4wd and TSC

[Michael McC]

TCS on/off toggle really only disables the throttle cut. It will still brake spinning wheels, though I believe it waits a little longer before doing so, allowing more spin.

I think if you press and hold the button it disables more things but I’m not certain, and if so, it automatically re-enables those things above a certain speed.

If that is true, then why am I able to "drift" out the back end with TSC off? With the stock Hankooks, I liked to turn off the TSC and lean on the accelerator in turns on wet roads. The back end swings wide, tires spin, and no braking is applied.

 

[bobmbx]

If that is true, then why am I able to "drift" out the back end with TSC off? With the stock Hankooks, I liked to turn off the TSC and lean on the accelerator in turns on wet roads. The back end swings wide, tires spin, and no braking is applied.

Just in case it ever comes up: NO. You can't drive my truck.

 

[JExpedition07]

Just in case it ever comes up: NO. You can't drive my truck.

 

[deweysmith]

If that is true, then why am I able to "drift" out the back end with TSC off? With the stock Hankooks, I liked to turn off the TSC and lean on the accelerator in turns on wet roads. The back end swings wide, tires spin, and no braking is applied.

That's what I mean by "waits a little longer," not in time, but in allowed over/under steer. This parameter changes drastically in 2H vs 4A/H, it will allow much more sway on the backend in 4A but it allows almost none by default in 2H.

 

[nonsense]

I've witnessed the same on my '11 Expedition. When in snow at low speed, or from a stand-still if the rear tires start to spin the TCS light flashes, the throttle is shut and no more power. All of this happens before the 4A kicks in the transfer case. It's caused me to get stuck once before and has annoyed me countless times. Like someone else said before I'[m talking about traction control, not stability control. If I'm going fast then stability control is great, if I'm going slow in snow I turn off TCS.

Interestingly I had an '03 4wd and it was much better in snow with 4A than the '11 because traction control wasn't so overly aggressive (or maybe is didn't have it at all? I can't remember)

 

[deweysmith]

All of this happens before the 4A kicks in the transfer case.

I still don't understand what is making people think this happens before 4A "kicks in." It's near impossible to tell that it's doing anything except you have grip on all 4 wheels.

Am I missing some sort of sign that 4A is working? Because on mine there are none except for the fact that it works, hahahaha.

 

[nonsense]

I still don't understand what is making people think this happens before 4A "kicks in." It's near impossible to tell that it's doing anything except you have grip on all 4 wheels.

Am I missing some sort of sign that 4A is working? Because on mine there are none except for the fact that it works, hahahaha.

In my 03 there was a noticeable clunk and then the rears would stop spinning and the truck would pull ahead. On the 11 the rears stop spinning and the car sits still. Maybe it's technically in 4wd at that moment, but it isn't going anywhere because TCS closed the throttle and it's idling

 

[deweysmith]

Try it on a level surface in soft sand or snow. Somewhere where you can get going in 2H but it will take a second if you punch it, especially with TCS enabled. Then do the same thing in 4A.

It's silent, you probably won't get a TCS light, even. It just pulls out, and it's instant. If TCS is active and cutting throttle, it's likely picking up wheel spin on all 4 wheels.

 

[nonsense]

Try it on a level surface in soft sand or snow. Somewhere where you can get going in 2H but it will take a second if you punch it, especially with TCS enabled. Then do the same thing in 4A.

It's silent, you probably won't get a TCS light, even. It just pulls out, and it's instant. If TCS is active and cutting throttle, it's likely picking up wheel spin on all 4 wheels.

I've tried on flat ground in the snow, when I hit the gas the rears spin (I can hear them) and the fonts don't, the TCS flashes, the RPMs drop. I've done this multiple times in my Expedition. That said I've had the t-case rebuilt twice, and the control module (blamed for the t-case self destruction) also replaced twice. So it might just be my "ford tough" 4WD that has these problems. My Subaru has never gotten stuck in the snow though, so I have that going for me.

 

[Tim Fuller]

I've tried on flat ground in the snow, when I hit the gas the rears spin (I can hear them) and the fonts don't, the TCS flashes, the RPMs drop.

Exactly what I get. You can even hear the brakes engaging the slipping wheels. Push TSC button and it goes. That's what I meant by "trumps" the 4A