Winter Driving [Archive] - The Paceline Forum

Kevin

03-01-2005, 07:10 PM

This is completely off topic, but this is a video clip of someone driving a 2005 Audi A6 4.2 up a snow covered olympic ski jump. Can anyone guess what car I am expecting to take delivery of at the end of the month? I really have to get off the internet.

http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cyprus/audi-quattro.wmv

Kevin

IFRider

03-01-2005, 07:25 PM

Just drove my 2000 A6 2.7t up through 5 inches of snow. My driveway is steep enough that I reach 20 mph on the bike just coasting from the garage. Driving up with snows and it feels no different that dry pavement.

Enjoy the new ride....

BarryG

03-01-2005, 07:42 PM

Impressive. What kind of shoes you got on that ow-dee?

DfCas

03-01-2005, 07:45 PM

IFRider

03-01-2005, 08:00 PM

Impressive. What kind of shoes you got on that ow-dee?

They rock...

Most impressive car in snow though was my wife's first car I convinced her to buy when we were datingback in 1986. 1979 Rabbit with 1.6 liter and auto tranny. We put a pair of Pirelli snows on the front only. That thing was an animal there was no wieght to it and it was all on the front wheels. No power either meant no over powering the traction. It was like being on a rope tow. Long and slow going up hills.

M_A_Martin

03-01-2005, 08:25 PM

An H2 is just a Tahoe playing dressup.

I don't think women notice that they look like bus drivers in those things. Especially the yellow H2s. (Detroit was lousy with H2s until the gas prices went up.)

cookieguy

03-01-2005, 08:32 PM

I kept my college car (an '87 Chevy Nova/rebadged corolla) until last year specifically for winter driving. Front whell drive, no power, Bridgestone Blizzacks and life is good. When it snows I just wait until the traffic clears and just drive home slow and steady.

vandeda

03-01-2005, 09:16 PM

Oh boy .... when it snows like this, I REALLY REALLY miss the '00 Miata I had. Threw some Blizzaks on the car, and had more fun than I should have had on 4 wheels. Now my buddy with his '88 BMW 325 makes sure to remind me that he's still got his RWD fun while I'm stuck with my front digger everytime it snows :( Man I wish I had my Miata to do some doughnuts, sliding the tail out every corner, drifting .... so much fun .... so much fun.

And even then ... when the weather warmed up and the roads dried off, the r-compound Yoko A032Rs that I ran as "normal" street tires (can we say 10k mile life before they were bald?!?) was a hoot. My buddy w/the said BMW & one other friend were the only 2 people who ever enjoyed riding in the car. I don't believe in speeding, almost never do 5 over the speed limit. When I had the Miata w/race tires, I also never believed in slowing down for corners either :D

Now ... got the front digger ('98 Grand Prix) ... it doesn't even have a hand brake ... no hand brake ... it's a foot brake .... :rolleyes: No RWD, no manual transmission ... I'm dying here (well .... not really :D )
Dan

don compton

03-01-2005, 09:45 PM

dear riders and drivers,
i currently own my second audi, an s4 with an 6-speed auto. its the most incredible car i have ever owned or driven. i have owned numerous sport cars
including 911's that i used to autocross. i live in california and the level of inclement weather is not that big of a deal. i was building in reno,nev. in early 90's and bought a subaru and that was a great foul weather car, but the audi is on a totaly diferent level. similar traction, but with high performance added. in the rain, the car feels like you are dry pavement.
nothing like having your serotta or if crown jewel in the trunk on the way to a great ride in amador or calaveras cos. only in america.
sincerely, don compton :beer:

Orin

03-01-2005, 11:55 PM

I live at the top of a steep hill and it is quite entertaining to see the big pickups and SUV's trying to go down it.Thursday evening we had a squall and within 5 minutes the hill was ice.Cars were inching down and ABS sounds were rampant.Along comes an H2 Hummer that slides and almost goes in the ditch.This was a pimped out Hummer with brushguards,light bar,sun visors,aftermarket wheels and low profile tires.

It sat there for 15 minutes while girls in Saturns,Neons,grandmas in Buicks and all kinds of garden variety vehicles simply go aroung it and down the hill.It tried to back up but couldn't move.Finally, a salt truck came alomg it got the nerve to go down.

I wish I had taken some pics.

dan

Typical. It's always an SUV that's in the ditch on the local freeway when it snows here. Four wheel drive doesn't stop any better and usually only gets you going faster such that you do more damage when you find you can't stop...

If you're ever in Steamboat Springs in the winter, check out the ice driving school there. Our local Audi club went there a few years back, took the class and rented the track for a day. Ford Explorers with ABS do actually stop quite well on snow and ice... when equiped with proper snow tires :)

Orin.

Too Tall

03-02-2005, 05:59 AM

That is a great video. It is a Haldex system yes? Same as our Volvo V70XC which also is amazing in snow. My ultimate snow car was the 1981 4x4 Chevy Pick up that I "Wyoming-ized" with tall skinny tires, 4" of lift and heavy chains all around.

Yeah, cowboy hat holder of course....did you have to ask?

christian

03-02-2005, 07:19 AM

Haldex diffs are only used on the Audi A3/S3 and TT models.

