Model 3 vs Model Y steering wheel response

[Snowball316]

Hello,

I was not sure if I should post in the Y or 3 section so I am hoping here in the 3 section.

I have a Model 3 and wife just picked up a Model Y. Comparing the Y to the 3, I noticed the Y steering response is much stiffer and the 3 is more softer and less responsive. Both are in sport steering mode. Been scratching my head while looking at my 3 for the past couple of days. Tire press are at OEM spec. If anyone here has the two models can you confirm if that is true?

Specs
Y: 2023 LR 19’’ Gemini Wheels with OEM tires
3: 2020 LR 18’’ Aero Wheels with Michelin All Season

Thanks in advance.

 

[tm1v2]

A couple points:

• Your MYLR wheels+tires are probably much heavier than your M3LR wheels+tires. Heavier wheels == heavier steering weight, lighter wheels == lighter steering weight, on every car I've ever swapped wheels on (3 cars, 2 of them Tesla's). Quite possibly your two cars have the same amount of power steering assist, but the heavier MYLR wheels make that feel lesser.
  
  
• Tire model can also have an effect on steering weight. Though the difference in steering weight between "same kind" of tires, e.g. allseasons vs allseasons, is usually not all that large in my experience, though it can certainly be there. A more extreme case like summer vs snow tires, can be very obvious (summer tires usually feeling a lot firmer). Exactly what tire model and size does each of your cars have?
  
  
• Sometime in early 2022 a bunch of us on these forums felt like a software update to our Model 3's increased the power steering assist in both Sport and Standard modes, i.e. less steering weight. It's been so long that I hesitate to say what the weighting felt like before, but certainly I noticed it at the time, and so did some others.
  
  Was this a real change? If so, was it applied to Model Y too, or just Model 3? Maybe it was only done to Model 3, so now Model 3 truly has lighter steering / higher assist.
  
  
• Steering weight is a separate thing from steering feel of course. Some amount of weight is needed to have steering feel, but in my experience simply reducing assist super low, or fitting super heavy wheels (like the 2021 M3P wheels), does NOT give any extra steering feel. It just makes the steering heavier and that's all.

 

[tm1v2]

Also, if your M3LR tires are Michelin Primacy MXM4, those are pretty numb-feeling and generally low grip with poor performance dry and wet. If you want better steering feel and also significantly better grip, use better-performing tires. The MXM4 are narrowly focused on efficiency, and secondarily on quietness. They are good for those aspects but pretty terrible in most other ways.

 

[tm1v2]

Also tire pressure makes a difference for steering weight of course. But can't just blindly compare by absolute PSI across different cars or wheel/tire sizes, since ideal pressure will vary depending on many many variables.

Even though my Model 3's door sticker says 42 PSI cold, and personally I've preferred 39-40 PSI cold for 245/45R18 XL tires on this car, I've noticed that for some reason tire shops and even Tesla Service themselves like to inflate this car to 45 PSI cold - 3 PSI above door sticker! That feels clearly too high through the steering wheel, and compromises grip.

If your Model 3 is running 45 PSI cold, let some air out and get down to somewhere in the 39-42 PSI cold range. Your steering will feel better and your tires will grip better. (Assuming stock or similar tire size.)

 

[tm1v2]

The other thing - are you just comparing the steering weight, or do you also feel your Model 3 responds slower to steering inputs?

If you're also saying the Model 3 seems to turn-in slower, a whole lot of things can contribute to that, basically every piece of the suspension and every bushing has some part to play in that, as well as the tires, and even the steering linkage if it has any play or bushings (which in some cars it does).

Fundamentally the Model Y is at a disadvantage for handling, because it's a larger taller heavier crossover, but any given Model Y could be setup to respond better than any given Model 3. You have a brand new Model Y and an older, much higher mileage Model 3. Your 3 could have some wear on the bushings and dampers and they might not work as well as new anymore. Or maybe your 3 was always softer responding.

Also, I'll emphasize again the Michelin Primacy MXM4 tires are garbage for performance and handling feel. If that's what your Model 3 has, replace those before even considering any other maintenance or upgrades for handling. If you want tire recommendations, let us know your priorities and preferences and also where exactly you drive e.g. if or how much snow and ice you encounter, and also if you're open to seasonal tires (separate summer vs winter).

If you were only talking about steering weight and not steering response then ignore this post.

 

[tm1v2]

Last last thing - Is your M3LR dual motor (AWD) or rear motor (RWD)? The lighter frontend of a rear motor Tesla seems to give slightly lighter steering weight, in my experience - but better steering response!

That's mostly based on driving many Model S over the years. I've had only very limited seat time in RWD Model 3.

 

[brokencrank]

Hello,

I was not sure if I should post in the Y or 3 section so I am hoping here in the 3 section.

I have a Model 3 and wife just picked up a Model Y. Comparing the Y to the 3, I noticed the Y steering response is much stiffer and the 3 is more softer and less responsive. Both are in sport steering mode. Been scratching my head while looking at my 3 for the past couple of days. Tire press are at OEM spec. If anyone here has the two models can you confirm if that is true?

Specs
Y: 2023 LR 19’’ Gemini Wheels with OEM tires
3: 2020 LR 18’’ Aero Wheels with Michelin All Season

Thanks in advance.

My wife's 2020 MYLR on oem contis (255/45/19 on geminis) has a noticeably firmer steering effort vs. my 2021 M3LR on 265/40/18 conti DWS06 on 18 x 9.5 +35 (both cars set to sport). This is true even when stopped and just turning the wheel a few degrees...seems like the 3 is boosted a bit more than the Y

 

[GoodManFrank]

I feel the same. MY steering is stiffer comparing against M3. Both in comfort mode.