jbednarsh

Hey Gang -

I was at Pocono a couple times in the last few days at the Hooked on Driving event and le belle machinne. On Sunday, running the "long course" (nascar turns 1 & 2, front straight, back straight & north infield) I noticed something I have trouble explaining.

Coming in from the front straight into turn one, I'd brake to around 110mph as I entered the turn and dropped towards the apex, keeping my foot on the accelerator to maintain that approx speed, maybe add a couple mph, until I would crank it back up again after the apex. As I'd approach the apex in a pretty smooth manner (no steering wheel movement, steady speed) I would periodically see the "Active Handling" notification light up in the DIC. I didn't notice anything coming undone, and I couldn't really tell the difference between when it would come on and when it wouldn't.

I feel like I could carry more speed in that turn, but I'm not really sure what is happening. Anyone have any thoughts on this. For the record, I had all the computer nannies on in standard mode, no engine mods or other ride-altering mods. Running the new B'stone Pole Positions runflats on stock rims...

jrz1

I had similar issue on Lowes "roval" course last year though speed was closer to 145-150 mph in the corner. Nice, smooth and planted and all of the sudden the AH came on and scared the crap out of me and nearly destabilized the car....

BEZ06

Was it bumpy?

I was running in Comp Mode at Daytona. Up on the high-banked oval it's kind of bumpy. I was on stock Goodyears, and I was thinking of turning off AH completely, but I could see the DIC flashing intermittently that AH was doing it's thing, but looking over at that wall going by at about 155 mph I decided to just leave it in Comp Mode!

I couldn't feel anything happening, but I think when the car was bouncing that it was allowing the rear end to move just a little and I couldn't feel it, but the yaw rate sensors and accelerometers could.

In your case, if you think you could carry some more speed there, I'd say try Comp Mode, where the AH is less intrusive - it will let things get a little further out of whack before it starts intervening.

Bob

outnumbered

This is the second season I have been running with everything turned off.
IMO the car is much smoother and stable. The AH can pucker you up and surprise you when you least expect it.

I just came back from Pocono full course after my 3rd event there. You can carry more speed through turn one and the car will be stable with AH off.

Your ABS will be less intrusive as well.

kentz06

The harder you drive the car the more the TC/AH will intrude. Track configuration will also have an impact on how the system reacts. A downhill, banked hairpin at my track really confuses it. Except in heavy rain I turn everything off.

I disagree with this statement. I do not think there is any change in the ABS functionality.

Dean

TTPMatt

jbed: We were at both events also. We had the Silver C6 during the la belle event, and all three cars (blue c5z, silver c6 and black rx-7) at the hooked on driving events.

We are running our C6 with everything off, there are numerous functions of the active handling system and we ran into problems with almost everyone before! lol. Yes it definitely can be used, but try it with the entire system off I believe you'll enjoy the car more and feel more in control.

You going to be out there for the Porsche club this coming weekend? Stop by the TTP trailer say hello and we can b/s about this...

outnumbered

Try comp mode with aggressive brake pads and let me know if you see a difference. I noticed a big difference.

the blur

i would hesitate to turn it off. 2 people here wrecked their cars this month with AH off. I know it'll cost u rear brake pads, but so what.

95jersey

What kind of tires are you running? I can see a very gentle sliding motion activate active handling using street tires. It's usually the loss of grip that activates the sytems, which uses the brakes to settle the car. I run in comp mode and it is less intrusive, but comes on from time to time.

Running active handling or NOT is a personal decision. I have had it help me in a couple (wet) situations and would rather sacrafice the 1010th for saftey sake.

RUN4CVR

JBed-

I was at the FUSA event last week. Although it didn't happen to me at that event, I had the exact same thing happen a few weeks earlier when I did Hooked's Pocono North Course.

Going into Turn 1, if I stayed in third gear and put the power on in the high RPMs the Active Handling light would come on (running in Comp mode by the way) at the apex. If I short shifted into fourth before the apex it would be fine.

I didn't feel it kick in, only saw the DIC read that it was working. The corners were not bumpy, but maybe the banking had something to do with it.

