[Z06] Traction Control allows wheelspin?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 924
Likes: 0
From: Calgary
Traction Control allows wheelspin?
Hey guys, I've only had my Z for a couple days now, but I noticed that the traction control allows for *some* wheelspin sometimes, while the DIC displays "traction system active", and if I really do go overboard on the throttle, then I feel a sudden cut in power.
Is all of this very normal?
Is all of this very normal?
Last edited by Vette Dream; Apr 26, 2006 at 06:11 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 10,649
Likes: 31
From: Central Florida
Originally Posted by Vette Dream
Hey guys, I've only had my Z for a couple days now, but I noticed that the traction control allows for *some* wheelspin sometimes, while the DIC displays "traction system active", and if I really do go overboard on the throttle, then I feel a sudden cut in power.
Is all of this very normal?
Is all of this very normal?
You can hold down the console button for about five seconds and enter Competition Driving mode, which allows full rear wheel spin but keeps Active Handling available should the rear get loose.
Ranger
Last edited by Ranger; May 2, 2006 at 03:05 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 924
Likes: 0
From: Calgary
Ok cool, I knew about competitive driving mode, I just haven't dared use it yet.
Had a nasty accident 3 years back with a Camaro Z28 so I'm tyring to be very cautious when I drive.
It's raining tonight and my tires are done anyway, I think I will go to an empty parking lot and acquiaint myself with TC, AH, and the competitive driving mode as well!
Cheers!
Had a nasty accident 3 years back with a Camaro Z28 so I'm tyring to be very cautious when I drive.
It's raining tonight and my tires are done anyway, I think I will go to an empty parking lot and acquiaint myself with TC, AH, and the competitive driving mode as well!
Cheers!
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 373
Likes: 0
I would not recommend taking the TC off entirely (unless you have a huge skid pad to try it on). Competition mode allows the wheel spin to occur but the braking system still stays active to help woa it up if it gets too squirly. I've read more than one thread about someone who turned the TC off entirely to light 'em up and smacked something like a curb or worse. They (C5's and/or Z06's) will get hairy FAST without the TC to assist.
Have fun!
Have fun!
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Instructor
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 199
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Originally Posted by '04 Z06 Rocket
I would not recommend taking the TC off entirely (unless you have a huge skid pad to try it on). Competition mode allows the wheel spin to occur but the braking system still stays active to help woa it up if it gets too squirly. I've read more than one thread about someone who turned the TC off entirely to light 'em up and smacked something like a curb or worse. They (C5's and/or Z06's) will get hairy FAST without the TC to assist.
Have fun!
Have fun!
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 25,889
Likes: 7
From: Virginia Beach
CI 3-5-6-7-8 Veteran
One of the first things I noticed about the Z06 when I got it 3 years ago was the fact that the TCS allows a bit of wheel spin before cutting in whereas my parents' '99 vert cuts in immediately.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,654
Likes: 1
From: Palo Alto CA
IMHO you need to take your car to a few AutoXs. It's a nice safe chance to learn the limits and handling characteristics of the car.
C5s are known for snap trailing-throttle over-steer. They can be a little tricky at the limit. Most ppl will agree dialing in a little rear toe-in makes a huge difference and make the care much more stable and predictable. Though if you go too far it will get pushy.
I personally drive my car w/ the Traction Control and Active Handling OFF a lot. But I’ve had a lot of experience at and beyond the limits of adhesion with the car. I still feel like the Active Handling is a nice safety net when the conditions aren’t optimal or I’m on an unfamiliar road where I may come across adverse road conditions I wasn’t expecting. When it comes down to it AH can do things I just can’t do (i.e. braking each wheel individually) and can/will save your ***. For you I’d recommend driving in Competitive Driving mode all the time. Everything on is just too restrictive/obtrusive to give a fun driving experience.
-TJ
C5s are known for snap trailing-throttle over-steer. They can be a little tricky at the limit. Most ppl will agree dialing in a little rear toe-in makes a huge difference and make the care much more stable and predictable. Though if you go too far it will get pushy.
I personally drive my car w/ the Traction Control and Active Handling OFF a lot. But I’ve had a lot of experience at and beyond the limits of adhesion with the car. I still feel like the Active Handling is a nice safety net when the conditions aren’t optimal or I’m on an unfamiliar road where I may come across adverse road conditions I wasn’t expecting. When it comes down to it AH can do things I just can’t do (i.e. braking each wheel individually) and can/will save your ***. For you I’d recommend driving in Competitive Driving mode all the time. Everything on is just too restrictive/obtrusive to give a fun driving experience.
-TJ
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 924
Likes: 0
From: Calgary
Thanks for the advice... so far, I have been driving with both AH and TC on. Mind you, I have yet to drive the car in anything past 40 degree weather, so I'll keep as many safeguards on as I can until the temperatures get warmer.
I think I have yet to engage the AH and I would like to go to a safe place where I cannot hit anything/anyone to try it out, before I drive around in Comp mode all the time!
I think I have yet to engage the AH and I would like to go to a safe place where I cannot hit anything/anyone to try it out, before I drive around in Comp mode all the time!
Pro
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 711
Likes: 9
I drive with the TC completely off for spirited driving. I've been driving rear drive cars in excess of 500+ rwhp for 10 years now and have had much time on the open track and drag strip.
You just have to get familiar with the car. On WOT the rear end will want to go left and right and want to spin you out and slam you into a curb or wall. (oversteer)
THis is easily correctible and almost becomes natural instinct to correct after time. Just don't OVER CORRECT. Or you and the Wall will become very close. 
Push your car and know its limits.
Thats the fun of having a high HP rear wheel drive car.
