Alan Applegate
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2024
- Threads
- 18
- Messages
- 538
- Reaction score
- 410
- Location
- Roswell, NM
- Vehicle(s)
- 2024 Mustang Eco-Boost Premium
- Thread starter
- #1
Perhaps there should be another open thread about using or not using traction and/or stability controls?
When my Eco-Boost was delivered, it had 283 miles on the OD (dealer to dealer driven), so I wasn’t worried about pushing it hard. It didn’t take long to figure out that turning off the traction control was nothing short of a requirement. With it off, even under moderate acceleration, fishtailing seemed inordinate at times and even felt like it was about to swap ends! Then I reminded myself why I turn both off when driving my modified Ranger!
The Ranger is a different kind of beast for obvious reasons; front to rear weight bias towards the front. This fact, coupled with leaving the stability control on during spirited driving is a surefire way to get the truck to swap ends! When it strikes (decides you don’t know how to drive!) and you ignore the results, you end up in a death defying zigzag scenario, like those often depicted in YouTube videos!
Perhaps adding insult to injury, the Mustang is equipped with a plate type locking third member. They do act somewhat differently than TorSen units, but spending the monies to replace it probably isn’t worth the effort. This said, there is another issue which should be obvious at this point… A result of questionable interaction of the stability control system to straight line driving!
It didn’t take me long to figure out the antilock braking system was running during certain maneuvers; you could even see the causative tire marks on the skid pad alternating from side to side! Again, I firmly believe this is the cause of the aforementioned zigzag scenario.
What I’m saying here is, in certain driving conditions, the stability control system can literally kill you! Some folks suggested pulling the dyno plug to completely turn off the both controls. While that works, in normal driving leaving them on can be life saving. What I would rather see is the stability control shutting off completely when you tell it to. We won’t see this of course, due to the lawyering impediments we’re too often seeing these days.
Drat!
When my Eco-Boost was delivered, it had 283 miles on the OD (dealer to dealer driven), so I wasn’t worried about pushing it hard. It didn’t take long to figure out that turning off the traction control was nothing short of a requirement. With it off, even under moderate acceleration, fishtailing seemed inordinate at times and even felt like it was about to swap ends! Then I reminded myself why I turn both off when driving my modified Ranger!
The Ranger is a different kind of beast for obvious reasons; front to rear weight bias towards the front. This fact, coupled with leaving the stability control on during spirited driving is a surefire way to get the truck to swap ends! When it strikes (decides you don’t know how to drive!) and you ignore the results, you end up in a death defying zigzag scenario, like those often depicted in YouTube videos!
Perhaps adding insult to injury, the Mustang is equipped with a plate type locking third member. They do act somewhat differently than TorSen units, but spending the monies to replace it probably isn’t worth the effort. This said, there is another issue which should be obvious at this point… A result of questionable interaction of the stability control system to straight line driving!
It didn’t take me long to figure out the antilock braking system was running during certain maneuvers; you could even see the causative tire marks on the skid pad alternating from side to side! Again, I firmly believe this is the cause of the aforementioned zigzag scenario.
What I’m saying here is, in certain driving conditions, the stability control system can literally kill you! Some folks suggested pulling the dyno plug to completely turn off the both controls. While that works, in normal driving leaving them on can be life saving. What I would rather see is the stability control shutting off completely when you tell it to. We won’t see this of course, due to the lawyering impediments we’re too often seeing these days.
Drat!
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