWM3 said:
> 
> 
> > You will get the same issues with top quality tyres, its inherent in the FWD, just have to get used to it and have a little more throttle sympathy.
> ...


Had Contis on my FWD 2.0T and wheelspin was easy to provoke, sure poor quality tyres may highlight the issue, but ultimately its part of the package, just need to change throttle use, but there will be times when you want/need to put the power down and the wheels will spin, that combined with understeer spoils a decent motor IMO.


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## Spooky (Apr 22, 2009)

I get more wheelspin after fitting Michelin Primacy's than I did with the OEM Bridgestone Potenza's. You definitely have to go easy on the 'go' pedal, particularly in the wet or snow! But it makes for a great driving experience in the dry.


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## drjam (Apr 7, 2006)

> this thing even spins and veers left and right if you're going at , say, 50mph and then floor it.
> Si


I haven't driven the fwd TT but plenty of other fwd cars. Wheel spin from a standing start or very low speed I could understand, but from 50mph?? Unless you're on an ice rink or have an unbelievably heavy foot, that doesn't sound like something normal to me. I'd definitely be peering closely at the tyres...


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## SpudZ (Jul 15, 2012)

Sounds more like a traction control issue rather than tyre type to me tbh.


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## conneem (Nov 4, 2006)

drjam said:


> > this thing even spins and veers left and right if you're going at , say, 50mph and then floor it.
> > Si
> 
> 
> I haven't driven the fwd TT but plenty of other fwd cars. Wheel spin from a standing start or very low speed I could understand, but from 50mph?? Unless you're on an ice rink or have an unbelievably heavy foot, that doesn't sound like something normal to me. I'd definitely be peering closely at the tyres...


Indeed. Mine is running at about 265hp and 290lb/ft and yes if it was really wet you would get wheel spin at 50 in third for example but only if you use the throttle like a switch, even just a little modulation gets rid of any slip. In the dry not really at all.


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## R70 TTC (Nov 30, 2006)

Hi, both my Mk 1's had Quattro but my Mk 2 didn't and boy did I miss it. It took ages to get used to the FWD and although I had cheapish budgets (Kenda) on 18"'s the traction was horrible generally and accelerating off roundabouts was much worse than expected. In the wet always felt a bit like a lottery and correct tyre pressures were a regular must too.

I now have them on my RS and so far do feel much better with Quattro but they will be changed very soon for proper tyres.

IMO the FWD definitely demands a slightly different driving style.

Cheers, Raife


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## 4carl (Dec 11, 2012)

Check the front toe. Besides my TTS I have a 2013 Focus ST it has a ton of wheel spin and bad tourque steer. I've played with the toe settings and found that with a little toe out .032 it's a lot better and less darty. It still flees like a front driver but made a big difference . Carl


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## R6B TT (Feb 25, 2003)

My Mk2 2.0FWD came with Conti Sport Contacts from the factory, it was fine even when mapped up to 265bhp. You could light them up when you wanted to but the light handling was one of the appeals. FWD/ RWD/ Quattro driving techniques are different.


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## wja96 (Mar 4, 2010)

You can put the most expensive tyres in the world on a FWD TT and you'll still spin them at will on a damp or wet road. You're putting 200bhp plus through two tiny contact patches and asking them to steer at the same time. It's just a BAD idea.

Given that you can get momentary wheel spin on a quattro car, you have no hope of flooring it at a junction in a FWD car. I have driven 255bhp Shark tuned FWD TT's and you have to be very sympathetic to the throttle, even with something like Yokohama A008's on the car.

Have a look at the Whiteline Anti-lift Kit (WALK) as that does wonders for the VAG FWD platform's initial traction and general stability.


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## Si (Oct 17, 2005)

Well... some good news!

I've been working long hours and not had a chance to try anything, but I had a quick blast this evening and was sliding around again, going from 30 to 60mph.

I took it down to Sainsbury's and checked the tyres. The fronts were 24 and 26 instead of 32 and the backs were 20 and 22 instead of 26.

So, I inflated them to the correct pressures and instantly the problem has gone. Now I feel like a plank for not having checked them, but as it came from an Audi dealer and was like it from the very first drive, I kind of thought they'd have at least pumped the tyres up!

I'm starting to think that those "used approved" cars are nothing of the sort! Ship them in and ship them out, without so much as checking the tyre pressures!

So, a happy ending and it's sooooo much nicer to drive now!

Si


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## angrybritain (Feb 13, 2013)

Sorry mate, my Golf GTi Mk5 used to do that. Basically the same car.

You'll get the hang of it after a while - or lots of loyalty points at Kwik Fit!


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