Dynamic Stability Control On vs Dynamic Stability Control Off... Which is Faster?

[econoboxrocks]

For the rally racers among us.

 

[scotman]

Depends on your driving style. And the type of surface you are on. I have to believe that the nannies would wreck our exit speed on asphalt. I could also see it destroying any momentum if trying to get up a muddy incline. Personally, i would not have it at all.

 

[Handy Andy]

Eh tu' - Brutus?

I have to believe that the nannies would wreck our exit speed on asphalt.

I've complained about it ever since it came out as "Standard" on all models. They whom built the system never lived in the "Lake Effect Snow Belt".

As part of living in the area - one main trick is for having momentum - it's how you get out of the mess - instead, DSC / Trac activating is the exact Opposite method, it's trying to slow you down - puts you more in danger of a wreck than steering out of the skid without it.

Don't worry, there's always a Cop that will be more than happy to issue the Ticket for - "Driving too fast for Conditions" - so let's not get stupid in the first place.

Rear wheel you could power out using the rear tires to slide the back towards into the skid and then you drive out, Front Wheel is you allow the Front wheels to coast - to allow the vehicle to start the dam-effect (the tires are free to grab by surface friction) and drive out using the steering wheels' direction away from the skid by then pulling - applying power once you have the "grab" - TRAC fights the power you're applying to redirect the vehicle from the skid.

DSC/VSC/TRAC - IMHO - It's the quickest way to find yourself in the ditch when it tries to engage when you are already "activated" and fighting your way out of heading towards it.,

Never could understand the "idiot" that designed this - and it's on every vehicle now.

Some are just easier to disengage...if you are prepared...

 

[scotman]

I don't believe that it was engineered with much real world development. More likely digital simulations.
The 2011 has traction and stability controls that are not easily circumvented.
My study of how it functioned was aimed at delaying the intrusion of the nannies.
Im not sure how the 2012 forward basic Fiesta with the revised system worked. But, the 2011 could be fooled into not wrecking all the fun by running a second power lead to the CHIMSL with flasher module set to actuate the lamp at a very rapid rate. The stability controls read that lamp signal to mean that i was on the brake pedal. It was an effective distraction.
I was also able to flummox the system by taking a wheel speed signal from hall switches that were mounted on a bracket near the right hand drive axle. It was a cumbersome thing to create, but that car didn't know the difference between sitting in the McDonald's drive thru and spinning out on a wet autocross course.
If you think im not a fan of the traction and stability controls. You guessed right.

 

[econoboxrocks]

Mine has 3 positions; on, sport, and off. It turns all the nannies off, but the inside brake for cornering can't be turned off.
With everything off, it's easy to kick the rear out in corners. People are always surprised how quick I can get through a turn. They just don't expect a Fiesta to be that agile.
Friends who've driven it always say it feels like a go kart. That's an apt description, considering how stiff it rides.

 

[scotman]

The ST version has a pretty good system. But it still needs LSD for effective track use. The reason the ST cooks it's brakes is the torque vectoring aka; inside braking, cannot be shut off. But, the limited slip differential goes a long way toward calming the tv issue, so i have heard.

 

[econoboxrocks]

The ST version has a pretty good system. But it still needs LSD for effective track use. The reason the ST cooks it's brakes is the torque vectoring aka; inside braking, cannot be shut off. But, the limited slip differential goes a long way toward calming the tv issue, so i have heard.

That's what they say. I don't track it, so I wont spend the money on that. It feels like it needs an LSD, because the braking isn't really enough in hard driving. It loves to spin the fronts coming out of corners. The new Mk8 has it as an option.

 

[scotman]

Every single Mk7 on up Fiesta ST should have had a mechanical limited slip differential as standard. The electronic wheel spin limiter is probably the second biggest disappointment in the entire car. The first one being the under capacity cooling system.

 

[donaldjl]

I don't believe that it was engineered with much real world development. More likely digital simulations.
The 2011 has traction and stability controls that are not easily circumvented.

I was also able to flummox the system by taking a wheel speed signal from hall switches that were mounted on a bracket near the right hand drive axle. It was a cumbersome thing to create, but that car didn't know the difference between sitting in the McDonald's drive thru and spinning out on a wet autocross course.
If you think im not a fan of the traction and stability controls. You guessed right.

Hey, Scott, hope all is well. I've been thinking of this issue lately myself with my 2011. Similar to your solution, I had the idea that splicing into a rear ABS sensor where the wires enter the hatch area, and run extra wires forward to a switch. Switch open, nanny system "detects" a fault in the system and shuts it all down. Switch closed, circuit as intended, and the system works as intended. Is this workable, or am I overlooking something or some nuance that would be disappointing?

 

[scotman]

I tried the splice trick on my 2011 by placing a switch into a fabricated aluminum dead pedal. Unfortunately, the traction and stability controls required a key off in order to reactivate the system. I can't recall what exactly the reason or components that caused it not to be viable. I think that was when i found that the system could be fooled into holding back by making the chimsl flash. So, i didn't pursue that switch any more.
I think that the 2011 and maybe early 12's were unique to that. They went to a more accessible traction control shut off on the revised system

 

[scotman]

I dug into some of my notes from the 2012 autocross season. I pulled out the F1 fuse during the autocross runs. That was just prior to the CHMSL flasher trick.
The downside to shutting down the traction controls was that it also took out the nibble controls that provided the minimal amount of steering feedback that the basic Fiesta has. The shaved Dunlop Direzza tires had the saving grace of being very communicative as they reached their limits of grip.
So, driving it on course was a lot like playing an arcade racing game in terms of the steering response and feedback. The tires would begin to softly complain as the grip diminished. But, i could not really "feel" much of the drama going on just under my feet, through the steering wheel.