Thread: D2 CDL and/or Traction Control?

From my experience (V8 D2) I have found on anything except fairly long or difficult dune climbs, traction control with cdl is usually best. But if you are doing long sand dune climbs then traction control seems to be a hinderance.

Traction control seems to work best in sand if just kicks in for relatively short bursts but if you find it is coming on very frequently and for lengthy periods of time in sand then it does not seem to be of much assistance and you maybe better to turn it off.

But really, if you have just fitted the cdl you should get into some sand and try a few things yourself.

I was mucking around on the dunes on sunday arvo past ... learning how the D2a "systems" perform/interact ... it had ben raining during the week, so sand was a little firmer than usual.

D2a. 255/70 x 16 at 20psi. Driver + Full tank diesel.

I picked a short run-off at a 25deg long slope which lifted to 30-35deg near the top.

Low range w/CDL engaged. Auto in "D"

The 20-25deg approach stuff was a doddle ... as soon as the slope was 30+ deg she started to dig and claw gently and come to a stop ... reverse back a little, and tackle again ... and we got a fair bit futher ... and back up, and go again ... each time we went a little less distance. The T/C light never came on.

Then I tried again without the CDL engaged ... drove 1-2m to the side of previous attempt ... no comparison. I could go almost as far, but the T/C was going on/off in short bursts at the 30deg rise area and the wheels/suspension appeared to be digging and articulating far worse than with the CDL engaged. When we got to a stop, backed up a little and had another run at it, but we got not much further. Tried a few more back-up/go agains with same result ... then backed up, engaged the CDL, ran at it again and sailed straight over my wheel rutts and climbed metres futher before sinking ... still no T/C light with CDL engaged.

My speeds were low ... < 30km/hr ?? Low range, Auto, not wringing its neck. Trying to climb a dune ... not jump it

I had a final try with CDL engaged and threw caution to the wind and hit the MF with everything I could ... with mucho power applied, and wheels breaking traction the T/C was kicking in/out pretty hard and we didn't get as far as the first 2 x attempts finally topped out at. This IMHO is no way to regularly treat your vehicle ... it CAN do it, but you're really giving it a flogging ... was fun though ...

This pretty much matches what Ferret said above ... anything long, loose or soft surfaced and requiring liberal amounts of the go pedal with included wheel spin can make the T/C work against you ... same thing but with way less speed and gusto, and the T/C is beneficial ... and all that again to a better level if the CDL is engaged.

If your tyres are breaking traction because they are loosing their grip, T/C is helpful.

If your tyres are breaking traction because your kicking the disco in the goolies, T/C is NOT helpful.



T/C is way less likley to kick in if your CDL is locked up.

[QUOTE=Ferret;1007407]....... but if you find it is coming on very frequently and for lengthy periods of time in sand then it does not seem to be of much assistance and you maybe better to turn it off..........

OK, but how do you turn traction control off?

If u have a pre 03my vehicle lock the cdl into place, turn off vehicle, then restart, you will have some warnng lights on & it may disable the TC.

To rid warning lights , disengage cdl, turn vehicle off then restart.

Originally Posted by Fluids

Low range w/CDL engaged. Auto in "D"

Did you try going into manual mode and putting it into 2nd or 3rd and/or dropping the tyres to 15 psi? Just thinking one problem with having it in D could be that in your run up you end up in too high a gear and the change down works against you and I know my coopers are at their best in really soft stuff down around 15 psi?

cheers, Andy

Hey Shaker,the dunes on the canning shouldnt be to much problem if you tackle them in the morning whilst th e sand is still firm,but once the sun heats the sand it goes very fine hence softer, more power easier bogging especially towing a trailer.
I did the lancilin dunes and esperance and never had any issues with the TC but am a firm believer that the CDL is there so use it..Have had to drop tyre pressure as low as 15psi on a sand dune near Pemberton that was the softest talcom powder sand i,ve seen.
IMHO tyre pressure will dictate how much the TC works more than the CDL ever will.
Am doing the Canning next year myself so would be interested to hear how it goes and how you set the Disco up..
Cheers Ean

Originally Posted by sniegy

If u have a pre 03my vehicle lock the cdl into place, turn off vehicle, then restart, you will have some warnng lights on & it may disable the TC.

To rid warning lights , disengage cdl, turn vehicle off then restart.

? what is the difference for turning off TC in post 03my D2a and why?

Originally Posted by Nicky

? what is the difference for turning off TC in post 03my D2a and why?

I own a D2 so no first hand experience with a D2a but my understanding is that for D2a you can not turn traction control on and off by the method outlined by sniegy.

Maybe someone else can confirm that.

The reason it is different is because on the D2 the cdl was never supposed to be engaged. The D2 computer is programmed to disable traction control when it senses the cdl engaged but it can be tricked to ignore the cdl and leave traction control active.

So traction control is not turned on and off as such, it is just a trick people have learnt.