4RF RDS wrote:

I have that switch system installed in my 99 110 CSW Td5. I have disabled the TC a few times and was able to spin out of the low traction situation. If you off road enough it can be valuable. I also paid considerably less years ago when they first launched it… (less the switch itself as I was using the older switch style).



Click image to enlarge

Not sure how you have been able to "spin" out of a situation with TCS off. The TCS does not kill the throttle and will let the wheels spin just fine......

Bishbosh wrote:

Hi all,

I am thinking about fitting a switch ( as seen on Pumas) to disable the TC on my TD5 110. I think there are times when off road that it is beneficial to disable.

bankz5152 wrote:

With lockers the TC will fight the locked diff in extreme circumstances lead to a snapped shaft, blown CV.

bankz5152 wrote:

Sand, snow, gravel or if you have lockers

With lockers the TC will fight the locked diff in extreme circumstances lead to a snapped shaft, blown CV.

In sand especially TC is a hindrance as if you loose traction or momentum you get stuck.

Got to remember the Defender TC is very basic and rudimentary nothing like the terrain response systems

I'd probably disagree with all of that tbh....

If you have lockers the TCS shouldn't kick in at all, as there will be no wheel slip. The TCS only works across an axle, so in order to activate would need a large differential speed from the left and right wheels. With lockers this will NEVER happen unless your locker is broken anyhow.

As for sand or snow, the TCS will help make all 4 wheels spin, keeping you straighter and more even wheel speed. Remember the system on a Defender won't be killing the throttle, it isn't a stability control like you get on road cars or on latter LRs with Terrain Response (where you often need to manually turn the stability control off). Meaning the situations you describe should not be happening or even possible.


And while the Defender system is more basic, it is still quite clever. It has different throttle profiles for high and low range built into the system. Which is one of the things that the latter Terrain Response also does. The resolution of the system isn't as good and will need more slip to get it to work and more revs. The Puma is better than the Td5's in this regard, but neither as good as a Disco 3 and will need more wheel slip, but they are highly effective.

The only downsides to the TCS is, if used excessively the system will shut down with the overheat warning for the brakes. But in such a scenario you just end up with regular open diff performance. The system will automatically reactivate. But this would be no reason to want to turn it off fully.

If you use the TCS a lot it can wear the brakes more quickly, but this is true even on latter Terrain Response models.

The last thing isn't really TCS, but is ABS related. That on very slippery surfaces the ABS will prevent you stopping the vehicle, on very wet muddy grass the vehicle can almost continually slide with the ABS clicking away if on a downhill. This is really the main reason you may want to turn ABs off.

But I can't think of a single off road scenario where the vehicle would perform better without the TCS being active.

bankz5152 wrote:

If you have the middle & rear locked or just rear locked the fronts can still spin causing potential issues.

bankz5152 wrote:

All makes sens on paper. However ive had TC come on with the middle and rear locked (D2) applying the brakes and causing loss of momentum, then as soon as im free of the slop brakes release/TC is off and speed is greatly increased without additional throttle input.

bankz5152 wrote:

On many many many occasions on sand with TC on hills have been more difficult and required more throttle input than with just rear/middle locked or just middle locked.

bankz5152 wrote:

Also watch the TDCis struggle up the same sandy hills when non TC Td5s make it without issue.

jst wrote:

Some interesting comments here, shows who really off roads hard rather than muddy field, gravel track stuff.