First snow in new 09 truck, differential unpredictable and sucks!

I see what you posted, yet I am not convinced. "Yaw rate is large" is a very vague term.

I see Roland (Yoytoda) did a little field testing... I'll try to do some too.

What we really need an authoritative answer from Toyota and we need it in to be explicitly stated. If the VSC threshold has been increased then what is it?

 

So Toyota's current tech document is "authoratative" enough? Just posting the facts.....as stated by the engineers who designed this. To me speculation is just that, until someone proves contrary, I'll go with the info that I have. And I will be testing.....I do believe the bepper doesn't activate when the VSC off light is lit.

 

The rate of yaw that would activate you probably won't see unless your on ball bearings completely out of control.

Same with braking, if someone wants to try a 50 mph seatbelt check with VSC off it'll probably activate it, but at that point you won't be able to tell if it's the abs/vsc/ or a combination of both.

 

I tested it again today in some slick mud. I got the truck sideways a few time. The ABS still worked but the truck could slide and spin as much as i wanted...

There is a possibility the chart could be wrong...

 

I gotta say, I'm a bit disappointed with my 09 TRD OR in the snow. Let me preface this by saying WHEN IN 2WD ONLY. In 4WD it's unstoppable, except for the sh!tty ABS system...

I had an 08 access cab 6spd Tacoma prior to this, and granted it had new Dueler Revo's on it, it seemed to perform a lot better then my 09 in the snow, especially in 2WD. I carry the same sand bags in the 09 as the 08, the only difference being the 09 is a double cab, has BFG Rugged Trails, and is an automatic. I rarely had to kick my 08 into 4WD when getting going at stop light on level ground. The 09 barely gets started from a stop, maybe it's strictly the tires, I've heard the Rugged Trails aren't great....

In any case, is the traction control similar to the ABS, as in when it kicks on don't let off, just let it do it's thing? I'm wondering if it's better to back off the gas and ease back in to it, or stay on the gas and let the truck figure things out. This is for the traction control only, not VSC.

Also, the ABS still sucks in the Tacoma, pretty much worthless...

 

These truck are so unstoppable even from the factory...(crack on horrible ABS)

Tires are a huge difference. Did you try using the auto LSD??

 

AaronK, the traction control reduces throttle itself. The only surprise is when you regain traction, if you have the pedal depressed, you can be surprised when all that throttle comes back online.

 

I switched the Rugged trails out before I took delivery, they have a rep as being horrible on snow. As for the traction control in 2WD, I find if you just keep the throttle pressed, the computers eventually figure it out. I've noticed it tries to transfer torque with the ABS system, before it cuts throttle. I find with my BFG's, I haven't hardly used 4WD on slick roads.
The Achilles heel of trucks has always been snap oversteer. The VSC system makes that problem a thing of the past.

 

I think it's the tires... New tires aren't in the budget right now, so I guess I'll just have to drive around in 4WD, which isn't an issue, but I usually like to keep it out of 4WD unless I absolutely need it.

 

I have duratracs 285's and honestly i didn't have to get out of 2wd in chicago yet. With no weight in the back of my lb either....I should try the VSC thing though. Lets see how large that yaw rate is with a trd blower & cai

 

haha lol

 

I was able to test it out today and my experience was the same as yours.

I tested it doing donuts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9662yRvGc8

And I also tested it on a fire road. Traveling @ 40 mph, I would oversteer very quickly, simulating a driver over-correction to get wheel slide... and nothing. I tried the same test again this time tapping the brakes hoping to get the system to kick in and it did not.

As far as I could tell there was no interference with the VSC system in either case. I am happy.

Isthatahemi, one thing we both can agree on is that VSC is amazing technology. It has saved me when getting too squirrely on a gravel road in Death Valley. I was so impressed by it I started to research the subject. I was a little surprised with I learned that Toyota did not create VSC technology.

VSC was created by The Bosch Group and is licensed to Toyota and other car manufactures.

For those of you who may not understand VSC, hands down the best video I have seen can be found here: VSC Video

According to the video, the (NHTSA) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety show that VSC systems are second only to safety belts in reducing fatalities on our nations roads. That's pretty f'n impressive!

 

As for the VSC, I love it, and it can be taken out by pressing the button as Coke said. I've got a lot of snow to test all the systems here, and as far as I could try, no intervention of VSC when the thing is turned off.

For the people saying that the truck sucks in the snow, I don't see any problem in putting the truck in 4HI. Yes, it is not pretty good in 2WD (as for most pickups), but just put in in 4HI then. It's not like the thing was not made for it... it won't break anything.

 

^^ That light snow was pretty fun these last few days in Québec, especially when you're the only one on the road in the morning.

 

+1

 

I can confirm there is a typo. It should read under braking, & when yaw rate is large. I tested the truck numerous times, extreme skids, high and low speeds. The VSC does not intervene, until the brake pedal is pressed. When braking is initiated, brake force is definitly distributed, in a way to control the skid. Normally when brakes are applied at the polar moment of inerita, (usally the apex of a turn / skid), this will add to the rotation, and exagerate the skid. On the 2010 Tacoma, the opposite is true. It acts very similarly to the VSC system under normal conditions. For anyone who uses this technique, as a tool for vehicle control, either to tighten there cornering line, or for drifting, this could be a little annoying. But under those conditions, any ABS is a problem.
Now the debate is; is this part of the EBD system functioning, or are the systems one and the same, with different parameters? I think it all part of the VSC system.....

 

I can confirm there is a typo. It should read under braking, & when yaw rate is large. I tested the truck numerous times, extreme skids, high and low speeds. The VSC does not intervene, until the brake pedal is pressed. When braking is initiated, brake force is definitly distributed, in a way to control the skid. Normally when brakes are applied at the polar moment of inerita, (usally the apex of a turn / skid), this will add to the rotation, and exagerate the skid. On the 2010 Tacoma, the opposite is true. It acts very similarly to the VSC system under normal conditions. For anyone who uses this technique, as a tool for vehicle control, either to tighten there cornering line, or for drifting, this could be a little annoying. But under those conditions, any ABS is a problem.
Now the debate is; is this part of the EBD system functioning, or are the systems one and the same, with different parameters? I think it's all part of the VSC system.....

 

This argument is kinda of funny, why because most of us don't have the same years of trucks. I've got an 2010 automatic and it's different from the rest of the years.
So still it's confusing to me but the show must go on-meaning i'm not quit n' driving because some mind banging tech.

I like the truck, don't like the fact that the pcm can cut your power down. The traction control works well, but is very annoying.
I get pretty pissed when the traction control holds me down, i just keep it WFO.

One other thing i don't like, it will eat my break pads up faster.
I almost don't need 4x4 in snow, the VSC dose too good of a job.

I need to get a better set of tires, these soccer-mom pain in the ass tires need to go.
I was thinking more on the line of Interco Trxus MT's. But sill researching. Goodyear Duratrac looks ok, but still to new and kinda pricey.

Oh and if you really,really hate your trac control system, you could pull the 50amp fuse. Also it takes out the crappy abs brakes too, I never did like abs brakes and I STILL PUMP my breaks. There are only a few manufactures that make good ABS breaks and GM is not one of them.
Toyota still has time to prove to me they will work.

Oh one other thing, What type of rear differental does the 2010 have?

 

Is it different from 2009?

Open.