Thread: Traction control, good or bad??

Twitchy,

I bought my D2 in February, Td5 Auto with no CDL actuator. Went up quite a step hill near home which was quite loose but no ruts etc. 2/3 the way up I ran out of traction. No problems I thought, have done this many-a-time a few years ago in my friends D1.

Already in low range, reverse selected, HDC on (don't laugh ) and remembering the rule drummed into me was let the compression slow you and don't use brakes. Well! Had trouble keeping her in line and eventually the front came around on me; ended up broadside across the track.

Couldn't get enough traction to go up hill to straighten, she just wanted to plough off the edge, so had to turn down hill and give her a stab in reverse to get the rears to slide down below the front wheels and to get it straight again.

Errors = Didn't air down, was by myself, not fully aware of limitations of my Disco or me.

CDL actuator is the first modification on the list. CDL would have been much better on this occasion than TC. TC just caused the fronts to loose grip and come around on me.

My experience anyway! Yes everyone, lesson learnt! I'm safer now...honest!!!

Sorry but i have never ever heard of the traction control stalling a vehicle

I think maybe the steepness of the hill and not enough revs

My personel opinion is that TC and ABS are good and that you need to learn how to drive with them.

The reason alot of these vehicle testers disable all these traction aids is to make the vehicle slide through corners and spin wheels and have some fun driving the car.

The traction control on the D2, Defender TD5 and D3, is the best on the market in 4WDs, and helps make these vehicle so good off road, the reason the TC equiped vehicle is better than the non TC equiped vehicle off road is the TC.

I have proved this time and time again when in situations that a wheel leaves the ground, the TC equiped vehicle will keep moving and the others stop or have to use momentum to keep going.

So there you have it, my opinion on TC & ABS, they don't stop you or make it harder, they help enhance the vehicle off road, it's the reason all forms of motor sport use these aids, even Superbikes and GP bikes use TC now.

Just my view of it all

Baz.

G'day Twitchy,
Sounds like you found to tricky hills after i left. Sounds abit like what i was saying about the difference between auto and manual when combined with traction control. Just thought the 4.0L would have had the grunt not to notice to much.
Plus those tyre are pretty wore.

WR.

Originally Posted by willvine

Hi, I have a 99 disco 2 and have the bolt to engage CDL. I nocked up tool to engage CDL cause i am a bit of a tight **** and too could'nt part with the $600 odd big ones to get the kit. you soon get get sick of frying you arm on the exaust.

show and tell about you gadget you knocked up,,,,i've got an old welding glove and a 10mm spanner ,,,post some pic of it please????

Originally Posted by Redback

Sorry but i have never ever heard of the traction control stalling a vehicle

I think maybe the steepness of the hill and not enough revs

Baz.

I can guarantee it was the total lack of traction at the front that helped to stall it, I was around 2000Rpm but in low first which shouldn't be stalled by anything really, but I will do some futher tests on some big hills to find out more on what & why.

I don't have any isues with it normally, just yesterday seemed to hinder me in what could of been nasty situation..... Thanks again to Hobie all was good.

Yeah Woven, we went a few little hills yesterday & the first was the rocky shaley bugger, just went the opposite side than i did last weekend & now I'm dirty as hell because something stopped me ......lol.

Originally Posted by Signal1

Twitchy,

I bought my D2 in February, Td5 Auto with no CDL actuator. Went up quite a step hill near home which was quite loose but no ruts etc. 2/3 the way up I ran out of traction. No problems I thought, have done this many-a-time a few years ago in my friends D1.

Already in low range, reverse selected, HDC on (don't laugh ) and remembering the rule drummed into me was let the compression slow you and don't use brakes. Well! Had trouble keeping her in line and eventually the front came around on me; ended up broadside across the track.

Couldn't get enough traction to go up hill to straighten, she just wanted to plough off the edge, so had to turn down hill and give her a stab in reverse to get the rears to slide down below the front wheels and to get it straight again.

Errors = Didn't air down, was by myself, not fully aware of limitations of my Disco or me.

CDL actuator is the first modification on the list. CDL would have been much better on this occasion than TC. TC just caused the fronts to loose grip and come around on me.

My experience anyway! Yes everyone, lesson learnt! I'm safer now...honest!!!

I have not experienced this as I had CDL fitted before I attempted any steep loose surface hills.

But have heard a D2 with no CDL in this situation is dangerous. Someone with a little more experience should be along to explain a bit better but I think what happens is once forward traction is lost the TC locks up the front wheels, this is where the fun really starts as you slect reverse to try and back down the front's are locked with very limited if no steering. So if the steep hill is not straight with plenty of width you are stuffed. Not a nice thought with a steep drop off on the side of the track or the risk of roll over.

Would be interested to hear from anyone that found themselves in that situation.

Originally Posted by ak

I have not experienced this as I had CDL fitted before I attempted any steep loose surface hills.

But have heard a D2 with no CDL in this situation is dangerous. Someone with a little more experience should be along to explain a bit better but I think what happens is once forward traction is lost the TC locks up the front wheels, this is where the fun really starts as you slect reverse to try and back down the front's are locked with very limited if no steering. So if the steep hill is not straight with plenty of width you are stuffed. Not a nice thought with a steep drop off on the side of the track or the risk of roll over.

Would be interested to hear from anyone that found themselves in that situation.

I have driven my Disco with and without the CDL and have never had the problem twitchy has had, in fact quite the opposite and i have used the HDC in forward and reverse and never had any dramas.

When we first got ours we didn't have an actuator until about 2mths after we bought it, now 2.1/2yrs later i don't have a working CDL and haven't for 3mths now, i've even done the High Country towing our trailer without the CDL, takes it's toll on the tyres though.

I've taken it out a few times now and can tell you although it struggles up hills, going down is a breeze and the ABS and HD works fine.

I have heard all these horror stories about the D2 taking off in reverse or forward when using HDC but to this day never had it happen too me, we do alot of offroad, so if was going to happen i think it would of by now.

Baz.

I have a bog standard D2 with no CDL, and road tyres

I have climbed and decended some quite horrid tracks.........some I have decided against as I lack the right experience - and I don't like scratching my paintwork

...............but I have not had a problem with the TC or the HD, actually the TC works bloody well and I was very impressed on the last tallarook trip, and on really steep decline the HD system works perfectly - in fact sometime the vehicle goes a little too slow - but safe.

If I had a decent set of 'knobly' tyres on I am sure it would give similar performance to a CDL equiped vehicle in some circumstances