[spartiatis]

G'day guys,

I own a 335i sedan, this is by far the most powerful car I have ever had.

The problem is that traction control kicks in all the time, I cant even get a decent takeoff as its always killing my power...

Id imagine that the rear types will need replacing soon too...

So my question is how big do the rear tyres need to be to get some decent traction???

My current setup is 17" rims 225 front and rear...

[WOPALX]

Originally Posted by spartiatis

G'day guys,

I own a 335i sedan, this is by far the most powerful car I have ever had.

The problem is that traction control kicks in all the time, I cant even get a decent takeoff as its always killing my power...

Id imagine that the rear types will need replacing soon too...

So my question is how big do the rear tyres need to be to get some decent traction???

My current setup is 17" rims 225 front and rear...

Note 'b' below is not having a go at you, I moved from an AWD Subie and had to relearn throttle modulation;

a) if you have the stock run-craps replace them. With your wheel/tyre size there will be lots of options. I'd suggest P-Zero's as a good one to start with assuming you can get them to suit. Make sure you buy a mobility kit incase of a flat.

b) modulating the use of the right foot, especially when getting on the power out of a corner, remember you have a peg leg diff that is really crap as it does not transfer the power to the wheel with least grip

c) try driving with TC turned off (when safe & dry I suggest @ first), that way you will really learn how to do 'b'. I rarely drive with DTC on at all now, only really when I have the whole family in the car and it's really raining cats n dogs.

d) if you have a bolted crown (mainly on auto's, manuals tend to be welded so it's way more expensive) then look at getting an LSD fitted, way more fun & power goes to the wheel with the most grip so TC does not need to intervene as much.

e) get a proceed and use the traction nanny feature. It also makes the throttle more linear, oh and adds a sh*t load of extra power apparently

The 335 has tons of power, learn to use the gas peddle correctly with decent tyres and your traction control light should be rarely seen. Or mod away and just buy new rear tyres every 6mths

[AndDee]

Yeh had a close call the other day, forgetting I was in the 335i and thinking I was still in my AWD Turbo Liberty.

Pulled out in front of a car a bit later than I should, planted the pedal to the floor and of course the traction control kicked in

It felt like minutes before the car decided to take off, mean while the other car was blasting their horn at me and flashing their lights.

I now drive with DTC OFF all the time

[spartiatis]

Thanks for the advice guys, basically need to stop being a pu55y and drive with traction off!!! got it!!!

ehheh

Though, Id imagine 255's on the rear would help also, right?

[I Hold The Answers]

Thats funny

Be careful though lol esp in the wet

Dont need to see any footage of your car wrapped around a pole

[I Hold The Answers]

btw is it manual or auto

[Sherweeeny]

err i would not recommend this.

i had DSC 'off' in a way less powered 325 around the S-bends up around double bay, and driving slightly spirited, the tail enjoyed a bit of a wag... just turn DSC on and drive normally, i doubt in that scenario you just explained had DSC been off would you have gone any faster as you wouldve just got wheelspin and a half.

[Chris.G]

What you need is one of these bad boys for both traction control because its going to act like a diff as well as beefy exhaust note.

[ansch]

fulley sik mate... do they come in twin tips?

more importantly, does your car have lsd?

I swear these new cars with all the driver's aid doesn't teach people how to drive properly. Drive with dsc off for a while and you'll gradually learn the limit of the car in different conditions. E90 335i means it's an auto right? and run flats?

[I Hold The Answers]

Originally Posted by ansch

I swear these new cars with all the driver's aid doesn't teach people how to drive properly. Drive with dsc off for a while and you'll gradually learn the limit of the car in different conditions.

Great idea

F**k everyone else on the road - I am learning the limits of my car. Thats what a track is for you idiot. Public roads with other motorists and pedestrians (including children) is not a place to develop a beginners feel for the traction circle! Next you will suggest that you will get even more feel for your car if you do this when it is wet, in fact do it at night too

[spartiatis]

Yep auto and runflats!!!

[WOPALX]

Originally Posted by ansch

I swear these new cars with all the driver's aid doesn't teach people how to drive properly.