PS, note to noone: if you are not a professional driver and want to drive your car home, leave the COMP mode on. It helps. If you want to run without it maybe you should be driving a Nascar Pickup Truck.

sothpaw2

I have to agree. This is not about racing at all--just enjoying some of what the car can do.

jrz1

Was running goodyear slicks and I believe I was in comp mode. I do this for fun as well and while there are corners where I know AH slows me down just a bit by not allowing the proper rotation of the car, I can live with that in exchange for the insurance policy in other places. Some consider running with AH less "manly" but I think that's bunk, especially in the case of those of us just doing HPDE's for fun. If you're smooth enough, the intrusion by AH will be limited to the odd corner that demands significant rotation etc. If you're not smooth, it will be coming on all the time.

RUN4CVR

Thats a good point. I almost use it as a reference to see if I'm driving smooth enough. If it comes on in a corner on one lap, the next lap I see if I can drive the line cleaner so it doesn't come on. Not necessarily slower, but cleaner.

jbednarsh

Your Silver C6 had the big wing, right? Awesome car! Not going to be there this weekend, but will be there for PDA Grand Slam. If you're there I'll definitely stop by, would be great to meet.

Running B'Stone Pole Position Runflats that are brand new. From some discussion in another thread about these tires, I think some of the issue may be the greater tread depth on these tires combined with the fact they are brand new may contribute to some shifting of the rear that the AH is "correcting".

That's a very accurate description of what I encountered. Happened when in third not 4th, which is what I prefer to get max slingshot speed coming out of that apex.

I do agree with what many here are saying - I do have to drive this car home, and I am still a novice/intermediate driver. I will try some runs in Competition Mode - honestly I forgot that it was even there. But I;m not at the level, and personally don't feel the need, to shut off all the nannies at this point. Something to work towards I suppose

BEZ06

Yeah - there's enough stuff on the car that you can easily forget something!

I've got a checklist in my console to try to make sure I've got the car set up for a session. While sitting in the staging lane when getting ready to head out onto the track, I run the checklist after I start up the car to make sure I didn't forget something:

• Memory Button #1 (to get my seat and mirrors where I want them - you could set up #2 if your track setup is different than your street driving setup)
  
• HUD - Track Mode (if it's not set up with your memory button)
  
• Active Handling - OFF or Comp Mode (or all on if you prefer)
  
• NPP Valves - OPEN (with my Mild-2-Wild switch)
  
• Radio/Nav - OFF
  
• Air Conditioning - OFF (I may even leave it on at VIR next week!)
  
• Seat Belt - Ratchet Tight (I run with stock seat belts, so I pull it all the way out to the stop, then when it retracts it ratchets tight)
  
• DRL's - OFF (you can leave them on if you prefer, but I like 'em off!)
  
• TraqMate - ON (check mode, track, GPS acquisition)
  
• Video Camera - ON

That's been working pretty good for me to make sure I don't forget something. Once you're out on the track it's kinda hard to do even somehting like hitting your AH button to get into Comp Mode.

Bob

tmak26b

As an instructor, I personally prefer students to turn it off. I don't force them to do so, but I recommend it because you will find AH to be extremely annoying if you are trying to push the car. If you keep trying to rely on electronics to save your butt, you really should try a slower car or do more autocrosses. Electronics allow bad habits to become worse. Also for experience drivers, AH is extremely dangerous as the driver's reaction can counter what the AH is trying to do. It usually results in a car shooting across one side of the track. If you can't handle the car without AH, that's perfectly fine. Don't be telling people that you have to have it on, there are people out there who wants to drive their car the right way. The last person in a Corvette that told me to run with my AH on was running 9 seconds slower a lap. Also I had no problem lapping every car in heavy downpour on the GY tires with everything off, so I say the AH on theory is .

tmak26b

Tire pressure and windows down

TTPMatt

Yep.. It was pretty run running with the La Belle group.. We'll be at the G/S with the silver c6, blue c5z and black rx-7. Stop by our trailers..

FasterIsBetter

I was at La Belle also. Silver Z06 -- no wing. I had to give you a few point-bys. Awesome car, and looked to be performing well.

I was going through turn 1 at between 105 and 112 most of the time, on slicks (Kuhmo V710s), and never saw AH kick in. Because of the dampness on Sunday, I kept it in Comp mode most of the time. The only time it ever kicked in was once on Devil's elbow, when I turned in a little too sharp and too hot and the rear end kicked out on me. Monday, once things dried out, I ran with everything off, and the car handled really well.

errance

You talking about 3A at Pacific? I hate how AH kicks in when I start turning while still braking. Freaks me out.