AdamIsAdam wrote:
Maybe you should try those curved hills in Full Time 4WD. I've heard that this helps reduce the understeer effect. I tried it a bit and it seems better since the front end is also pulling in hte direction that the wheels are pointed.
I also don't feel like it's understeer as much as it is PLOWING! When you get on the gas and it locks, you definitely need to change the steering input!
One thing I've been impressed with is how it can handle some throttle without locking at all, like those tight parking spaces. I don't understand how that works, but for me it's working. It's when you need more gas that it locks.
when off road, I was able to power-brake it some to insure it was locked before I moved an inch.
And yes, I went up Turtle BOTH DAYS! It was really nice!
There is a good explanation of how it works in the owners manul. Only the inside wheel is powered in a turn. Hence, why you get understeer. In a turn the outside wheel in effect accelerates past the inside wheel and relieves the tension from on the dog teeth and allows it to disengage. It rengages when both wheels start to spin at the same rate. It only locks up in a turn when the powered wheel accelerates past the un-powered wheel. So if the inside wheel starts to skip or slip and you stay on the gas hard enough it will lock up.
I've also towed plenty of times in the moutains and never had a problem. I towed a 3000lbs trailer 1400 miles across the country in rain and 45mph winds and never had a problem. The only place I can real tell the powertrax is present is at low speed manuvers.. like in a parking lot or something.
Here is the long winded explanation from the owners manual.
Quote:
The “pinion gear” carries the engine power to the “ring gear” which is attached to the differential case. The rotating differential case transfers the power to the “axle shafts” through the components within the differential case. The existing “pinion shaft” is replaced with a high strength Zytanium® pinion shaft. It transfers the power from the differential case to the “drivers.” The drivers eliminate th existing “spider gears.” Both drivers are connected to mating “couplers” which join onto the axle shaft splines. The couplers replace the existing “side gears.” The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System obsoletes any friction clutched and related parts that may also accompany the spider and side gears.
“Saddle springs” inserted in the driver saddles press upon the pinion shaft and give the drivers an outward pressure onto the couplers. “Active Spacers” snug the pinion shaft and communicate its position to the “synchro ring” mechanisms assembled within the couplers. The active spacers fit within the drivers and onto the couplers providing on-axis positioning.
The saddle springs act to keep the driver saddles centered on the pinion shaft and provide damping as power is applied through the pinion shaft onto the drivers. As the differential case rotates, the pinion shaft advances with it, compressing the saddle springs until the pinion shaft contacts the drivers saddles at a positive power transfer angle. Power is then directed from the drivers to the couplers through positive engagement tooth profiles on the driver and coupler faces that mesh to transfer full power to the drive wheels. When the vehicle is driven straight, all the power is delivered to both wheels through both sets of drivers and couplers. In a turn, the outside wheel in effect “accelerates” ahead of the inside wheel to compensate for the difference in the turning radius distance of the inner versus the outer wheels. As the outer wheel rotates faster, because it must travel farther than the inner wheel, it advances the coupler from the driver and relaxes the power distributed to the outside wheel. As the coupler continues to advance, it ramps the driver to disengage from the coupler. The synchro ring continues to turn with the coupler until it is stopped by the active spacer “paddle.” the synchro ring is then positioned to prevent re-engagement of the driver and coupler until the turn is complete. The outside wheel in the turn continues to rotate freely with power being delivered to the inside wheel. When turning concludes, the synchro mechanism is reset and power is reapplied to both driving wheels. Full wheel differentiation is thereby provided automatically and identically for right and left turns. Operation is precise, smooth and quiet.
When alternating from drive — to coast — to drive while turning, power is redirected from the inner wheel (drive) to the outer wheel (coast), and back again. When alternating from drive — to coast — to drive while driving straight, power remains directed to both wheels. Engine braking is provided through both wheels when the vehicle is proceeding straight, and through the engaged wheel when turning. The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is bi-directional and operates identically while driving either forward or in reverse.
Should a wheel lose traction, the Powertrax No-Slip Traction System engages both sets of drivers and couplers to transfer power to both axles. This eliminates unwanted wheel spin and provides optimum traction performance.