Re: Augered in my 5000s wagon!

[John Greenstreet <jgreenst@motown.ge.com>]

> From quattro-owner@swiss.ans.net Thu Dec  8 22:43:43 1994
> Date:         Thu, 08 Dec 94 22:17:30 EST
> From: Robert Phillips <R3RFP@VM1.CC.UAKRON.EDU>
> Subject:      Re: Augered in my 5000s wagon!
> To: Michael <quattro@swiss.ans.net>
> Reply-To: quattro@swiss.ans.net
> 
> <switch off the ABS when there is snow on the ground???
>  Call me crazy, but isn't that what ABS is for?  Low traction situations are
>  what all of the manufacturers are claiming is THE place that people NEED ABS.
>  Are you telling me that if there is snow on the ground, that poor child that
>  the minivan adds show running into the street will become road pizza?  I may
>  be old-fashioned, but if ABS doesn't work in snow, do we need it?  I know
>  that it can pump the pedal 72 million times faster than me, but I think that
>  a little educated guessing would help in this situation.

What Phil was referring to was the theoretically reduced braking
distance afforded in certain situations by snow building up in front of
the wheels during a stop.  This could be the case in heavy, wet snow,
and that's why Audi provided a switch up until recently.  However with
ABS IV in my 1992 Audi 100CS, I could not find a single situation--even
in wet, heavy snow--where defeating the ABS yielded anything but a
much, much longer braking distance.

Keep in mind that traction is still determined by the tyre-road contact
patch, weight, type of tyre, etc.  Both ABS and quattro are still
subject to the laws of physics.  So don't expect miracles.  Learn
the limits of your vehicle and keep them in mind.


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John Greenstreet, Senior Engineer           (jgreenst@motown.ge.com)
Martin Marietta Government Electronic Systems    Moorestown NJ 08057
WPI Class of '75, Temple Class of '94

My new car history:
  1975    1978    1982       1986        1989      1992      1995
   VW ->  Audi -> Audi  -> Mercedes -> Mercedes -> Audi -> Mercedes
Scirocco Fox GTI  4000S    190E 2.3    190E 2.6    100CS     S320

POSSLQ's* new car history:
         1978       1981       1985      1988        1990     1993
       Triumph ->  Toyota ->  Toyota  ->  VW    ->   Audi  -> Audi
       Spitfire    Tercel     Corolla   Jetta GL      80      90S

*POSSLQ = Person of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters
Note: All Audis and Mercedes above were sold to friends or family.
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