RE: Mucking about in the snow
Discussion
Ari said:
Precisely the 4x4 brigade mentality that makes me avoid driving in slippery conditions. They think that because they have more traction, they're somehow impervious to it and ok to barrel 2+ tons of car down a snow covered motorway. Fine till something unexpected happens and they realise too late that they've only got the same four contact patches and brakes as everyone else.
Numpties.
Total agree,Numpties.
I love snowy days for the pleasure of been able to stay on the edge of grip with not much risk of hurting anyone or damaging your car.
This is my first winter with my 330i e90 on runflats and I am pleasantly surprised by it's traction control system which is not too inclined to intervine early yet still there when you really need it. Pressing the DTC button once leaves the car with sudo limited slip on the driving wheels (car uses the abs system to do it) which to be honest is nothing like a proper mechanical limited slip diff but still useful for getting around in the snow. Car is drivable if not as much fun as an equivalent rwd/lsd-ed car. Still an empty car park offers a lot of opportunities for silly angles in skids.
Now the biggest surprise turned out to be my wife's honda civic 2010 which is currently with a fresh set of continental sport contact 5s (soft compound but still summer tyres) and while it seem the honda gets more traction on the snowed driveway out of our car park it does have another unexpected feature, Honda's VSA (traction/stability control system). VSA likes to break the inside rear wheel when understeer is detected. This seems not be calibrated for snow and as such it initiates rather pleasant rear end movement which is easy to control with the gas pedal and lock on the front wheels.
All in all snow outside lets you learn a lot about your car(s) traction limits and safely systems.
This is my first winter with my 330i e90 on runflats and I am pleasantly surprised by it's traction control system which is not too inclined to intervine early yet still there when you really need it. Pressing the DTC button once leaves the car with sudo limited slip on the driving wheels (car uses the abs system to do it) which to be honest is nothing like a proper mechanical limited slip diff but still useful for getting around in the snow. Car is drivable if not as much fun as an equivalent rwd/lsd-ed car. Still an empty car park offers a lot of opportunities for silly angles in skids.
Now the biggest surprise turned out to be my wife's honda civic 2010 which is currently with a fresh set of continental sport contact 5s (soft compound but still summer tyres) and while it seem the honda gets more traction on the snowed driveway out of our car park it does have another unexpected feature, Honda's VSA (traction/stability control system). VSA likes to break the inside rear wheel when understeer is detected. This seems not be calibrated for snow and as such it initiates rather pleasant rear end movement which is easy to control with the gas pedal and lock on the front wheels.
All in all snow outside lets you learn a lot about your car(s) traction limits and safely systems.
This one's a few years old. Everybody has a confused look when they see a Golf doing this!
http://youtu.be/_c3C2ugz9wc
http://youtu.be/_c3C2ugz9wc
Edited by Snowlife on Sunday 20th January 15:19
RacerMike said:
Remember that all Land Rovers/Range Rovers are fitted with All Seasons and not Summers, so actually, there's no real need to fit full winters...
Not quite...The RRE Dynamic I had came with Summers and my RRS came with Continental 4x4 Sport Contact 275/40/r20's. Notoriously poor in icy conditions.
My Disco 4 came with Pirelli tyres that weren't All Season either.
Ari said:
Precisely the 4x4 brigade mentality that makes me avoid driving in slippery conditions. They think that because they have more traction, they're somehow impervious to it and ok to barrel 2+ tons of car down a snow covered motorway. Fine till something unexpected happens and they realise too late that they've only got the same four contact patches and brakes as everyone else.
Numpties.
incorrect.Numpties.
I do not condone passing other traffic at excessive speed and throwing up slush etc but most often in a proper 4x4 on proper tyres with locked diffs you will have much more traction and braking grip on virgin snow than polished snow covered surfaces..Horses for courses.
in addition. Their is most usually no traffic in front of you, so running slowly in the fast lane is often safer than running 10ft behind other cars in the slow lane.
Regards braking performance..a 2wd car has only 2 wheels for its braking...80% braking done with front wheels. and transmission only braking same front wheels. 4wd transmission in locked brakes with the transmission across all 4...You have on average twice the stopping capability, especially in virgin snow rather than a polished surface.
excessive speed and inappropriate driving is your issue.. not considerately using the other lane!!
N.
Edited by heightswitch on Sunday 20th January 13:40
Coolbanana said:
RacerMike said:
Remember that all Land Rovers/Range Rovers are fitted with All Seasons and not Summers, so actually, there's no real need to fit full winters...
Not quite...The RRE Dynamic I had came with Summers and my RRS came with Continental 4x4 Sport Contact 275/40/r20's. Notoriously poor in icy conditions.
My Disco 4 came with Pirelli tyres that weren't All Season either.
m6rk said:
Excellent! I don't think it's which lane 4x4s are using...it's that SOME owners do genuinely believe that 4 wheel drive = more grip (as opposed to more chances to find traction) and drive far faster than is safe.......it's the worry they will discover this at pace and then slide into you in 2 tonnes of machinery.....
m6rk said:
I don't remember all that snow in August!
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