Thread: Rear diff lock much advantage with traction control?

Originally Posted by garrycol

This is DSC not Traction Control - as i said you cannot turn TC off but the DSC switch is on the dash and it reactivates each time you change something. i would say he just got his terminology mixed up.

Fair enough. I wasn't in his vehicle so I can only go on what he said.


So, from what some have said, the Puma's Traction Control might be a good thing, so I won't rush into adding to it. Right now I'm focused on fitting stuff I've already bought and saving for drawers and a cargo barrier.

I can only comment about my experience with the traction control on a 2001 TD5 defender. I am told that more modern traction control is significantly better.

I have a rear maxi-drive locker and the traction control regularly kicks in on the front when I am offroad. Without the maxi-drive I know that the traction control does not cut it in many places that I go to regularly (steep rocky hills with swayles to stop erosion). The safety that the rear locker has given me going up the particular hill I have in mind has been a huge god-send. The benefit of the front traction control over the locker has been good, (i.e. i can still use the steering).

We have just ordered a new defender and I am keen to see what the updated traction control is like. I am still keen to put at least a rear locker in though.

Iv currently got a triton for work, and do a lot off-road driving it has TC and a electric rear locker . Iv done a few tests and it certainly goes a lot further with the TC off and locker in than just TC.

Sent from my HTC_PN071 using AULRO mobile app

Oh yer forgot to add my D1 with no TC or diff lock eats the triton off road

Sent from my HTC_PN071 using AULRO mobile app

The way I see it and I say see, as I can't yet comment from practical experience. I have gone from non TC to a TC vehicle(D1to D2)

I have yet to try it in sand but have heard that TC can sometimes be a burden in sand.

Now TC is reactive. It does not come into play until traction is lost, whereas a locker is proactive. You engage it before loss of traction.

A bit like the centre diff. You engage it before heading into a possible traction loss situation, not after.

Having a locker to me is the best of both worlds. And with the diff locked you then have TC disabled.

I have two Ashcroft air lockers in my shed awaiting time to fit them.

Although I have only had one LR with TC, a D2 and it didn't do much off road, I have observed others on AULRO day trips. There appears to be Traction Control and Traction Control, the TC fitted to Defenders appears to be very basic, the D2 a little better but when you get to D3 or D4 it is quite a complicated system and works very differently to the 'cheapo' system on the cheaper models with much faster response time. Watch some youtube clips of various models and you will see the difference.

Jeff

My experience with the Defender with T/C and an ATB is no where near 90% as good as a locked diff.

Originally Posted by djam1

My experience with the Defender with T/C and an ATB is no where near 90% as good as a locked diff.

What year Defender?