Traction control in an AWD when all 4 wheels loose traction

Hi everbody!
How does traction control in an AWD detect if all 4 wheels lost
traction at the same time? Like on ice or sand for example? (In my
situation there is *no* center diff. in the AWD)

Thanks, Chris.

chris wrote:
> Hi everbody!
> How does traction control in an AWD detect if all 4 wheels lost
> traction at the same time? Like on ice or sand for example? (In my
> situation there is *no* center diff. in the AWD)
>
> Thanks, Chris.

I would imagine it would still be looking for differences in rotational
speed.

AWS (All Wheel Slip) would occur. Equal torque being delivered to all
wheels.

chris wrote:
> Hi everbody!
> How does traction control in an AWD detect if all 4 wheels lost
> traction at the same time? Like on ice or sand for example? (In my
> situation there is *no* center diff. in the AWD)
>
> Thanks, Chris.

I would suspect you are just as screwed as any vehicle in that situation
if stopping or if you are accelerating you 'should' see 4 rooster tails.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

chris wrote:
>
> Hi everbody!
> How does traction control in an AWD detect if all 4 wheels lost
> traction at the same time? Like on ice or sand for example? (In my
> situation there is *no* center diff. in the AWD)
>
> Thanks, Chris.

Mike Romain wrote:
> I would suspect you are just as screwed as any vehicle in that situation
> if stopping or if you are accelerating you 'should' see 4 rooster tails.
>

Which is why every winter I watch all kinds of luxury SUVS go
plummeting to the ditch because their owner drank the "It has AWD,
Traction Control, Stability Control and Anti-lock Brakes, so I can
still drive like a jackass and ignore that we're in a blizzard"
Kool-Aid.


</soapbox>

phaeton wrote:
>
> Mike Romain wrote:
> > I would suspect you are just as screwed as any vehicle in that situation
> > if stopping or if you are accelerating you 'should' see 4 rooster tails.
> >
>
> Which is why every winter I watch all kinds of luxury SUVS go
> plummeting to the ditch because their owner drank the "It has AWD,
> Traction Control, Stability Control and Anti-lock Brakes, so I can
> still drive like a jackass and ignore that we're in a blizzard"
> Kool-Aid.
>
> </soapbox>

The ones with a locking center diff can be nasty if you don't know how
to drive them. If in 2 wheel drive and you skid the front wheels by
braking, you just lose steering and go straight until you let up on the
brake.

With a 'part time' 4x4 that locks the center diff, when you lock the
front wheels up, the damn back ones lock up too and you go sideways
faster than you can blink. Same for ice bottoms and all wheel drive.
When the tires all lose it (traction) you are screwed.

If you use the gears right to decelerate like both of my owners manuals
state, you can keep control better, but touch the brakes and wham off
you go.

It is crazy the number of 'AWD' vehicles that pass us in snowstorms when
I am running locked up in 4x4 at about the maximum speed for control
with 'really' good winter traction on my BFG 33x9.5" muds. Every winter
trip at least one of these fools is found up ahead in the ditch. Last
New Years on our way winter camping in a snowstorm there were 5 or 6 of
them! It was nuts.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

> It is crazy the number of 'AWD' vehicles that pass us in snowstorms when
> I am running locked up in 4x4 at about the maximum speed for control
> with 'really' good winter traction on my BFG 33x9.5" muds. Every winter
> trip at least one of these fools is found up ahead in the ditch. Last
> New Years on our way winter camping in a snowstorm there were 5 or 6 of
> them! It was nuts.
>

Absolutely. I find that my 2WD Ranger does incredibly well in the snow
as long as I keep my wits about me and drive for the conditions. It's
the other mofos on the road that scare the hell out of me. I'm not a
native here- I came from a no-snow state. I hate to say it but in the
few years I've been here I really feel like I can outdrive the locals
in the snow. I don't want to perpetuate the stereotype, but it
*always* seems to be the 90lb hawt
stay-at-home-coz-I-married-rich-soccer mom types in the Excursions,
Suburbans and Navigators that go blowing by at 70mph with no regard to
anyone else's safety.

Oh well.

For what it is worth, my next car is mostly likely to be an AWD Subaru
Wagon. I'll miss my little Ranger though.