TC & Stabilitrak Track

[KaBoom1701]

Ok, so first off I'm a noob first timer on the track.

I did my first small track autocross a few weeks ago in Pomona and had loads of fun.

So now I'd like to do Fontana Speed Ventures in May.

I'm upgrading brakes to SS Brembo's this week, dot4 fluid, SS mater cly, SS lines, ect.


Here's my question.....I know I only have a V6 and not the V8 with more power like to rest of you here but whats the recommendation for traction control and stabilitrack settings?

As a first timer should I keep these on?

a. Traction control on / Stabilitrack on?
b. Traction control off / Stabilitrack on?
c. Traction control off / Stabilitrack off?


Thx for the help!

[Synner]

You can start with it all on until you feel comfortable. Then remove nannies as your confidence grows. Once you learn the car you will be much faster with everything off but there's no rush to get to that point if you're worried.

Focus on learning from experienced people and have fun. No need to try and set a record first time out, work on fundamentals and learning the car/track.

[TLSTWIN]

Yep, safest thing to do is keep it all on. you are not racing for money or prizes.

All it is takes is a minor hiccup in judgement at speed into ba corner, or jumping on the gas too hard or too soon at the apex or on exit to send u off track.

I have run multiple track days& keep everything ON; & think I am pretty quick & keep up with & pass people with everything off. check out some of my videos. just google my screen name

[jeremywes]

As you progress you can reduce the computer control by pressing the TC/SC button twice, consider this stage one. Then if you hold the button down for 8-10 seconds you can turn it down even lower. I don't think you can fully defeat the TC/SC but it has not been an issue for me. Good Luck.

[SPCBA]

Please leave it on see you there

[Orange Crush 1LE]

If I were a beginner, I would leave it in default mode, full on.

I track in Competitive Mode, which I find unobtrusive and works very well. I have not yet felt the need to completely defeat it, even when tracking very hard and with Hoosiers. If it has intervened, I'm unaware of it. I'm curious if anyone else has found a benefit to defeating it completely.

[SPCBA]

Competitive mode when i have passengers... You pretty much have to try to make it spin. Off without passengers, forces me to slow down which means faster laps.

[TBone]

I drive with it completely off. I find the car handles differently when the computers intervene. To me it feels like the car understeers more and I find my lap times are slower.

Now in the pouring rain I have been known to leave it on at times just to get some laps in but I then know it will understeer more so I factor that in. But even then I usually turn it off.

I know a lot of folks are going to come in here screaming, "OMG how could you be so irresponsible!" Well, I am old school and am used to driving without intervention and started tracking my car without it so I know what to do when something gets out of line. Am I as fast as the computer, admittedly no. Do I still managed to keep it on track? Most of the time. I still have my offs every once in a while and venture into Four Off Landscaping, lol.

At least when I drive it with the 'puters off on the track I know it is me getting a fast lap and not the 'puters. If I wanted a 'puter experience I would have stayed home and bought an xbox. Sidenote: I can't play those damn games to save my life.

T.

[Novie LE]

I leave it in comp mode and only feel it work when I am already past the point of fast. IMO if you are feeling it while in comp mode you are already losing way too much time. Now if you want to hold drifts longer than 2 seconds or want to do drag strip racing, by all means turning it all off. I am actually very impressed with how much rotation and slip comp mode allows . For a beginner leave it all on.

[TBone]

^^ I concur. Those just starting out in this sport should leave it all on.

As you get more comfortable with your car and the track you can experiment, slowly, by starting to leave some of them off and see how the car feels until eventually you are tracking without them in the expert group.

T.

[VR Baron]

Yeah leave it onvas a novice. At Fontana I leave it on or just take off tc. All I notice with all off is you have to pay attention more to the car at the limit as there is less to control traction loss. The down side is the nannies reduce torque to much during traction loss and sometimes right when you dont want it to. Dont know which way is faster as I dont see alot of difference other then "feeling" faster with them off.
By the way, I'll be at fontana on the 3rd, Donnie and Greg maybe to.

[Orange Crush 1LE]

Originally Posted by TBone

I drive with it completely off. I find the car handles differently when the computers intervene. To me it feels like the car understeers more and I find my lap times are slower.

Now in the pouring rain I have been known to leave it on at times just to get some laps in but I then know it will understeer more so I factor that in. But even then I usually turn it off.

I know a lot of folks are going to come in here screaming, "OMG how could you be so irresponsible!" Well, I am old school and am used to driving without intervention and started tracking my car without it so I know what to do when something gets out of line. Am I as fast as the computer, admittedly no. Do I still managed to keep it on track? Most of the time. I still have my offs every once in a while and venture into Four Off Landscaping, lol.

At least when I drive it with the 'puters off on the track I know it is me getting a fast lap and not the 'puters. If I wanted a 'puter experience I would have stayed home and bought an xbox. Sidenote: I can't play those damn games to save my life.

T.

Good perspective T, I'm ready to try it completely off to see how it affects feeling and lap times. I'll try that next time I run a track I know well such as Buttonwillow.

[Norm Peterson]

If driving with the nannies all on is what you're accustomed to, a track that you have become familiar with is arguably the best place to start shutting them down.

I say 'arguably' because if that familiarity has been letting you get away with doing things like adding throttle too abruptly, you might unexpectedly discover that's what you've been teaching yourself once you've snipped a string out of your safety net that you'd been leaning on.

Near as I can tell, the smoother you are with the various controls the less frequently TC or ST will get involved. You can still manage to trip it if your inputs are outside what the system's programming expects to be possible or within the driving of its intended customers. At least that's what I've discovered in my wife's car (the only car we own that has a stability control system).


I know exactly what TBone is getting at with . . .

Well, I am old school and am used to driving without intervention and started tracking my car without it so I know what to do when something gets out of line.

. . . you just sort of know without any conscious thought what you need to be doing, and do it. . . , I'm not even sure that this is something that can be taught. Maybe it's just another one of those things learned over time and experience, with some people being naturally better at it than others.


Norm

[600hp-lpe]

you would want all TC/ AH off. They will slow you down if they kick in.

Mine are disabled permanently... happened as part of the roll cage install/interior rework.