Getting used to the electronics

Today was a big weather day here in AZ. Lots of rain and snow depending on where you are. So, like any normal Raptor owner, I load up the boys and some guns we head north to see if we can pop a rabbit or two and get the truck dirty!

So we drive up to Congress and get on a normally decent dirt road right on the snow line at the base of the mountain. I put the Raptor in ORM, 4x4 High and lock the dif. Today the road is pretty bad, lots of water, mud, and washboard but it's wide and has good visibility (I can see a good ways in front of me) so I start opening it up a bit. The truck is awesome. Almost too awesome! I need to trust it more, I guess. The Stability Control worked so well that every time I expected the truck to slide or get a little crossed up, nothing really happened! In fact, when I followed my instincts and put in preemptive steering corrections or trail breaking I really end up over-correcting because it never really slides, pushes or over steers like I think it's going to! It reminds me of getting used to ant-lock breaks for the first time. Eventually you learn to trust the computer and keep your foot on the break when your brain is telling you need to modulate it manually.

Anyone else out there have the same experience?

The stability control is very good but I like to play with a little more "do it yourself" control, so I disengage the trac control just before locking the ELD in the order you mentioned. Try it, I think you will agree.

FSM

I turn it all off. If I can figure out how to turn off the traction control and ABS perm, I would be a happy camper.

you guys look like "the hills have eyes" people with them guns.. glad i didnt cross your tracks.

yomudderputter said:

you guys look like "the hills have eyes" people with them guns.. glad i didnt cross your tracks.

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They were cold and wet, but I refused to unlock the doors until I got a picture. Good times, good times. It is good to be the Dad!

AZ SVT said:

Today was a big weather day here in AZ. Lots of rain and snow depending on where you are. So, like any normal Raptor owner, I load up the boys and some guns we head north to see if we can pop a rabbit or two and get the truck dirty!

So we drive up to Congress and get on a normally decent dirt road right on the snow line at the base of the mountain. I put the Raptor in ORM, 4x4 High and lock the dif. Today the road is pretty bad, lots of water, mud, and washboard but it's wide and has good visibility (I can see a good ways in front of me) so I start opening it up a bit. The truck is awesome. Almost too awesome! I need to trust it more, I guess. The Stability Control worked so well that every time I expected the truck to slide or get a little crossed up, nothing really happened! In fact, when I followed my instincts and put in preemptive steering corrections or trail breaking I really end up over-correcting because it never really slides, pushes or over steers like I think it's going to! It reminds me of getting used to ant-lock breaks for the first time. Eventually you learn to trust the computer and keep your foot on the break when your brain is telling you need to modulate it manually.

Anyone else out there have the same experience?

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Nice descriptive write up!

I've probably got less than 100 hours off road in this truck, but as you've maybe seen from my other posts - I don't trust the computer yet. It has done things with the ABS that I don't approve of, nor did it help correct situations I was in. Yes, I need to spend more time learning how the electronics try to 'correct' the driving condition - but I too would prefer to have it all shut down and just drive the truck the way they were built 30 years ago.

FSM06 said:

The stability control is very good but I like to play with a little more "do it yourself" control, so I disengage the trac control just before locking the ELD in the order you mentioned. Try it, I think you will agree.

FSM

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Thanks, I'm going to keep experimenting with the different setting and speed / road / terrain conditions. I'm old, but I don't automatically hate things I don't fully understand. For me, it's all about predictability. If I can learn what to expect my comfort level with the computer-assist will improve. My goal is to keep it between the ditches unless that's where I want to go! You are 100% right that there are some maneuvers the ECU will never let you do and turning it off is the only option. That being said, there are some (very bad) things the ECU may keep from happening. The difference between being lucky and good can be very small. Back when I was pushing military Hummers to the limit I saw people flip trucks doing the same maneuver we had gotten away with several times before. If ECU prevents me from getting it dirty-side up one time, I'll take it! However, if I can't get a feel for what it's about to to do.....

you know you can disengage all that by holding the trac button down in ORM until the indicator blinks right

BIRDMAN said:

you know you can disengage all that by holding the trac button down in ORM until the indicator blinks right

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Yep, I watched the videos about a hundred times while I was waiting for the truck to get delivered!

BIRDMAN said:

you know you can disengage all that by holding the trac button down in ORM until the indicator blinks right

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AZ SVT said:

Yep, I watched the videos about a hundred times while I was waiting for the truck to get delivered!

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Just as long as you know that the 'disengage' will reset if you change gears in the transfer case... And other surprise times...