Date: Wed, 2 Dec 1998 13:11:28 +0100
Reply-To: "Dr. Rainer Woitok" <woitok@RRZE.UNI-ERLANGEN.DE>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: "Dr. Rainer Woitok" <woitok@RRZE.UNI-ERLANGEN.DE>
Organization: RRZE (Regionales Rechenzentrum Erlangen)
Subject: Re: TRACTION ABUSE re.fr.difflock etc
In-Reply-To: Msg <001d01be1d54$435ed7a0$d7134382@default> of 1998-12- 1
18:58:49 +0100 from anjar@online.no
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Hi Vanagoneers and Syncronauts,
On Tue, 1998-12- 1 18:58:49 +0100, Andreas wrote:
> ...
> but around the corner a couple of hundred metres ahead is the school
> bus(with chains) in the middle of the road picking up schoolkids. Im gonna
> have to lose my precious momentum and slow down or stop. I WANT MY REAR
> DIFFLOCK! Do I
>
> a)Pull the switch and hope it will engage within 100 meters (Little to no
> chance)
In my opinion, the diff lock not engaging for one hundred meters though
the switch is pulled can have at least four reasons:
a) both wheels have enough traction, no wheel is spinning. That's just
ok. Having traction, the van should proceed happily.
b) both weels are spinning, but with the same speed. That's really bad,
but a locked diff would by no means improve this situation, because
basically, what a diff lock does is forcing the two wheels to always
have the same speed. If they do already ... :-(
c) There's something wrong with your diff lock. The diff lock is
constructed in such a way that it can engage every 60 degrees. That is,
when you pull the diff lock switch, block one tire, and turn the other
tire, the diff lock should engage before you've rotated the tire more
than 1/6 of its perimeter.
d) You don't have enough vacuum. The diff locks have a separate "vacuum
tank" which is sucked empty by the normal air intake of your engine.
It's the same device that assist you in braking (though, as I said,
there is a separate tank). The more revving, the more vacuum, maybe
that's the reason why shortly pressing the accelerator helps your diff
lock to engage ...
> b)Engage and blip the throttle a little commiting the deadly crime of traction
> abuse but seeing my lock in allowing me to slow down and keep a little
> momentuml before I lose it and start heading backwards on the ice?
In my humble opinion, deliberately spinning the wheels while going
uphill on an icy road is a really hair-rising practice. That's my two
pfennigs worth. But then, I have to sustain (and to entertain :-) a
family (apart from keeping my Syncro healthy :-) ...
Sincerely
Rainer
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| Regionales Rechenzentrum | |
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