Ouch. Yeah, I'll bet a software glitch dings everything in sight,
including the owners wallet. (Does Windows do traction control?)
If you install it and use it up to the limit, you are trusting the
technology. Just like a SCUBA tank or a parachute. Any failure
makes for an exciting ride.
I understand that on a short course, like Maxton, traction control
could be very valuable in applying maximum horsepower to the
ground to get up to speed.
On a long course is there any advantage?
Is the salt so loose that a real benefit could be gained?
Is the salt course so short, for really high speed vehicles, that
they have trouble getting up to speed?
Without one of the above or another advantage, why would I spend
money on this? (Except for potential straight line spin resistance)
I'd be happy to know what y'all think.
Thanks,
Jim.
-----Original Message-----
From: Clay, Dale [mailto:Dale.Clay@mdhelicopters.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2002 11:30 AM
To: 'Waldron, James'; 'land-speed@autox.team.net'
Subject: RE: Traction Control
At the Long Beach GP this year one of the cars spun coming out of a corner
and smacked the wall. When interviewed (don't recall now who) the driver
said it was caused by failure of the traction control. He said he normally
used full throttle there and the TC would take care of the rest, not that
time though!
Dale C.
Subject: RE: Traction Control
Then again, if you're going rickety split and you jerk the
steering to one side, all the rev reduction in the world
probably won't help. But if you were negotiating a constant
curve it would be very seductive to just floor it and let
the computer walk you up to the knife edge.
Makes the accelerometer rev limiter combination sound
plausible. In the turn, keep allowing a little more and a
little more rev to create a little more and a little more G
until you either start to lose G (sliding starts) or the
pucker factor lightens your foot.
Scary part is that if you are right on the edge, one blip
and it's gone. Now if you are 'driving' at that point, you
may be on top of it enough to save it. If you are just a
'passenger', you may not be able to get it together fast
enough. My experience with racing tires is that they stick
great up to a point, and then break away fast. Once
traction is lost, I have found it 'very' difficult to re-
match a racing tire to the surface (regain traction).
Street tires seem to be much more forgiving and much easier
to get 're-stuck'.
Comments or other experiences?
Jim.
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