Proper way to get the AWD to hook-up

[CNY_Dave]

Not sure if the LL bean OBW has the fancy VDO control or not...

 

 

Anyway, been testing the wagon on the wet grass in the yard (maxed out the departure angle on the front today on an uphill), there's a 45-degree or so steep spot I hit this morning.

 

Crept up it very slow, it spun, I backed off and slowly applied a bit more pedal, it spun again, backed off again and applied gas again, and it crept right up.

 

Is this the best way to conquer the slippery stuff?

 

 

Thx-

 

Dave

[nipper]

1st what year is it? Secondly go to www.cars101.com and see what you have.

 

Wet grass is as bad as ice, if not worse. Its not all that fair a test. Add an incline and you may as well walk.

 

Use Drive 2, this will reduce the wheels from spinning. If you have one wheel wheel spinning per axle, (and you dont have all the fancy gizmos) lightly applying the brake pedal will transfer power ot the non slipping wheels.

 

Of course you can always keep of the lawn too

 

nipper

[CNY_Dave]

1st what year is it? Secondly go to www.cars101.com and see what you have.

 

Wet grass is as bad as ice, if not worse. Its not all that fair a test. Add an incline and you may as well walk.

 

Use Drive 2, this will reduce the wheels from spinning. If you have one wheel wheel spinning per axle, (and you dont have all the fancy gizmos) lightly applying the brake pedal will transfer power ot the non slipping wheels.

 

Of course you can always keep of the lawn too

 

nipper

 

2003 OBW LLBean H6 3.0

 

When it did hook up, it walked up quite nicely- was most impressive. It was from a standing start on the steepest part of the slope.

 

Dave

[backwoodsboy]

Even with newer, later model AWD .....you can still be SOL on wet grass.

 

I got my new baja stuck on wet grass (with SLIGHT incline) the first week after I got it. I felt pretty stupid as I was getting pulled off with the tractor.

 

Good tires are your best friend.... but I somehow always had better luck slow approaches myself.

[CNY_Dave]

Even with newer, later model AWD .....you can still be SOL on wet grass.

 

I got my new baja stuck on wet grass (with SLIGHT incline) the first week after I got it. I felt pretty stupid as I was getting pulled off with the tractor.

 

Good tires are your best friend.... but I somehow always had better luck slow approaches myself.

 

These tires are fairly smooth, no edge bite left on 'em.

 

Because this hill is very abrupt, slow is the only choice- the front scraped a little approaching it.

 

I'm not sure my pickup in 4W low would be able to walk up that hill when wet.

 

According to the cars101 site, no extra traction goodies on the LL bean (I could swear I hear brakes being applied though. Maybe that's the front-rear clutch pack, or the limited slip). It does say the beaner has 0.6 inches more ground clearance, though. Woo-Hoo! (7.9, reg. OBW has 7.3, if the page is correct)

 

Dave

[wtdash]

The VDC (vs. VDO) had/has a badge on the front fenders.

 

Yours does have an LSD according this site: http://wac.addr.com/auto/obs/lsd/lsd.html

 

I have a rear VLSD on my '90, but I've not played w/it yet to see if makes noises when it kicks in (hopefully, it doesn't also 'Kick Out' the rear-end mid-corner!)

[johnceggleston]

i don't know about your '03 beaner, but in 96 - 99 outbacks / legacys if you put it in D1 or D2 it would engage the AWD immediately. basically the computer would call for AWD. in D3 or D the computer would wait to detect a speed difference befroe sending more power to the rear.

 

is your AWD computer controlled? i bet the lsd is nice.

[CNY_Dave]

i don't know about your '03 beaner, but in 96 - 99 outbacks / legacys if you put it in D1 or D2 it would engage the AWD immediately. basically the computer would call for AWD. in D3 or D the computer would wait to detect a speed difference befroe sending more power to the rear.

 

is your AWD computer controlled? i bet the lsd is nice.

 

I'll have to try that.

 

haven't 'tested' the limited slip yet- but winter's coming!

 

 

Dave

[nipper]

i don't know about your '03 beaner, but in 96 - 99 outbacks / legacys if you put it in D1 or D2 it would engage the AWD immediately. basically the computer would call for AWD. in D3 or D the computer would wait to detect a speed difference befroe sending more power to the rear.

 

is your AWD computer controlled? i bet the lsd is nice.

 

D1 and reverse are full 50/50 split. Thats more for engine braking (I am guessing). Would be nice if it was D2 too, but acording to endwrench its not.

 

nipper

[johnceggleston]

D1 and reverse are full 50/50 split. Thats more for engine braking (I am guessing). Would be nice if it was D2 too, but acording to endwrench its not.

 

nipper

nipper,

if the '03 llbean outback has a limited slip rear end, or was it the front one, and since it's a 4.44 ratio, the only thing keeping us from putting one in our outbacks is will it fit, bolt patern and length. i wonder.....

 

so many IFs. i'd like to see a picture of one.

[nipper]

nipper,

if the '03 llbean outback has a limited slip rear end, or was it the front one, and since it's a 4.44 ratio, the only thing keeping us from putting one in our outbacks is will it fit, bolt patern and length. i wonder.....

 

so many IFs. i'd like to see a picture of one.

 

It's rear, and they are hard to find. There are front limited slips, but they are torsen units. Now with variable traction control dohickeys, even the torsen diff is living on borrowed time (as it is super expensive to make).

 

It should bolt right up. Sooby doesnt change the bones of the car too much.

 

nipper

[CNY_Dave]

nipper,

if the '03 llbean outback has a limited slip rear end, or was it the front one, and since it's a 4.44 ratio, the only thing keeping us from putting one in our outbacks is will it fit, bolt patern and length. i wonder.....

 

so many IFs. i'd like to see a picture of one.

 

According to

http://www.cars101.com/subaru/outback/outback2003.html

all the 4cyl 2003 OBws, and the 6cyl LL bean, had the lim slip rear.

 

 

Dave