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[TheBoy]

Doing a 360 in a transit is impressive!!

Nearly did a 360 in dry in it one day, but got it wedged between 2 banks down a single track road - front bumper on one bank, rear step on bank other side of road, wheels nearly off ground.  Had to dig the banks to get the bloody thing free  

[Andy B]

......
Doesn't yours give any wheelspin from standing start?

In the dry - no
In the wet - sometimes. It depends how much diesel the HGVs have deposited at the junction.  

[TheBoy]

......
Doesn't yours give any wheelspin from standing start?

In the dry - no
In the wet - sometimes. It depends how much diesel the HGVs have deposited at the junction.  

I wouldn't have thought the TC would have made much difference to how slippery the roads were - I would have thought it would allow same amount of wheelspin, whatever the surface?

[Jay]

Just a question but why would you want to?

To have fun in it  

[Sir_Mixalot]

I wouldn't have thought the TC would have made much difference to how slippery the roads were - I would have thought it would allow same amount of wheelspin, whatever the surface?

I think the TC works by cutting the power, so when the wheels start to spin the TC just stops the injectors/plugs for a couple of cycles.

In the dry if the wheel starts to spin the TC detects it after about 2 revolutions, chops down the power and it stops spinning almost straight away.  In the wet the wheel has less friction from the road so its momentum lets it spin a few more times after the power is cut.

[Martin_1962]

Just a question but why would you want to?
My tc lights been flashing a lot on these icy greasy slippery roads or am i just not brave enough yet?

Whimp!

Seriously, powerful RWD vehicles can face the wrong way very easily in slippery conditions, so not recommended to drive with it off...

Had a few in the past - at low speeds

[Markjay]

Just a question but why would you want to?
My tc lights been flashing a lot on these icy greasy slippery roads or am i just not brave enough yet?

Whimp!

Seriously, powerful RWD vehicles can face the wrong way very easily in slippery conditions, so not recommended to drive with it off...

Had a few in the past - at low speeds

Did that in a RWD Alfa Romeo many years ago. It was wet, and I was trying to negotiate a bend too fast... ended-up with my boot in a bus stop.
Funny thing is that when the rear moved-out, I over-corrected and span 180 degrees inwards, not outwards - it is amazing to think that the car was actually very controllable - I evident from the fact that I steered it into the opposite direction of it's natural travel - but I was simply not good enough a driver to master it.

[TheBoy]

I wouldn't have thought the TC would have made much difference to how slippery the roads were - I would have thought it would allow same amount of wheelspin, whatever the surface?

I think the TC works by cutting the power, so when the wheels start to spin the TC just stops the injectors/plugs for a couple of cycles.

In the dry if the wheel starts to spin the TC detects it after about 2 revolutions, chops down the power and it stops spinning almost straight away.  In the wet the wheel has less friction from the road so its momentum lets it spin a few more times after the power is cut.

Ones with the improved ABS (mini facelift onwards) it also tries to apply brake to spinning wheel....

[Sir_Mixalot]

i had heard something like that but didn't realise it was mini-facelift and onwards.

can this traction control do anything if the car slides round a corner and the power is not on? i.e. say i take a sharp corner in the snow, the car looses it and i have no feet on the pedals, will the TC brake any wheels or do anything to help me? or if i used the brake would it bias the brake power differently to help control the skid?

[TheBoy]

i had heard something like that but didn't realise it was mini-facelift and onwards.

can this traction control do anything if the car slides round a corner and the power is not on? i.e. say i take a sharp corner in the snow, the car looses it and i have no feet on the pedals, will the TC brake any wheels or do anything to help me? or if i used the brake would it bias the brake power differently to help control the skid?

AFAIK, Omega does not have a stability control function, only TC and ABS...

[Paul M]

Definitely doesn't have stability control, I've had it hugely sideways with the TCS on! By comparison, I can deliberately provoke my BMW and it will initially kick out then just straighten itself back up. Unless of course the DSC button has been pressed  

I do find TCS to be more of a hindrance than anything else, it's too "dumb" in its implementation to be worthwhile.

