Traction Control on 11MY Defenders

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Originally Posted by stig0000

Well today we took stock of our first BA car(2011 model) defender 90. d4 and sport. and well.. the abs and tc seem to be identical and running the same softwere as the AA defender(2010 model) all so the general grabbers on the fenders have gone and been replaced with onother brand. Cant remember what they were called.. soz :p

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Tyres are Continental Conti Cross Contact AT.

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Originally Posted by Naks

The rule of thumb in SA is as soon as you leave tar, drop tyre pressures (halve current pressure) and engage CDL.

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That's because most of the guys here drive Japs that aren't permanent 4wd, so the only way they gain a semblance of traction is to engage 4H.

I've tried the CDL locked/unlocked experiment on both my Puma 110 and 80 Cruiser, and honestly didn't feel any difference in driving characteristics - I now just leave the CDL unlocked. For me, personally, and as you have mentioned, tyre pressure plays a much greater role in vehicle stability on gravel.

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Originally Posted by robharvey

I've tried the CDL locked/unlocked experiment on both my Puma 110 and 80 Cruiser, and honestly didn't feel any difference in driving characteristics - I now just leave the CDL unlocked. For me, personally, and as you have mentioned, tyre pressure plays a much greater role in vehicle stability on gravel.

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I had a 110 DC Td5 - that one you definitely feel a difference between CDL locked/unlocked. Less so on my subsequent D2 Td5, but you could still feel it. Even less so on my current Puma 90, but still some tail-happiness without CDL locked.

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Originally Posted by robharvey

That's because most of the guys here drive Japs that aren't permanent 4wd, so the only way they gain a semblance of traction is to engage 4H.

[snip]

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Same here, and most of the farm utes that abound here always have the hubs locked so they can't forget when on farm.
Having said that I don't know any cockie or farm worker that uses 4WD on road either, they don't think about it that deeply.
If traction's limited they bung it into 4wd, otherwise they even trundle around paddocks in 2wd, I know I always did.

I have to say the Patrol is fun in 2WD as you can get the tail sliding so much more easily than a Defender, but the limits on dirt/gravel are so much lower it's almost scary (unless in 4H)

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Originally Posted by Naks

I had a 110 DC Td5 - that one you definitely feel a difference between CDL locked/unlocked. Less so on my subsequent D2 Td5, but you could still feel it. Even less so on my current Puma 90, but still some tail-happiness without CDL locked.

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That's really interesting as I would have thought the opposite would occur just based on wheelbase lengths.

Generally speaking the longer the wheelbase the greater the stability (the slower/more benign the response)

What differences in tyres and maybe vehicle rideheights between the 90 and 110 ? Did the 110 have TC ? (The DII's rear suspension geometry is vastly different so might be hard to directly compare)

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Originally Posted by rick130

That's really interesting as I would have thought the opposite would occur just based on wheelbase lengths.

Generally speaking the longer the wheelbase the greater the stability (the slower/more benign the response)

What differences in tyres and maybe vehicle rideheights between the 90 and 110 ? Did the 110 have TC ? (The DII's rear suspension geometry is vastly different so might be hard to directly compare)

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The 110 DC had full OME setup with 2" lift, no ABC/TC. Being a double-cab, the rear was always lighter than the front, I think that's why it was tail-happy.

The D2 had OME coils instead of air suspension but no lift, ABS/TC.

The Puma is stock standard.

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Originally Posted by rick130

Same here, and most of the farm utes that abound here always have the hubs locked so they can't forget when on farm.
Having said that I don't know any cockie or farm worker that uses 4WD on road either, they don't think about it that deeply.
If traction's limited they bung it into 4wd, otherwise they even trundle around paddocks in 2wd, I know I always did.

I have to say the Patrol is fun in 2WD as you can get the tail sliding so much more easily than a Defender, but the limits on dirt/gravel are so much lower it's almost scary (unless in 4H)

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Yep that's the same way I was taught to drive.

I don't know what all this talk of engaging the CDL on a dirt road is. I personally don't think it's necessary at all! I agree with others that it handles better without it engaged. I drive on dirt roads all the time and to be honest until I read this I never even would have considered turning it on.

Also in regards to the post about getting airborne, I don't know how you're driving to get yourself in that position but not sure if a CDL would make a massive difference there.

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Originally Posted by Xul

I don't know what all this talk of engaging the CDL on a dirt road is. I personally don't think it's necessary at all! I agree with others that it handles better without it engaged. I drive on dirt roads all the time and to be honest until I read this I never even would have considered turning it on.

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So, there seems to be a difference in driving techniques bet Oz & SA.. interesting.

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Also in regards to the post about getting airborne, I don't know how you're driving to get yourself in that position but not sure if a CDL would make a massive difference there.

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Dirt road, 80+kmh, there's a dip in the road, when you crest the other side, you are suddenly airborne.

CDL would help because when you land the front wheels are rotating at the same speed as the rear ones. Without CDL the last wheel that touches the ground will be putting down 100% of the power.

Yeah that's fair enough with dips, might be another difference between SA and Aus because I've never struck that. When there are dips you can either see them from a mile off, or know the kind of country that would have dips.

I also don't bother with air pressures on dirt roads unless that's the only thing I'll be driving on for a whole day. Would be an absolute nightmare to drop pressures and reinflate all the time.

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Originally Posted by Naks

CDL would help because when you land the front wheels are rotating at the same speed as the rear ones. Without CDL the last wheel that touches the ground will be putting down 100% of the power.

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Personally, if I am driving fast on a dirt road and I happen to get airborne, I lift off the throttle while in the air so that I don't have the wheels spinning much faster than the "ground speed" when I land. In that instance it doesn't make any difference whether the centre diff is locked or not.