+1 regarding the drivers aids and teaching people how to drive properly. Few people understand the tiny amount of contact the car actually has on the road and how acceleration, braking and cornering affects available traction.

Originally Posted by I Hold The Answers

Great idea

F**k everyone else on the road - I am learning the limits of my car. Thats what a track is for you idiot. Public roads with other motorists and pedestrians (including children) is not a place to develop a beginners feel for the traction circle! Next you will suggest that you will get even more feel for your car if you do this when it is wet, in fact do it at night too

I agree about the track, IMHO all new drivers should do some form of advanced driver training.

When your proficient enough, driving without aids becomes second nature but you do need to be responsible wrt other road users.

[spartiatis]

Would wider rear tyres help with the constant traction problem ie 255 in the rear???

[ansch]

Originally Posted by I Hold The Answers

Great idea

F**k everyone else on the road - I am learning the limits of my car. Thats what a track is for you idiot. Public roads with other motorists and pedestrians (including children) is not a place to develop a beginners feel for the traction circle! Next you will suggest that you will get even more feel for your car if you do this when it is wet, in fact do it at night too

yeah.. calm down.. I don't mean go out and start doing burn outs or drifting around suburban roads.. Watch today tonight much? The original poster is "already" having traction issues. So what do we tell him? keep dsc on silly and there goes your traction problems. But why are you having traction problems in the first place?

Understand your car's limit doesn't mean you have to go over it dangerously. Learning to recognise when your car is going to lose traction is probably the most important but left out part of our driver training in australia. That goes for accelerating, braking, and corning. Bigger tyres can help with traction but there is still enough power in a 335i to turn a set of 255 tires and the down side is when you do, you'd be going a lot faster and things can turn bad real quickly.

My point: bandaid solutions can not solve driver issues.

Why are people so concern and frown upon "losing traction"? Because most have no idea what it is until they find out locking up a brake, or going too fast into a corner and causing serious accidents. Worst still in the wet and race track has their uses but no race track can teach you about pot holes, different road grades and painted centre lines.

[WOPALX]

Originally Posted by spartiatis

Would wider rear tyres help with the constant traction problem ie 255 in the rear???

Would depend more on the rubber you use than just going wider.

For instance my Conti's are much sticker than the Dunlops I ran for a while. Same size but one is sticker than the other.

If you are still on the run craps then 1st thing I'd suggest is trying a standard tyre.

[bcoz]

Originally Posted by I Hold The Answers

Thats what a track is for you idiot.

No need for name calling!

[johnnydad]

Are we confusing 'DTC on, DSC Restricted' with DSC fully off?

I'm inclinced to think that the leeway you get with less traction control is more than sufficient for learning the nuances of the chassis on a public road. It still steps in if you are silly.

DSC all off is really only for the highly skilled, on a track or skidpan.

[ansch]

also curious.. what's the boost curve like in the 335's? I'd imagine it's quite linear and smooth. As oppose to something that comes on boost steeply causing wheel spin higher in the revs. It does get a bit of getting used to the power delivery and throttle response going from a NA car to a turbo.

[johnnydad]

I've only tried the engine in 1ers, manual and auto - not that they weigh much less. Feels like a very strong N/A all the way. Very, very impressive.

[ansch]

ok.. so really, learn to use the right foot correctly and should be no problem driving it with traction control on or off. (except in the wet) Maybe the traction control are too rough in it's application and cutting too much power.

Also, do the 335's have the same 6 speed auto as the rest of the range? 325, 320 etc? I find that in normal D mode it's quite sluggish and then when you give it a bit more it kicks down quite abruptly sometimes and this would cause traction issues in a more powerful car I would think. I would go in DS mode or M mode for more precise throttle control.. as much as you can have in an auto and fly by wire anyway...

[johnnydad]

Yes, when you have been stuck behind slow traffic, it seems to think you are wishing to be lazy and takes a couple of seconds to react to a bit of a boot.

[MFKN3]

I had my first near miss this morning. DTC was on which severely affected my ability to pull the car up in time without skidding (the road was undulated) so just a reminder to take it easy. The brake pads were also cold which wouldn't have helped