You want max pucker effect turn off the TC and take your Z to the track in wet conditions.... now thats fun.
You just have to get familiar with the car. On WOT the rear end will want to go left and right and want to spin you out and slam you into a curb or wall. (oversteer)
THis is easily correctible and almost becomes natural instinct to correct after time. Just don't OVER CORRECT. Or you and the Wall will become very close. Push your car and know its limits.Thats the fun of having a high HP rear wheel drive car.
You want max pucker effect turn off the TC and take your Z to the track in wet conditions.... now thats fun.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,936
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas NV
Originally Posted by Vette Dream
Hey guys, I've only had my Z for a couple days now, but I noticed that the traction control allows for *some* wheelspin sometimes, while the DIC displays "traction system active", and if I really do go overboard on the throttle, then I feel a sudden cut in power.
Is all of this very normal?
Is all of this very normal?
What's traction control?
...Oh yea...that's the thing I turn off every time I start the car...check. If your experience level is, oh, say, professional racer - that active handling/traction control activity may just be the thing that puts you in the ditch. If my vehicle is sliding and spinning the tires, it's because I made it do that for a specific reason. The last thing I want is a computer trying to second guess me which could change my line and thus cause a massive accident.
One of these days I'll put in that little gem that makes it stay off when the car is started - and remove the light from my dash.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 10,649
Likes: 31
From: Central Florida
Originally Posted by Twil1ght
What's traction control?
...Oh yea...that's the thing I turn off every time I start the car...check. If your experience level is, oh, say, professional racer - that active handling/traction control activity may just be the thing that puts you in the ditch. If my vehicle is sliding and spinning the tires, it's because I made it do that for a specific reason. The last thing I want is a computer trying to second guess me which could change my line and thus cause a massive accident.
One of these days I'll put in that little gem that makes it stay off when the car is started - and remove the light from my dash.
...Oh yea...that's the thing I turn off every time I start the car...check. If your experience level is, oh, say, professional racer - that active handling/traction control activity may just be the thing that puts you in the ditch. If my vehicle is sliding and spinning the tires, it's because I made it do that for a specific reason. The last thing I want is a computer trying to second guess me which could change my line and thus cause a massive accident.
One of these days I'll put in that little gem that makes it stay off when the car is started - and remove the light from my dash.
I have personally watched five C5s/C5Zs hit the wall at the drag strip. Everyone of them was following the general sentiments of Twil1ght at the time. Hard way to learn the lesson of their own limitations when faced with an unexpected track condition.
Also know four very experienced Z06 drivers who have totaled their cars on the street. Each of them had switched off Active Handling, and when the cars got loose, they responded wrongly.
My suggestion from these experiences: use good judgment in understanding your own limitations; when bad things happen, they happen is a few milli-seconds. The question is will you act correctly and quickly enough.
I make my passes at the drags with AH-enabled. Ditto on the street. In my mind that makes me prudent, not, as some would have you believe, a candy a$ $.
Ranger
Last edited by Ranger; May 2, 2006 at 04:24 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 25,889
Likes: 7
From: Virginia Beach
CI 3-5-6-7-8 Veteran
^ Only time I turn of AH/TC completely is during an HPDE when I've gotten warmed up and want to rotate the car some. Other than that it's on all the time. AH when dragging.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 924
Likes: 0
From: Calgary
And as has been mentionned before, Active Handling does something that a human never could - it applies individual brakes to each of the wheels as required in order to keep the car under control.
I would never dare do a 1/4 mile pass without it. Just imagine having one of your real wheels go over an undetectable puddle of oil on the track. Good luck controlling a 400 lb-ft bullet that's just gone sideways @ wide open throttle.
After this past weekend, I like driving in Competitive Mode, but I feel much safer knowing that the Active handling system will always be there for me.
I would never dare do a 1/4 mile pass without it. Just imagine having one of your real wheels go over an undetectable puddle of oil on the track. Good luck controlling a 400 lb-ft bullet that's just gone sideways @ wide open throttle.
After this past weekend, I like driving in Competitive Mode, but I feel much safer knowing that the Active handling system will always be there for me.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,936
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas NV
Originally Posted by Vette Dream
And as has been mentionned before, Active Handling does something that a human never could - it applies individual brakes to each of the wheels as required in order to keep the car under control.
I would never dare do a 1/4 mile pass without it. Just imagine having one of your real wheels go over an undetectable puddle of oil on the track. Good luck controlling a 400 lb-ft bullet that's just gone sideways @ wide open throttle.
After this past weekend, I like driving in Competitive Mode, but I feel much safer knowing that the Active handling system will always be there for me.
I would never dare do a 1/4 mile pass without it. Just imagine having one of your real wheels go over an undetectable puddle of oil on the track. Good luck controlling a 400 lb-ft bullet that's just gone sideways @ wide open throttle.
After this past weekend, I like driving in Competitive Mode, but I feel much safer knowing that the Active handling system will always be there for me.
I don't want my wheels individually braked multiple times per second. But then again, as Ranger so aptly pointed out - skill levels vary. I'm used to going 190 MPH on two tires with a contact patch roughly the width of the palm of your hand, often in the rain as well. I can vouch for my AH saving a friend of mine while he was driving my car. I can also vouch for my AH nearly putting me in the wall at Road Atlanta when it chose to second guess me.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,037
Likes: 9,801
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Originally Posted by Vette Dream
Hey guys, I've only had my Z for a couple days now, but I noticed that the traction control allows for *some* wheelspin sometimes, while the DIC displays "traction system active", and if I really do go overboard on the throttle, then I feel a sudden cut in power.
Is all of this very normal?
Is all of this very normal?
Bill
