scaddanr
Forum Member
I have question for those lucky enough to have traction control on their cars. Is it an advantage or disadvantage when driving on sand ? Do you leave it on or off 
Traction control in sand
- Thread starter scaddanr
- Start date
taza
Forum Member
Turn it off for driving in sand. As it cause the brakes to lock it can bog you down.
viejopedorro
Forum Member
Traction Control and ABS
El Pedorro recently learned the hard way that the traction control (VDC) is involved in both throttling and braking. On very loose sand, the traction control (when ON) will limit the throttle in an attempt to limit spin, and thus bog one down quickly.
Turning VDC OFF stops the throttling and improves progress, but the VDC is still busy applying this brake and that, trying to limit spin. Even under full throttle, bogging can and will happen, in as little as a car length, in very dry and powdery sand. The VDC and ABS apply so much braking that the engine dies even when the throttle is on the floorboards.
Pulling the ABS fuze stops the unwanted braking, allowing the owner to apply enough throttle to raise rooster tails if necessary. Throttle is your friend in the loose stuff. Yours Truly and his 2012 X 5MT had a blast raising sand at South Padre Island Beach Access 6 not too long ago.
El Pedorro's ride, La Tortuga, now sports an interrupt relay and lighted switch which disable the ABS. Disabling the ABS (by fuze or by switch) lights up the VDC warning lights as well as the ABS light, but El Pedorro turns off both in dry sand. The "normally ON" relay was wired in to the red 30A supply wire to the ABS solenoid, just behind the air box on the RH side of US models. An easy project, once the bank of lighted switches had been fitted in the cabin.
YMMV, of course.
El Pedorro
El Pedorro recently learned the hard way that the traction control (VDC) is involved in both throttling and braking. On very loose sand, the traction control (when ON) will limit the throttle in an attempt to limit spin, and thus bog one down quickly.
Turning VDC OFF stops the throttling and improves progress, but the VDC is still busy applying this brake and that, trying to limit spin. Even under full throttle, bogging can and will happen, in as little as a car length, in very dry and powdery sand. The VDC and ABS apply so much braking that the engine dies even when the throttle is on the floorboards.
Pulling the ABS fuze stops the unwanted braking, allowing the owner to apply enough throttle to raise rooster tails if necessary. Throttle is your friend in the loose stuff. Yours Truly and his 2012 X 5MT had a blast raising sand at South Padre Island Beach Access 6 not too long ago.
El Pedorro's ride, La Tortuga, now sports an interrupt relay and lighted switch which disable the ABS. Disabling the ABS (by fuze or by switch) lights up the VDC warning lights as well as the ABS light, but El Pedorro turns off both in dry sand. The "normally ON" relay was wired in to the red 30A supply wire to the ABS solenoid, just behind the air box on the RH side of US models. An easy project, once the bank of lighted switches had been fitted in the cabin.
YMMV, of course.
El Pedorro
scaddanr
Forum Member
Thanks El Pedorro, That's good to know