Does the Powershift make winter weather driving miserable? *observations and theory*

[aggoodin]

Originally Posted by FORDSVTPARTS

How exactly do you expect the car to alter the physical limitations of a given tires ability to grip on ice or in snow?


-Steve

The transmission is exasperating the physical limitations of the tires. Its finding that traction limit sooner by doing a better job of transferring HP and TQ to the ground.

[Iceracer]

And that is controlled by one thing.














The right foot.

[macus]

Not to add fuel to the fire, but I recently read in an article about the new Scion FR-S that the auto-trans versions will have a Sport/Snow setting button. The snow setting will start the transmission in 2nd gear...

Too bad the PS trans doesn't have a fully manual mode option; that would accomplish the same thing and make the car more fun to drive too (especially with paddle shifters).

[Captainmorbid]

Agreed about the manual shift gate for the DCT, it would be funner...

[aggoodin]

Originally Posted by Iceracer

And that is controlled by one thing.














The right foot.

The right foot is a factor not the cause.

It goes clutch engagement>tires>traction control as far as transferring power to the ground.

I can't argue anything before the clutch because thats the source for turning the drivetrain.

I can't argue traction control because its reacts to the tires.

Tires sit right in the middle and affect everything and do the best job of hiding the clutch engagement by limiting how quickly the traction control starts to react.

[iamz]

The thing is, from a complete standstill, if I let off the brake, the car will creep forward at an incredibly slow crawl. That makes me think it may have some type of limited slip engagement of the clutches available at times. I don't think it is an on/off engagement like you suppose.

[Iceracer]

True. Applied torque, regardless of gear, is controlled by the driver.

Most automatics that have a "snow" position have a torque convertor and planetarty gears. This may have something to do with it.

All I can say, this is my second winter with my SE with PS in Upstate NY.
No problems at all.


This thread is becoming like the one on Traction control.
What if's, maybe's with no solution to a problem that doesn't really exist.