Snow Driving

[Greeno]

I’d much rather have rear wheel drive than front wheel drive in snow. I don’t care for how front wheel drive cars “push” in the corners. I’d rather have them “loose” in the corners. But I’m in the same age group so unless you drove an Saab, Eldorado or Riviara, front wheel drive cars weren’t a thing when I was driving as a young adult.

Gotta do the stab and steer method, they'll pull whatever direction you aim the wheels if you keep them spinning, the FWD being nose heavy like to plow the front but a quick brake tap and on the throttle keeps them going and loosens the rear up.

Generally highway speed, FWD is more stable too as the rear wont kick out as your "pulling" the vehicle vs pushing the vehicle.

Typically ground clearance was the limiting factor in FWD's until everything has gone SUV.

"FWD is a lot like AWD if you go in the direction you want fast enough" Clarkson or someone

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[Mark S.]

why would you turn the traction control off

Traction control uses a method called torque vectoring to prevent wheel spin. Your car has open differentials on both the front and rear axles. These are meant to allow the wheels on a single axle to turn at different speeds for going around a corner. They don't work very well for slippery conditions; the wheel with the least traction will simply spin, with no power going to the other. Torque vectoring applies the brakes on the wheel that's spinning to force power to the other wheel. If you are stuck in icy conditions both wheels on a given axle may spin. When that happens the traction control system will apply the brakes on both wheels. This can limit engine RPM enough that you get no power to ANY wheels--even wheels on the other axle that may have traction. Turning traction control off disables torque vectoring. With traction control off the engine can develop full power, which can get you unstuck if one of the two axles has traction.

 

[Azusateach]

Traction control uses a method called torque vectoring to prevent wheel spin. Your car has open differentials on both the front and rear axles. These are meant to allow the wheels on a single axle to turn at different speeds for going around a corner. They don't work very well for slippery conditions; the wheel with the least traction will simply spin, with no power going to the other. Torque vectoring applies the brakes on the wheel that's spinning to force power to the other wheel. If you are stuck in icy conditions both wheels on a given axle may spin. When that happens the traction control system will apply the brakes on both wheels. This can limit engine RPM enough that you get no power to ANY wheels--even wheels on the other axle that may have traction. Turning traction control off disables torque vectoring. With traction control off the engine can develop full power, which can get you unstuck if one of the two axles has traction.

You can roll your eyes, but does my OBX have traction control? If so, where do I find it? Remember, I’m a So. CA kid and we just don’t have weather to worry about this kind of stuff.

Thanks.

 

[Dude]

A vehicle computer automatically controls traction control on the OBX. See this post for the setting to enable/disable):
https://www.broncosportforum.com/forum/threads/how-do-you-turn-on-off-traction-control.2842/

I haven’t been in an outer banks model but I’m guessing yours looks like the pic on the left while the pic on the right is for the Badlands and other models with the 2.0L and its controls (on those, traction control is the button on lower left).

 

[BSBB4Les]

I beg pardon for going a bit off topic, but I got to reminiscing with my family about my growing up and getting around in the Cleveland, Parma Heights and Berea, OH areas in snow. The earliest I became really aware of what my folks were driving was in the mid 50's, I was around 7 then. They had a 55 Ford Fairlane, then a 57 Ford Fairlane and finally a 60 Ford Ranch Wagon that they bought to move us from Mansfield, OH to SoCal. All 3 were, of course, rwd and 3spd std trans! Now, before that, I only know from their recounting tales of the various vehicles they owned and they never had a 4by as long as they were alive. Dad did most of the driving and I believe he put studded tires on the rear in wintertime. Unless there were blizzard conditions, our daily life wasn't disrupted any more than ours is today. I guess what I'm trying to convey is, in those times there weren't the options we have today with awd, 4wd, 4x4, traction control, etc. Yes, there were limited 4wd vehicles available back then, sold mostly to farmers and ranchers, but not practical or affordable for young families for everyday city use. Today, my entire family drives either awd or 4wd vehicles!

 

[Stircrazy]

This is typically required to do if you actually get stuck. Trying to free a stuck vehicle without shutting off the traction control is very frustrating. Basically, the vehicle will not get out of its own way with this on.

While driving it is fine to use especially if you are not familiar with how to control a vehicle in slippery conditions. While it is true that the computer is faster than a human, the human can be better at understanding what the situation is. Getting unstuck is one of those situations.

I used to live half way up a steep hill. I can’t count the number of people I’ve been able to get up to the top just by disabling the traction control. The real trick is figuring out how to disable on some vehicles!

so after you get stuck doesn't apply haha.. we are talking about driving in snow not getting unstuck yet. and yes in my standard trans, front wheel drive I have had to turn off my traction control to get up a hill to the parking lot at work more than once, but I haven't had that issue in my bronco sport yet and we had another bad snowstorm the other night.

 

[Quashish]

You can roll your eyes, but does my OBX have traction control? If so, where do I find it? Remember, I’m a So. CA kid and we just don’t have weather to worry about this kind of stuff.

Thanks.

You should be able to find traction control on your center screen under setting and vehicle or something like that. It was that way in out big bend.

 

[Greeno]

You can roll your eyes, but does my OBX have traction control? If so, where do I find it? Remember, I’m a So. CA kid and we just don’t have weather to worry about this kind of stuff.

Thanks.

Just put it in slippery and set it and forget it. You're going to be on road mostly besides the venues road and parking lot I'm guessing... and it's a pretty smart system about letting you rock without needing to turn anything off. First vehicle I've owned where I felt that was actually the case.

 

[Mark S.]

You can roll your eyes, but does my OBX have traction control? If so, where do I find it?

This is a no eye rolling zone. Yes, you car is equipped with traction control. Here's what the owner's manual says.

https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/vdirsnet/OwnerManual/Home/Content?variantid=9533&languageCode=en&countryCode=USA&Uid=G2087818&ProcUid=G2174112&userMarket=USA&div=f&vFilteringEnabled=False&buildtype=web

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