Steering way too light!

Yes, I initially also found the Cali's steering annoyingly light, much lighter and quicker than I was used to in my BMWs. But I have now gotten used to it because I understand why it's like that. I believe it's due to a combination of the faster steering rack which is 2.5 turns lock-to-lock vs. most other cars (my BMW had a whopping 3.6 turns) as well as the overall balance of these cars which are meant to be close to neutral and more readily permit oversteer controlled by the driver. All of this is designed to make the car quicker and more nimble when driven by an experienced person on twisty courses. It has to be this way for these cars to go fast around courses. Think about it, if your FCar drove like regular road car and just had a more powerful engine, wouldn't that disappoint you? FCars are not drag racers just to go straight.

If you want slower steering, more feel and more understeer, the easy approaches include reducing front tire inflation within safe margins, play with the toe-in and/or get less aggressive tires with deeper treads. But all of this degrades the tolerances of the car and reduces its limits. IMO, it's better to learn to use the quicker steering. It does not have anything to do with being set up for the ladies. It actually requires the driver to pay much more attention and be precise instead of being sloppy and relying on understeer to save you.

I am just amazed at how fast and accurately I can follow a chicane in my car. It would have been impossible to do the same if the car had more understeer. With these cars you must up the level of sensitivity you apply when you drive. You have to learn to feel more subtle and faster nuances (feedback) from the car.

 

Piling on....

Only way to "slow the steering" would be to change the rack/ratio. For me, the quick steering ratio is awesome. Steering "effort" again to me is fine; required some adjustment, a lot of which was having a softer hand on the wheel (vs. wresting it). Ideally, the steering wheel is an input device (turn the car) but also an output device (feel what the front tires are doing). To me, the 458 and FF both offer that in spades (esp the FF given the 4RM system). I'd say the 997 GT3 has an edge, but they are all world class.

re thoughts on setup, pressures and tires, remember that what you change at the front also affects the back. "Steering" and "handling" are different things.

 

Check with the dealer and see if there is a new Hydraulic Steering ECU for the California 30 Handling Speciale package. There was one for the Maranellos (FHP) and some of the 599 models, so you might get lucky. The steering ECUs for the various models are plug and play for matching models and all they do is schedule hydraulic boost. The California 30 has a quicker still steering rack (2.3 turns lock to lock vs 2.5), but if there is a special ECU, the new rack should not affect how it works to schedule boost for the old rack.

 

Dialing in more understeer may not have anything to do with the inherent steering ratio but it will increase steering effort …and slow down the steering which is what the OP wants, slower steering. It will also increase feedback.

All the same, I think at the end of the day it's more likely an issue of the OP needing to used to the Ferrari steering. We are accustomed to how our old cars felt and are always surprised, sometimes dismayed when we drive something very different. If they are different, they will feel different.

 

Porsche steering it's even lighter.

 

Yeow!

 

In regards to My california 30 (with handling package) steering response much quicker and steering feel is very good (in comparing to my 2011 california which I felt was kind of slow).. I have no complaints about the steering being too light.. I think getting use to the car will solve the complaint unless there is an issue with the actual car.

 

interesting idea, have you tried this? adjusting the boost will definitely change the feeling, though with the various ECU's I sometimes worry (due to lack of knowledge) if all the software interoperability is there.

Agree totally re adjusting to the steering.

Personally I do see a distinction between steering rate (speed), effort (boost), and then steering feel (qualitative), but that conversation is overkill for this thread.

If you want over boosted, very slow steering and high understeer, come test drive our '13 GMC Denali. Most modern Ferraris are very neutral, the fast-to-point steering is an attraction for me, and a good driver can add understeer or oversteer with deft use of throttle at entry/mid/exit IF they want to. (another blatant plug for driver training).

I put the Challenge car on a skidpad the other day with nearly-dead tires, was good practice in feeling the very edges of what the car would do. Great practice, I had forgotten what good practice a skidpad (or, empty Wal-Mart parking lot) can be, in wet and dry.

 

Why do so many folks gripe about whatever feature/characteristic they don't particularly like about the California as being "feminine"? This is a weird phenomena which I have noticed quite a bit. When I first saw one, I certainly didn't think, "gee this car is too feminine looking for me to drive"... I know, I know, there is a whole contingent of folks who claim to be purists that constantly deride the California and FF. But still, does anyone else think it is strange to call it "feminine"?

John

 

Nope, have not tried it, which is why I told him to go to the dealer and ask. The only California parts catalog I have access to is for the early version. The Hydraulic Steering ECUs are kind of like glorified relays, so trying a newer, stiffer one, if it exists, should be easy.

 

I am with you on this ... There is nothing feminine about the california..it is a true high performance GT car. maybe some people feel a back seat makes it feminine .. my daughter loves the back seat so to me that makes it perfect. and regarding it being entry level it is far from inexpensive it is really maybe 5 to 10% less expensive then the 458.. my thoughts
LarryH

 

Incidentally, we change Hydraulic Steering ECUs on the Maranellos and 456M all the time. The Fiorano Handling Package steering ECU, fitted optionally to both 550s and 575s as part of FHP, has much lower hydraulic pressure scheduling for better feel with more effort. I have it on my 575M, and steering feel is excellent.

 

I didn’t say Porsche steering isn’t one of the best.

I just said it’s lighter than Ferrari. Not for what I’ve heard or for what I’ve read. Just for my own experience.

Are you a Ferrari recent model owner?

Did you remember if you have specified all the 3 Porsches of yours with Servotronic option?

I own a 458 and a Panamera and have had two 997 and I’m telling you - It is lighter.