Thread: Any way to disable TC without CDL?

Yank out the fuse! Or wait until it overheats then it will self disable!

My experience is also that traction control in very loose sand does not help but getting the cdl working will transform the way it performs in those conditions.

Even without the CDL...

If you're getting too much TC 'intervention' then your tyre pressures are too high.

Also, TC requires a different style of driving...

But no, never had issues with TC in any type of sand...

And as mentioned above- CDL makes a huge difference..

You dont need to disable the TC

This is worth a read, and backs up Tombies comments.

Offroading Myths - Don't Spread Them! | 4WD Book & 4X4 News

14. Traction control is no good in sand because it slows the vehicle down.

The rationale here is that as a wheel spins the traction control brakes it, which slows the vehicle, then the opposite wheel spins and so on. That's not the case. Firstly, this is often a case of confusing stability control with traction control. But even if it isn't, think about what's happening. If a wheel is spinning then it's not doing much good on the traction front, and clearly its opposite number has more traction otherwise it would be spinning too. It may be that the driver has fallen for Myth 6 too. Anyway, so, slowing the spinning wheel and transferring torque TO the wheel with greater traction will actually help maintain momentum. And as soon as the two wheel speeds on an axle are the same the traction control stops its braking, and won't restart unless there's a signfiicant difference in wheel speed across an axle. This is a perspective myth, and while I cannot claim to have driven every vehicle in sand I have driven over 20 traction-controlled vehicles in soft sand and observed more on trips I have led, researched how the system works and in some cases where traction control has been a "problem" I have been able to trace the cause to unlocked centre diffs, driver error, stability control or overly high tyre pressures.

UPDATE: I have, of late, seen this claim made about the Defender TD5 and Defender 'Puma'. I own a Defender TD5 and have driven it fully loaded, and sometimes with a trailer in many, many sand conditions, everything from desert dunes to hard-packed beaches to the softest talc-like sand you can imagine. Never has traction control been an problem. I also have driven Defender Pumas in sand and again, no problem. And I've led quite a few trips with both types of car and Discovery IIs - no issues observed there either. So I don't understand where this myth is coming from and can only think it is some form of driver error. If anyone has more information please let me know.

Originally Posted by Tombie

Even without the CDL...

If you're getting too much TC 'intervention' then your tyre pressures are too high.

Also, TC requires a different style of driving...

But no, never had issues with TC in any type of sand...

And as mentioned above- CDL makes a huge difference..

You dont need to disable the TC

Hi Tombie,

I drop pressure to 18PSI on both vehicle & camper. What is the best way to drive with TC active on loose sand? Any tips appeciated.
Cheers..B

Having driven rather a lot on sand with TC I find it most useful, as in all cases with TC, to have an even and reasonably constant throttle and don't back off when you bog down. TC needs revs to work properly. 18PSI is your friend.

Originally Posted by bruiser69

Hi Guys,

I have 2000 D2 TD5 and find that TC tends to cause vehicle to get bogged in loose sand, especially when towing camper.
I do not have a CDL, so is there any way to disable TC in these conditions?

Cheers..B

If you have 2000 TD5 then you should have CDL internals. It may not be activated, but if all else fails, get under there with a 10mm spanner turn it on and experiment with the TC off.

cheers
Nick

Originally Posted by bruiser69

Hi Tombie,

I drop pressure to 18PSI on both vehicle & camper. What is the best way to drive with TC active on loose sand? Any tips appeciated.
Cheers..B

Go lower on tire pressure. Experiment. 18psi on really loose sand is too high IMO. The things which are important, in order of importance.

1 tire pressure
2 cdl
3 traction control

Opinions differ on traction control in sand but I think it is the least important of the three things anyway.