What is the difference between ATRAC and Crawl control?
- Thread starter claytorr
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Antman
Elite Member
That's kind of like comparing a limited slip differential to cruise control...
G8RB8_12SR5
New member
I definitely don't have Crawl Control with my SR5 but it seems like cool technology...at the same time though, it looks like it takes the skill and finesse out of driving but that's just me. I kind of like challenges like that where you have to think of how to negotiate something before you do it instead of letting some computer controlled thing do it for you.
adam2562
New member
eddiebx
New member
Call me old school, but it just feels kind of freaky that the truck is driving itself. I find myself having to fight the urge to hit the brakes just because, lol. Granted I have never driven through anything that actually needed crawl control, I'm sure it could come in handy one day though
6-0 Prolene
New member
Crawl control comes in to its own when going down hill since it will modulate the breaking of each wheel which you cannot do other wise. With that being said I hardly ever use it.
Me too, but man is it fun to use when I do.
LightRanger
New member
Crawl control comes in to its own when going down hill since it will modulate the breaking of each wheel which you cannot do other wise. With that being said I hardly ever use it.
But, correct me if I'm wrong, isn't that what the DAC does...?
Haven't had occasion to use DAC yet, and I have a SR5, so no crawl control.
Intruder
New member
My friends say the same thing about my locker..........until they get an air locker.
Whiplash Willy
New member
I tried using DAC the other day, and all it does is make a horrible ABS noise constantly.... I just put it in 4L and S1, and I could think straight again.
DAC is almost as worthless as Hill Start Assist, where it just makes horrible ABS noises, and you still roll back, just slightly slower. It doesn't even kick in until you have rolled back a couple feet anyways.
DannyLlama
Elite Member
Cool videos - thank you for sharing.
I never knew what crawl control was before.
2 things I have to say
1. That's one brave LC owner, going through that rock garden with absolutely NO body armor... Crazy MOFO
2. How practical is it to use crawl control? I see a few post about it here, but is it as useful as it sounds? I'm not knocking, I just wouldn't see my self using it. Just like the mention of DAC, I can never trust it.
Intruder
New member
It's tough to say. It's good at some things but not at others. If you want to maintain a certain speed through something while only concentrating on steering it's handy. There are other cases where the computer calculates traction better than you can. A couple winters ago I was on ice close to the top of a hill climb and lost traction. It wasn't so steep that I slid back down, but I couldn't go forward at all. Locker didn't help and neither did ATRAC. Sawing my wheels was useless. As a last ditch before my buddy got a strap to pull me up the rest of the way I turned on the crawl control. The wheels spun for a second, then stopped while the computer made adjustments or something, then the wheels turned again and I was moving forward.
In situations where you need to "bump" over an obstacle or you need a lot of finesse crawl control is your enemy. There are also some things that crawl control just can't get you out of. I like it for hill climbs and descents on loose rock when I get tired of left foot braking or feathering the brake in general. I have bad knees so sometimes I just need that break.
I've seen a lot of people (mostly those who've never used crawl control) say a lot of negative stuff about it and people who use it. Meh, whatever. Most guys I know who call me a cheater for using a locker are saving money for a locker themselves. It's a tool and if you have it on your vehicle try it and figure out when it will and won't be useful. I wouldn't buy a vehicle specifically for it, but it's a neat system.
Canazes9
New member
I have never had crawl control on any vehicle to try. I have noticed when making rocky uphill climbs in my Tacoma or SR5 4Runner that a certain amount of momentum is key for making a successful climb (particularly if things are a little wet, either from rain or moisture/mud/clay being carried from the trail). If you stop in a section, often times you are stuck, your only option to back down to where you had better traction and re-climb w/o stopping. The negative to this is you are always worried about beating your truck to pieces by running it too fast - you are trying to make steady, slow progress w/o easing up all while bouncing through the rocks! It can become difficult to properly modulate the throttle/brakes while bouncing through the rocks.
I would think crawl control would be fantastic in that situation.
David
bernardmwrangle
Member
I am a huge believer in crawl control, it is not a gimmick and it really works. I view my vehicle as a tool to get me, my family and my gear from A to B and back again safely and without damage to the vehicle. Any tool that advances that cause should be used! If you want to call crawl control cheating then by that logic guys who first used locking rear diffs, better shocks, etc. would be cheaters too, where do you draw that line? Me and my family have been driving the same 4x4 only road in and out of the Sierras for over 25 years, in a 65 Willys, an '88 Trooper, a '92 Taco, '95 ford ranger, and an '05 xterra. Crawl Control gets me up hills and over obstacles smoothly with no spinning wheels and flying rocks, second runs, or worst of all winching. It rolls over everything I have thrown at it like buttah. Well, butter that is being pounded by a rubber mallet with all the noise, ha! I'll take it, call me a cheater if you want!
Intruder
New member
If you need to carry momentum into the hill climb, crawl control might not be the best choice. In the winter we usually need to have a bit of speed going into steep and icy hill climbs and crawl control just doesn't get you going fast enough. I want to say the top speed setting on it is 5mph.
One other thing I forgot to mention that you need to watch out for with crawl control is that sometimes if the truck stops because it lost traction then crawl control might give a slight surge to get it going again. This can be a very bad thing if you're in a spot that needs precise throttle control. It's good, but definitely not perfect.
Runamok
New member
Crawl control downhill?
I have a 2013 TE and this past weekend went out with a group. It did really well but I tried using crawl control to go down a steep slope which was a bit wet due to recent rain a little earlier. It started off going down fine even if it was a bit scary trusting it however when it got a bit steeper and started to lose traction sliding forward it would like sped up then slow down again and each time it slows too much and would start to slide then it would repeat after about the third time I was really moving and I thought screw this and took control and made it down.
Is crawl control not meant for downhill or did I do something wrong?
I have a 2013 TE and this past weekend went out with a group. It did really well but I tried using crawl control to go down a steep slope which was a bit wet due to recent rain a little earlier. It started off going down fine even if it was a bit scary trusting it however when it got a bit steeper and started to lose traction sliding forward it would like sped up then slow down again and each time it slows too much and would start to slide then it would repeat after about the third time I was really moving and I thought screw this and took control and made it down.
Is crawl control not meant for downhill or did I do something wrong?
bloodninja
New member
You'll want to use DAC for going downhill. Not entirely sure about crawl control as I don't have it. DAC is incredible for going downhill. You just have to trust it. It'll start off feeling crazy fast, but it quickly gets it under control.
