Is the VCS and Trac Good for Anything

[mountain mike]

Like the title says, are the good for anything?

I put my spare tire on my roof rack, headed to the mountains for a day trip, and was my VSC was beeping going around corners and braking me, which always makes me pucker up. Since I had installed the Andy Mod, I just turned it off. I got to thinking that I really liked the Runner more without the VSC and Traction Control and that I would just pull the bulbs in the dash and leave it off most of the time, but retain the Andy Mod in case I needed to enable it.

Then I got to thinking more about it and was trying to figure out a time when it would be beneficial to have the VSC or Trac. In the snow it sucks, in gravel is sucks, going around corners sucks.

So what are they good for?

 

[SpidermanGeek]

Wives











Seriously though, not EVERYONE is skilled behind the wheel of a vehicle. It is scary to think how many people out there are so oblivious to physics and how they relate to driving a vehicle. Most people barely understand the basic design, mechanics & engineering of the average automobile. To them it's a box with seats and a steering wheel that gets them from here to there.

VSC and Trac and any and all other "Driving Nannies" are there for those people. Cars are designed for the masses, not for the small percentage of drivers who are more in tuned with the technical aspect and skill of driving.

 

[68whiskey]

Wives

This is pretty funny. Mainly because its true.

 

[JayRolla]

Like stated its great for the wife. Helps on the road.

I still find it better deactivated when on the trail. Can stop you dead in your tracks.

 

[SpidermanGeek]

On a side note, part of the reason my wife won't drive my 4Runner is because it's a '97. There is no VSC or Trac. I think I scared her off a bit when I was explaining some of the quirky behaviour she should expect if she drove it (tracking, steering wobble, inadequate brakes, rear wheels breaking loose from the slightest drop of rain on the ground, lol)

Power Steering and ABS are about the only driving nannies that can be found in this thing.

..but funny enough, my mom has no problem driving my T4R, lol (she's borrowed it a few times to move stuff). But she's very much use to driving RWD vehicles that have no driving nannies.

 

[JayRolla]

On a side note, part of the reason my wife won't drive my 4Runner is because it's a '97. There is no VSC or Trac. I think I scared her off a bit when I was explaining some of the quirky behaviour she should expect if she drove it (tracking, steering wobble, inadequate brakes, rear wheels breaking loose from the slightest drop of rain on the ground, lol)

Power Steering and ABS are about the only driving nannies that can be found in this thing.

..but funny enough, my mom has no problem driving my T4R, lol (she's borrowed it a few times to move stuff). But she's very much use to driving RWD vehicles that have no driving nannies.

My wife was scared of mine after the TBU because the ABS can prematurely activate on just a bump in the road. Disabled she has not problem driving it.

 

[Tyler James Inc]

(tracking, steering wobble, inadequate brakes, rear wheels breaking loose from the slightest drop of rain on the ground, lol)

Geez! Sounds sketchy [emoji15]
My buddy's 3rd gen breaks loose like crazy too. Mine is planted great in the rain- unless I WANT to break it loose. I assumed his tires were shot, but they actually still have plenty of life left. I wonder why some break loose so easily.

I assumed TRAC is like the ATRAC on the newer rigs- where it applies brakes to slipping tires in order to help in low traction situations- am I wrong?

 

[mountain mike]

I'm not sure I would want my wife even driving it with the VSC and Trac. She typically only drives it in the snow. And if you have ever tried to pull out of an intersection with it on in the snow it just shuts down all power and you creep into the intersection, which can be very scary if cars are coming.

I think the first generation VSC and Traction control nannies are nothing more than a hazard.

Maybe if you a stocker? I just don't see any benefit of the VSC or Trac for me.
[MENTION=50342]JayRolla[/MENTION] - I think I saw you on Centennial this morning?

 

[JayRolla]

I'm not sure I would want my wife even driving it with the VSC and Trac. She typically only drives it in the snow. And if you have ever tried to pull out of an intersection with it on in the snow it just shuts down all power and you creep into the intersection, which can be very scary if cars are coming.

I think the first generation VSC and Traction control nannies are nothing more than a hazard.

Maybe if you a stocker? I just don't see any benefit of the VSC or Trac for me.

[MENTION=50342]JayRolla[/MENTION] - I think I saw you on Centennial this morning?

Was that you?? WUT UP!!

The wifes VCS and trac is in her 2012. It works pretty good on the road but it can cut you off from power pretty easily.

