X mode on sand

[Taroona]

Going away for a few days and wondering what people thought about when using X Mode on sand should the VDC be left on?

 

[Kevin]

I have no experience with VDC itself, well sort of in my Triton, but as it uses brakes for traction control I would turn it off on sand as it could impede your progress when it senses wheel slip.

 

[bakerboy]

I pull the fuse to disable it on sand, any yaw motion seems to kick it off and bog you down

 

[Robbks]

Pull the fuse..?
I just push the button to disable VDC

 

[bakerboy]

That's not VDC, that's just traction control, and it works to a degree, but you can still hear and feel the brakes being applied and any yaw action sees the ecu kill power, I couldn't get up dunes because of it

 

[NachaLuva]

There's some good vids on this ples an extensive thread on it here on ORS.

If possible, you should leave VDC on & turn off traction control. This puts the VDC into offroad mode , so it doesn't reduce engine power but gives you more grip if you lift a wheel in ruts. Not all VDC systems have a TC button however

 

[Robbks]

What MY is your SH??
pushing that button sees me being able to power-slide/ drift, hand-brake, etc on gravel at good speed, dig trenches in mud or sand without any electromnic interference.
MY10 2.0D Premium.

 

[bakerboy]

Mines 09, it certainly lost power when I was bouncing about in ruts and not just because it's sand haha

I'll have to try do some helis again with the fuse in but the button off

 

[NachaLuva]

What MY is your SH??
pushing that button sees me being able to power-slide/ drift, hand-brake, etc on gravel at good speed, dig trenches in mud or sand without any electromnic interference.
MY10 2.0D Premium.

That's the TC button, if you press it, it should turn off the TC but leave the VDC on. If you hold it down for I think 10sec (?) it will disable the VDC. I would leave the VDC on as its a brilliant system

 

[Robbks]

So maybe my drifting and rally-style driving isn't considered "out of control" by Subaru's VDC System.
I know that with it on, and sort of wheel-spin gets the christmas tree to light up.

 

[NachaLuva]

Lol :lol:

 

[Robbks]

Ok, So i did the 10sec push on the VDC button last night,
as normal, the light comes on on the dash to say VDC off when you first push it.
But after 10sec the light went out.
But it would not come back on at all with a normal push, or even long push/ hold, until I had restarted the car.
I expect the long push function "locks-out" the VDC/ TC override.

I'll consult the owners manual and report back

 

[bakerboy]

Ok, So i did the 10sec push on the VDC button last night,
as normal, the light comes on on the dash to say VDC off when you first push it.
But after 10sec the light went out.
But it would not come back on at all with a normal push, or even long push/ hold, until I had restarted the car.
I expect the long push function "locks-out" the VDC/ TC override.

I'll consult the owners manual and report back

Ditto, no warning lights or being able to turn it back on. No chance to test it though, will wait for your feedback

 

[NachaLuva]

Yeah I forgot to mention to reset it you have to restart the car.

When you turn off TC but leave VDC on, does turning off the car reset that too?

I'd be interested how you find both settings on ruts, slick mud or soft sand

 

[Robbks]

I'd expect a VDC Off Dash light after the 10-sec push.

And yes, the TC Off resets on a restart

 

[Taroona]

Ok so I am back,

Went on the sand south of the Elliot River and left everything as normal, i.e. I did not not turn anything off and the car worked like magic. In the really soft soft and deep sand it just kept going the vdc cam on and went automatically, with the windows open you could hear the ABS controlling the slip I was amazed at the performance. And so was my mate in his pajero.

Any way the bash plate proved a god send. as we where leaving the national park my mate went along the left track and decided to go along the right track with the right wheel up high in the grass and the left wheel on the centre of the track. I lifted the speed a bit to gain some momentum not realising that the centre wasnt sand but fine powderery dust. As it sunk into the track the force of the dust and sand mix forced the steering to the left and up onto the left of track with such force that as I came down the bash plate landed on a rock. The two front bolts of the bash plate got ripped out

 

[Taroona]

Photos

 

[Ratbag]

Jeez, sounds as if you would not have had a sump if you had just had the OEM splash guard on your car !

Glad that it went well otherwise.

 

[Taroona]

Didn't mention X-Mode wasnt even used, didn't even need it

 

[NachaLuva]

VDC is a brilliant system, wish I had it. Sunies always surprise the 4wds lol. Nice pics!

Wow, glad you've got the sumpguard!