Has anyone performed or investigated upgrading a 2011 or earlier car (Z06) from the Active Handling system, to the 2012-2013 PTM (Performance Traction Management)?

Does anyone know what is entailed? I suspect it's mostly software with some hardware involved, but I've about had it with the Active Handling and all of its problems.

 

imo AH kicks in way too early - especially with tight turns like small onramps.

I dont believe anyone has tried swapping to the newer ptm system yet; the changes in hardware and trying to make the different parts work together would be in the thousands and there's no guarantee it would turn out...

The cheapest and most effective thing is to just shut everything off before driving.

Hopefully someone will have more details on trying to do the conversion.


Good luck!

 

Maybe they made a revision to later cars, but on my 13 the TC/AH allow quite a bit of shenanigans before kicking in. Shutting everything off is a good way to end up in a ditch, over a curb, etc. I've seen many, many Corvette drivers decide to play, turn everything off, and seriously regret it later. I've had three cars with AH (01 Z06, 03 Z51 Vert & 13 GS) and on all of them AH alone allows a LOT of leeway before kicking in (both on track and street). The 13 GS IMO improves on this even further by allowing a significant amount of wheel spin before TC will even kick in.

If you AH is kicking in on on-ramps, I would investigate to see if something is wrong. Have you changed tire sizes from stock, do you have a sensor that's bad or going bad, has your car been tuned (not sure but I would guess someone could play with TC/AH settings when tuning).

 

Im pretty sure the car is just acting as it was designed as there are no electronic issues and the tires are factory sized.

What I was referring to is not on your typical wide/long on/offramp - but rather really tight ramps that corkscrew or even with switchback turns, you can feel the car trying to cause understeer. If you shut everything off and go the same speed through the same turn, you get no understeer being induced.

In comp mode it allows some driver control, but its still too aggressive in cutting the fun - the driver should be allowed to drift the car a bit before the ah kicks in...

Road and Track did an article on ptm a few years ago with corvette racing driver Tommy Milner. According to the results, his best two laps were in PTM 4 mode and then everything off mode. It really goes to show how significantly comp mode (PTM 2) affects the driver's control of the car.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/go/news/...t-how-it-works

 

The Comp mode in my 02 Z06, let me get quite side ways Auto'xing, then helped me straighten it back out.
I'm still learning my 13GS, but it does seem to let me spin the tires some(in default).

 

It's showroom stock. Still has the factory PS 2 tires. No tuning or mods. Mine is a 2011 Z06.

The 2012-2013 Z06s have a different system than my car. The ZR1s got PTM in 2010. The PTM Performance Traction Management system is different than the old Active Handling system. It has more settings/modes, launch control and I suspect, better software. I believe Bosch is the provider of the hardware and software for the PTM system. The old Stablitrac/Active Handling System is crap and I've had a lot of issues with it on track. It intervenes when it shouldn't and behaves in ways it shouldn't

I suspect I have a sensor malfunction, but I am also quite unimpressed with it, even when it is working correctly. I had a 2008 Z06 before this car and had issues with AH in it as well. I prefer to just turn everything off, but have the same reservations about doing so, that you suggest above. When you have a Z06, with the Z07 Ultimate Performance Package, IMO, the ultimate C6 Corvette, with less than 11,000 miles, you want it working right.

I picked up a data recorder from my dealer's service guys. I have a HPDE this weekend, so if it acts up, hopefully, I can get a snapshot of what's malfunctioning, so they can diagnose the problem, which they haven't been able to find anything wrong with it thus far. My last HPDE, I had major problems with it. I almost had an Aston-Martin rear-end me when it (AH) kicked in and brought me to a stop. I was black flagged because the corner worker thought I was brake checking the guy. It actually applied hard braking, on both front wheels, while going straight ahead. I wasn't even in a turn. In addition, that wasn't the only instance of it kicking in when it shouldn't. There were two turns, that every time I went into them, it would apply brake to the outside front wheel, in a jerky way. So all through those turns, it was applying brake 2 or 3 times. Like it was fighting me the whole way, when I was in no danger of rolling or losing traction. It was really upsetting the balance of the car.

1.) I want to get what I have working correctly. 2.) I would like to upgrade the entire system to the newer Performance Traction Management system. I'm pretty sure it would entail changing out the round switch on the console that changes the Magnetic Ride Control mode (different in PTM equipped cars), some sensors and modules, with the PTM software. But seeing that the 2012-2013 Z06s and 2010-2013 ZR1s came with it, I don't think it's a huge stretch. I was hoping someone would post a reply with knowledge of exactly what is entailed with the change over from AH to PTM.

 

You leave the nannies on while racing? I would definitely turn them off while on the race track.

 

I'd be interested to hear what you find out about switching from AH/TC to PTM. If it's not hideously expensive, I'd think about doing it on my GS.

I think he's using Competition Mode (Active Handling only) for track events, although it really sounds like it is malfunctioning. Even as far back as my 01 Z06, I was able to use Comp Mode on track and it had very little interference, and NEVER had the behavior described.