 

[mountain mike]

Was that you?? WUT UP!!

The wifes VCS and trac is in her 2012. It works pretty good on the road but it can cut you off from power pretty easily.

Yep, that was me in the black 3rd gen with the big ass spare tire on the rack. I live back in Chelsea Glen. Looks like you are probably just across Centennial in Holland Park?

I see you every once in a while but I am typically in my Avalon and let's be honest, no one ever notices a Avalon.

I have/had other vehicles with VSC and TRAC that are later models and they work a lot better. I think this first generation vsc and trac leave a lot to be desired.

 

[calimobber]

Besides preventing you from accelerating on the road when snowy, I don't think it has many down sides on the road.

I love it on the road. Its just a little extra peace of mind when im driving in hazardous conditions. Its crazy easy to slide out in the slow even with good tires.

Just turn it off when you hit the dirt, though Its nice when im driving pretty fast down a slippery dirt road since I don't have to think as much but any time you make turns, forget it, its horrible haha

 

[SpidermanGeek]

Geez! Sounds sketchy [emoji15]
My buddy's 3rd gen breaks loose like crazy too. Mine is planted great in the rain- unless I WANT to break it loose. I assumed his tires were shot, but they actually still have plenty of life left. I wonder why some break loose so easily.

I assumed TRAC is like the ATRAC on the newer rigs- where it applies brakes to slipping tires in order to help in low traction situations- am I wrong?

My tires are 8+ year old Treadwright retreads. The rubber is dry and HARD.

so in 2WD, in fresh dropped rain (when roads are at their "greasiest"), you really gotta feather the throttle on tack-off. Even more so if it's remotely cold ambient temp.

Winter months also sees me push that 4WD button a lot. Only time I'm in 2WD then is if the roads are bone dry.

 

[JayRolla]

Yep, that was me in the black 3rd gen with the big ass spare tire on the rack. I live back in Chelsea Glen. Looks like you are probably just across Centennial in Holland Park?

I see you every once in a while but I am typically in my Avalon and let's be honest, no one ever notices a Avalon.

I have/had other vehicles with VSC and TRAC that are later models and they work a lot better. I think this first generation vsc and trac leave a lot to be desired.

I live on the east side and work over here. Wife really wants to move to your neighborhood when we sell.

 

[ToyotaBrah]

Never thought I was wife material, but I guess this thread has proved I am!

I love the stability system in my '01. Saved my butt this past March on black ice on the highway. The 4Runner would have easily spun out had it not been for it. For someone like me that doesn't off-road, the interference the system has for those types of roads doesn't pertain to me.

That being said, I would have liked if the truck came factory with a trac off mode button like newer cars in the scenario I ever go on a trail.

 

[SpidermanGeek]

Never thought I was wife material, but I guess this thread has proved I am!

I love the stability system in my '01. Saved my butt this past March on black ice on the highway. The 4Runner would have easily spun out had it not been for it. For someone like me that doesn't off-road, the interference the system has for those types of roads doesn't pertain to me.

That being said, I would have liked if the truck came factory with a trac off mode button like newer cars in the scenario I ever go on a trail.

AndyMod 2.0?

 

[Magmotor]

That being said, I would have liked if the truck came factory with a trac off mode button like newer cars .

little confused here: I got my '01 2wd with the Trac on/off button already in it. Hit the switch and the Track OFF lights up in the dash. Hit it again and no lights, guess that means its ON. Thought it was a factory install?? Is this a 2wd thing only or??? :shrug:

 

[ToyotaBrah]

little confused here: I got my '01 2wd with the Trac on/off button already in it. Hit the switch and the Track OFF lights up in the dash. Hit it again and no lights, guess that means its ON. Thought it was a factory install?? Is this a 2wd thing only or??? :shrug:

Not fair! Mine doesn't have it. Has to be a 2WD thing, because I haven't seen any 4WD models have them.

 

[JayRolla]

Not fair! Mine doesn't have it. Has to be a 2WD thing, because I haven't seen any 4WD models have them.

Research andymod. Brother has it on his 4th gen. Deactivates abs, Trac, and vsc.

 

[ToyotaBrah]

Research andymod. Brother has it on his 4th gen. Deactivates abs, Trac, and vsc.

Awesome, thanks!

 

[papapoopski]

VSC is a pain in the ass but I have found some use for atrac in my 2002. Works in low speed when a wheel is spinning, otherwise I don't notice it.