Traction Control

[DesFlurane]

How?

Does it apply the brakes or pull timing or close throttle or what?

Thanks.

[senna_T]

Basically all of the above mate. Generally it will use the brakes and close the throttle, depending on how aggressive the break of traction is, the car may cut cylinders.

[tab]

...and in the auto FGs it will short-shift in to the next gear as well. PITA

[Benji_vs]

I had mine cut cylinders only when you start loosing traction big time. The DSC is not too bad as it allows you to brake a bit of traction and lets you step the car out just a little bit but if you keep the foot planted it cuts the power quite violently. It feels horrible like you've broken something.

[aaron1]

its definately not a good feeling when it does it! beats getting too loose I guess

[dashturbo]

It helps to start at the beginning.. because ABS, Brake Assist, Stability Control and Traction Control all work in unison sharing parts and tasks..

A.B.S.

Anti Lock brakes measure the speed of each wheel separately (through wheel sensors you can see on the inside of brake rotors).

If the computer deems it necessary it can stop the flow of brake fluid to each wheel using the ABS module and therefore prevent the application of brakes to each wheel.

for example;

If you hit the brakes really hard and only the rear right wheel locks up.. The speed of that wheel will be slower than the other three, so the ABS module restricts the application on brakes on that wheel, until it spins freely again, once it is going the same speed as the others three wheels, the module lets the fluid flow through and apply the right rear brake again, then it may lock up again .. etc. the cycle continues.. and you feel a pulsation through the brake pedal as the fluid is let through to apply each brake then blocked.

Traction Control V1

it works by measuring the speed of all four wheels (from A.B.S. and steering wheel angle). This system is on AU Falcons.. and some BA's

In most vehicles that have Traction Control but not Brake Assist (description later). The computer can only stop your braking effort from getting to the wheels it cannot apply the brakes without your help. This means that the system must cut the engines power, in an AU it does this by cutting spark to cylinders (because there is a cable connected to you foot it cant lift the throttle), this is very obtrusive system although simple and cheap to build. But because BA falcons have fly by wire the engine power can be controlled without cutting cylinders, a bit nicer than AU but..

example;

in your AU fairmont you spin the right rear wheel at the lights. The computer with the aid of A.B.S wheel sensors notices that one wheel is spinning faster than the other three (it accounts for the steering wheel angle when turning). So it cuts spark to a number of cylinders until the spinning wheel slows to the speed of the other three (accounting for steering wheel angle). For the driver this usually results in a abrupt loss of power, painful when pulling out into traffic!

Traction Control V2

When incorporating Brake Assist and Dynamic Stability Control. FG systems and some BF's?

Brake Assist: In these systems the addition of brake assist means that by using a pump it can effectively apply the brakes without your help (not all the way though), the direct advantage of this is that when an old lady is not hitting the brakes hard enough in an accident, the car can decide to help out.

Stability control is the logical evolution of traction control on steroids. With the addition of a YAW sensor (measures rotation) the computer can measure the actual direction of the vehicle using wheel speed sensors (ABS), steering wheel angle (trac control), and theYAW sensor. Once it can work this out, it can apply the brakes (brake assist pump) and then control which wheel is being braked (ABS module), as well as intervene in any throttle, ignition, boost or injection process. So it can watch your inputs and the vehicles movements and make sure they align.

For example.

You come into a corner at speed, and turn the wheel and accelerate, only the car starts understeering (going straighter than you wanted) and begins to spear off the road. So the ABS sensors notice the back left wheel spinning..

the YAW sensor compared to the steering wheel angle shows the car is not rotating as intended..

the computer ease off the throttle slightly until that spinning wheel grips..

the Brake assist pump applies the brakes

the ABS module decides the only wheels that need brakes are the left front and rear wheels.

this is what you get...

a pumping noise (Brake assist)

a flashing light

abs module vibrating as it switches brakes on and off stopping them from locking up

the braked left wheels will make the vehicle turn as intended even when the front wheels are sliding.

So, if you are always relying on traction control, it could eventually wear the brakes, and some of the traction control parts, but I wouldn't expect anything else...

Edited 09/12/09 11:54 PM by dashturbo

[qikin71]

Strange.

My traction control often gives up the fight and turns off when its given a bit.

Is this normal?

Mind you, the other day had to turn engine off and then back on again at a set of lights to get it working again. It was a wet day and it seemed more appropiate to have traction enabled.

[freeze_dk]

I think TC shagged my diff or the bushes the other day.. POS

[Ford powa]

My BA T does it all the time. When you turn a corner when stationary and put the foot down a bit with traction on, You get a Rev limiter sort of sound and a flashing light on dash, Feels like you lost 75% of the cars power.

[82CNT]

  On 13/12/2009 at 4:13 AM, qikin71 said:

Strange.

My traction control often gives up the fight and turns off when its given a bit.

Is this normal?

Mind you, the other day had to turn engine off and then back on again at a set of lights to get it working again. It was a wet day and it seemed more appropiate to have traction enabled.

I have thr exact same problem now. Was fine before the tune but maybe the extra power makes it sh*t itself. Im not overly bothered mind u I drive with the light on the dash 99% of the time anyway so no difference really.