Almost embarassing traction situation '94 Legacy AWD

[porcupine73]

Today was our first real snowfall for the year here. I was leaving the gas station on a side street, as there is a light to turn left. While filling, I could see and hear some cars having trouble making it up the slight hill to the light. Some people were backing up and coming back into the parking lot because they couldn't make it up.

 

I figured no problem at all. So I got out there, there were a couple SUV's in front of me, and even they had a little trouble getting out. Unfortunately for me I was stopped on the steepest part of the incline.

 

So the light turns green, I hit the gas and shoot....it felt like I was in neutral. '94 Legacy 2.2L. I am guessing there was ice from all the cars driving on it under about 5 inches of snow, no salt or anything.

 

The AWD works fine in this soob (does transfer power to the rear no problem, transfer clutch is not tired). She was spinning the tires. So I wanted to back up a touch to give it a better run, and of course the guy behind me has to be like 1/4 inch off my bumper.

 

So I just punched it. She was bouncing off the rev limiter and slllowowwwllyyy and I do mean sllooowwwlllly started moving forward. I finally made it about a foot forward until the incline eased off and then she took off. I thought...oh man...how embarrasing is this going to be if a Subaru has to back down from this slight incline!!!

 

She has Dunlop Graspic snow tires on with good tread.

[Fairtax4me]

I've found on that type of surface it's better just easing into the throttle and letting it slowly creep forward. Not spinning right off the line is the best, but sometimes it's unavoidable.

Either way, put some weight in the trunk, it helps. Even when the rear wheels are spinning, if there's no weight on them you don't get traction.

[mattocs]

Manual or AT? Try taking off in 2nd gear.

[bheinen74]

on the auto's pressing the manual button ON, forces the car to start in 2nd gear from stop, when in 3rd. will not spin the wheels as much.

Edited January 14, 2012 by bheinen74

[jarl]

I have seen several mentions of it, but I had been reluctant to ask. But since everybody would be flaming Porcupine ( ) I guess I can ask here:what's this "manual" button?

[bheinen74]

http://www.surrealmirage.com/subaru/trans.html#manualbutton

[coolskaterkid]

I use my manual button in third quite often it does seem to help from spinning the tires on very icy areas. When you car was spinning could you feel the rear spinning sometimes it takes mine a second of spinning the front before i can feel the rear start pulling.

[rverdoold]

Ice is where spikes are the 2nd only thing that work. 1st one is not going at all!

This reminds me of a video on internet: A person slowly rear-ended a car at the traffic light because of ice. She had put the car in reverse and drove few feet backwards. But then she left the car in gear with engine running and stepped out of the car. Funny you could see the wheels spin for seconds until they got finally grip and of went the car

let me look it up.

[lefty2053]

http://www.surrealmirage.com/subaru/trans.html#manualbutton

What year cars have the Manual button? Don't see anything on my 1997.

 

Just went to the top of that link and I guess it is for the 90-94 models huh?

[porcupine73]

Auto trans. Thanks for the tips! If I would have had more time, I would have probably tried some of these out. There was a dozen people behind me, and this traffic light for the side street turns green for about 15 seconds every 5 minutes so I wanted to get her moving as quickly as possible. So once I noticed at least she was creeping forward slowly under heavy throttle I just kept it there.

 

I had the manual button on, but I was in 1, then I shifted to 2. I actually couldn't tell for sure which tire(s) were spinning. There was so little traction I actually had to check because I thought I was in neutral at first.

 

This felt like one of those cases where if you started from the bottom moving even slowly it would have been fine. Just being completely stopped on the incline and probably sank in a little bit while sitting waiting for the light.

 

I didn't think until later about trying the 'driving through the brakes' trick.

 

I will say in this case, I think traction control in addition probably gives a big benefit. The two SUV's in front of me I could see them slowllyyy start moving too, but you could see on the rear tires how it was controlling the power at each wheel when there was the slightest bit of slippage.

[MilesFox]

The old lady has figured it out for the automatic in snow driving as a delivery driver. The other drivers are surprised to lern you can shift an AT manually.

 

Take off in 2, leave it in 3(out of D) so that the torque converter remains locked, and the engine compression can help slow you down, and match the engine speed to the wheels' speed.

 

The best thing you can do to be safe while witer driving is NEVER BRAKE WHILE TURNiNG!!! and.. IF YOU CANNOT STOP, STEER AROUND (this is the difference between rearending another car or bumping up onto the curb.

 

If you are sliding into a curb, try to run over it head on, instead of sliding sideways into it and bending trailing arms.

 

Car isnt going where you want it to? GET OFF THE BRAKE

[bheinen74]

yeah 90-94 models have the manual button,..

 

 

you should go find similar hill of ice, put it in 3 and press manual on. Car will start off in 2nd gear and you will be doing better than most cars on the road, just as good s those who were ahead of you.