More power by disabling Traction Control?

[ace72ace]

Saw this post reviewing old thread at TMS and wondered if there's any truth to it? Has anyone used track apps to record a 0-60 time with TC on and then TC off?

http://forums.themustangsource.com/f813/what-dont-you-like-514764/index4/#post6474747

 

[Sesshomurai]

You will have more consistent power to the wheels without TC. It's not "more power" in the obvious sense, more like "less power reduction from TC".

 

[HackBoss2901]

You will have more consistent power to the wheels without TC. It's not "more power" in the obvious sense, more like "less power reduction from TC".

+1

 

[cbj5259]

On this same subject...one push of the TC button disables the TC and then I believe if you hold it down or push it twice it turns it on "sport mode" or something like that. What's the difference?

 

[PeteInCT]

Car is stationary - hold down brake pedal - push TC button and hold it for about 5 secs until the ADVACETRAK OFF light comes on. Now TC is totally off. ABS is still (and always) active.

 

[cbj5259]

Car is stationary - hold down brake pedal - push TC button and hold it for about 5 secs until the ADVACETRAK OFF light comes on. Now TC is totally off. ABS is still (and always) active.

OK.. thanks. So when TC is off, its not completely off until Advancetrak is off. Also, does this same procedure work when using track key or does track key disable those features by default? Sorry for all the questions...

 

[PeteInCT]

First off - no sorry's for questions ! ;D That's why the Forum exists, so we can help each other out.

As for TK (red key) the process is the same, although TK starts you off in SPORT mode if I remember correctly (I pay no attention to it since I always shut down TC). SPORT mode alone does not fully disengage TC.

 

[cbj5259]

OK great...thanks for the info!

 

[PeteInCT]

OK great...thanks for the info!

PS: If you've never driven w/o TC please do so cautiously. This is not to scare you from doing so, but to possibly save you or anyone from trading paint. For experienced higher speed drivers, my belief is that having TC off is safer than having it on. I'm not sure of your experience level so I'll assume you are a beginner for arguments sake, which may not be anywhere near your current driving capabilities:

Many drivers that are new to track driving do not realize actually when TC engages when they are on track. There are possible circumstances that TC may be saving them from a spin-out that would have otherwise happened if TC was off - but the driver thinks that they saved the car. Hence, when a less experienced driver first starts to turn TC off they should dial back their speed and slowly work back to where they were speed wise. The car will tell you what it wants to do well before it actually does it, it just takes some level of experience to understand when it's talking to you.

The Boss has a very forgiving rear end that is relatively easy to control for a car of it's weight and HP. That said, based on track conditions, tires, driving aggressiveness, etc. it can snap around on you pretty quickly if you let it (I know this first hand from my agricultural experiments at Mont Tremblant that ripped my right side side air splitters right off the car ;D ).

 

[cbj5259]

No offense taken...I hate TC. I actually had it disabled on my Cobra. I don't track my car and probably never will, but I like the idea that I'm controlling the car and not being aided by a computer nanny. My Cobra had nearly 500 rwhp and also nearly 500 ft/lbs of torque and was a beast but never used TC a day in that car. The first thing I do when I get in the boss is turn TC off, but I guess I wasn't completely turning it off. As far as track driving goes, I'm an EVOC/ pursuit instructor, which is an entirely different type of driving, but adrenaline pumping nonetheless! ;D

 

[PeteInCT]

Then I'd say you're safe with TC off ;D LOL

 

[NeuRon]

On the street, I find the AdvanceTrak (sport) TC setting to offer plenty of freedom. In that mode, straight-line wheelspin doesn't induce TC. It will only come on when the rear experiences too much lateral movement. Again, on the street, this is a pretty fine safety-net. All the wheespin you might want during acceleration exhibitions and TC only jumping in if the rear gets a little too sideways. I have only had it kick in once while on this setting and that was going through a long sweeper at 85mph and hitting a bit of a hump in the road. It was, apparently, enough to step the rear out the few degrees required for TC to step in on that setting. Of course, really getting the rear loose around a corner, or doing a donut, requires turning the TC off with one push.

My first set of tires lasted 7500 city miles, as I was having plenty of fun spinning the tires from stoplights, getting on the highway, etc. The AdvanceTrak setting allows plenty of it. ;D

I have to admit that the system in the Boss is the best I've experienced. It's the first car that I've driven where I'll leave it on, in some form (mostly sport setting), and not really regret it. I do find it usefull during the winter or rain as well, as it's a my daily driver and does hit the road when the temp is well below the 45 degrees that the tires are good down to. They heat up if the temp is in the 30's.

I don't really have a desire to hang the rear way out around corners, in town, so I don't find much benefit to turning the TC completely off. It does allow a reasonable amount of straight-line wheelspin when fully engaged, as well.

Just turn it to the sport setting, start in 2nd gear and see if that offers you some thrills, before completely turning it off. Do you really need to hange the rear way out of the street, or do you just want to be able to roast the tires at 50mph in 3rd gear? I find the later is impressive enough to most people, on the street. This system is tuned to give a pretty liberal dose of fun. It's good enough that I can see TC systems evolving into something as beneficial as ABS to most people on the street.

 

[Justin]

First off - no sorry's for questions ! ;D That's why the Forum exists, so we can help each other out.

As for TK (red key) the process is the same, although TK starts you off in SPORT mode if I remember correctly (I pay no attention to it since I always shut down TC). SPORT mode alone does not fully disengage TC.

with TK it still starts you off in the same place as the silver key. you still have to press TC button twice to get it in sport mode.

I myself prefer to just drive with just TC off and leave advanced track on. I tried it with it off a few times it wanted to swap ends on me to easy on the street and as packed as the roads are around here I didnt like it.

advanced track kept my friend out of the wall at the drag strip at the 1/8th mile when he hit 4th.

Over the traction control on the 06 GT it has come a long way. on the 06 it was way to aggressive.

 

[Sesshomurai]

with TK it still starts you off in the same place as the silver key. you still have to press TC button twice to get it in sport mode.

I myself prefer to just drive with just TC off and leave advanced track on. I tried it with it off a few times it wanted to swap ends on me to easy on the street and as packed as the roads are around here I didnt like it.

advanced track kept my friend out of the wall at the drag strip at the 1/8th mile when he hit 4th.

Over the traction control on the 06 GT it has come a long way. on the 06 it was way to aggressive.

Looks who's back!