[Markjay]

From Opel 2003 publication:

----------------------------------------------------------

• The DSA (Dynamic SAfety) chassis
provides excellent road-holding using
specially chosen elastokinematics to
ensure automatic stabilization of the
DSA front suspension during crucial
driving maneuvers.

• ESP (Electronic Stability Program) uses a
number of sensors to detect critical
driving situations and helps the driver by
applying the brakes individually as
appropriate or altering the engine
settings. ESP goes a step beyond the
already high standards offered by the
DSA suspension layout, particularly on
wet roads, snow and ice. The latestgeneration
ESP (ESPPlus) is managed in
an integrated way as part of the IDSPlus
chassis (Interactive Driving System) which
is available for the first time in the new
Opel Astra.

• The four channel ABS (Anti-lock Braking
System) with variable braking force
distribution, contributes to safer road
behavior and more agile handling. It
shortens the stopping distance on
slippery road surfaces while retaining
steering control.

• Opel’s TCPlus Traction Control system
operates via the brakes and engine
power output, whereas conventional
systems control via the engine only.
TCPlus also controls spinning wheels to
improve traction, for example when
accelerating on surfaces with different
levels of grip on the left and right side of
the road. The electronic traction control
prevents the driven wheels from spinning
making it easier to control on icy
gradients.

----------------------------------------------------------

According to the 2001 Sales Brochure, the facelift Omegas has DSA (short for Dynamic SAfety suspension - but what on earth is it anyway?), ABS, and TC Plus, but there is no mention of ESP for the Omega...

[jonathanh]

The description of DSA seems to translate into 'specially chosen' suspension bushes and other bits that are made to a price rather than a quality and are know to fail regularly resulting in regular trips to the stealer to donate some more hard earned money to them.    In otherwords marketing blurb that means nothing.....

[Andy B]

.......

I do find TCS to be more of a hindrance than anything else, it's too "dumb" in its implementation to be worthwhile.

Exactly! .... it's to ON or OFF with nothing in the middle.

[TheBoy]

From Opel 2003 publication:

----------------------------------------------------------

• The DSA (Dynamic SAfety) chassis
provides excellent road-holding using
specially chosen elastokinematics to
ensure automatic stabilization of the
DSA front suspension during crucial
driving maneuvers.

• ESP (Electronic Stability Program) uses a
number of sensors to detect critical
driving situations and helps the driver by
applying the brakes individually as
appropriate or altering the engine
settings. ESP goes a step beyond the
already high standards offered by the
DSA suspension layout, particularly on
wet roads, snow and ice. The latestgeneration
ESP (ESPPlus) is managed in
an integrated way as part of the IDSPlus
chassis (Interactive Driving System) which
is available for the first time in the new
Opel Astra.

• The four channel ABS (Anti-lock Braking
System) with variable braking force
distribution, contributes to safer road
behavior and more agile handling. It
shortens the stopping distance on
slippery road surfaces while retaining
steering control.

• Opel’s TCPlus Traction Control system
operates via the brakes and engine
power output, whereas conventional
systems control via the engine only.
TCPlus also controls spinning wheels to
improve traction, for example when
accelerating on surfaces with different
levels of grip on the left and right side of
the road. The electronic traction control
prevents the driven wheels from spinning
making it easier to control on icy
gradients.

----------------------------------------------------------

According to the 2001 Sales Brochure, the facelift Omegas has DSA (short for Dynamic SAfety suspension - but what on earth is it anyway?), ABS, and TC Plus, but there is no mention of ESP for the Omega...

DSA is simply good chassis design, and is the most critical safety measure. Others are electronic helpers.  I'm sure we've all driven ESP equiped Focus cars - they have had to fit ESP on the more powerful ones as chassis dynamics are below par. Mercs from around 5yrs ago had similar issues...