- Christian
and, because it's reasonably on-topic in this thread:
http://www.christianedstrom.com

Tom

03-02-2005, 07:39 AM

One night in a heavy snow going up the 12% outside Ludlow I pass one of them Audis as it slows, slows slows and finally comes to a stop. Now they don't know what they're gonna do. I smile as I putt by with three cylinders working and the fourth choking on engine oil. What a great car. I finally had to get rid of it when it rusted out to where I was concerned the struts would tear themselves out of their mounts.

Carpe Diem

03-02-2005, 10:16 AM

Hi Kevin,
I live in Germany and saw that spot as well last week on TV, in fact it was a small documentary about how they were trying to recreate the initial advert, shot in ca.1985 with the old Audi 100 quattro. The ski jump is in Finland, 80% steep and apparently nobody believed they actually did it back then, hence the new version to prove everybody wrong. I used to drive an original Ur-Quattro coupe, which was awesome in the rain,snow, ice, you name it, only bettered by my much more recent Subaru Imprezza WRX.
You�ll love your new ride.

alembical

03-02-2005, 01:01 PM

Christian,
It that link to you and your driving? - one can only assume. Damn impressive.

Alembical

dirtdigger88

03-02-2005, 02:35 PM

I dont know what you guys are talking about- there is only one kind of vehicle to be in when it is snowing

Jason

zap

03-02-2005, 03:03 PM

TooTall-Audi's (A4 & up) use Torsen diffs. It's a mechanical worm gear design compared to the computer controlled clutch system used by Haldex.

Both designs work well to get you going.

vandeda

03-02-2005, 04:57 PM

TooTall-Audi's (A4 & up) use Torsen diffs. It's a mechanical worm gear design compared to the computer controlled clutch system used by Haldex.

Both designs work well to get you going.

My Miata had a torsen diff ... the problem with them is ... say one tire is on pavement, the other on ice. The result will be the tire on ice spinning wildly like an open diff. You need resistance between the tires in order for the torsen to transfer torque. The solution to that ice/pavement problem, though (and yes I tried this a few times), was to apply the e-brake to "artifically" provide resistance. The torsen is oh-so-nice for handling applications though ... ummmm ....

Dan

Orin

03-02-2005, 05:01 PM

My Miata had a torsen diff ... the problem with them is ... say one tire is on pavement, the other on ice. The result will be the tire on ice spinning wildly like an open diff. You need resistance between the tires in order for the torsen to transfer torque. The solution to that ice/pavement problem, though (and yes I tried this a few times), was to apply the e-brake to "artifically" provide resistance. The torsen is oh-so-nice for handling applications though ... ummmm ....

Dan

Audi uses the ABS hardware to brake the spinning wheel for the same effect.

Orin.

zap

03-02-2005, 05:38 PM

Audi uses the ABS hardware to brake the spinning wheel for the same effect.

Correct. Traction control.

But this still creates a problem in certain situations where a torsen (as Audi has it designed) equiped car will not be able to move forward.

christian

03-02-2005, 05:45 PM

The solution to that ice/pavement problem, though (and yes I tried this a few times), was to apply the e-brake to "artifically" provide resistance. The torsen is oh-so-nice for handling applications though

You can induce the same effect by left foot braking, which is a little easier to modulate than a handbrake.

Also, a torsen rear diff is ok for performance in the dry, but for an all wheel drive application on loose surfaces, a modern electronically controlled centre differential like the Haldex unit is vastly superior to a Torsen center diff.

AFAIK, the best bike differentials were built by George Longstaff. RIP.

- Christian

christian

03-02-2005, 07:51 PM

It that link to you and your driving?

Yes. We've got a race in Hillsboro the weekend of April 22-23-24. Let me know if you're interested in coming and having a look.

My wife and I will be out there for at least a week, too, as she's getting fitted for a custom Vanilla roadbike. She's bringing her bike, and I'm probably bringing my Pegoretti too, unless I can borrow a 58 from someone.

Perhaps we should schedule a Serotta Forum ride sometime during the week or the prior weekend?

- Christian

gasman

03-02-2005, 08:21 PM

Yes. We've got a race in Hillsboro the weekend of April 22-23-24. Let me know if you're interested in coming and having a look.

My wife and I will be out there for at least a week, too, as she's getting fitted for a custom Vanilla roadbike. She's bringing her bike, and I'm probably bringing my Pegoretti too, unless I can borrow a 58 from someone.

Perhaps we should schedule a Serotta Forum ride sometime during the week or the prior weekend?

- Christian

I know I would be interested in watching you race and getting together for a ride. I ride a 58 or 59 and have a bike you could use, but it isn't a Serotta. It would be fun to meet some people and ride.
BTW- Those photos look like you were in a Subaru WRX- not the off the shelf version I'm sure.

christian

03-03-2005, 08:58 AM

Sounds great!

The team is publishing the itinerary and booking tickets on March 9, so I'll see what the schedule will be then, and then post a follow-up thread in the rides forum. I know we are testing the cars Weds-Thurs, and the race is Fri-Sat-Sun, but my wife and I may get there the Friday prior even, to go to Sacha's shop and all that. And we could definitely get in a mid-week ride, too.

Gasman, I'll also PM you with the details for the race and where we'll be.

- Christian

alembical

03-03-2005, 10:35 AM

Christian,
I am also up for checking out some of the cars and the race. I missed the race around here last year when the 2 died, and after I found out about the deaths, I was glad that I missed it. With me, I probably would have witnessed the accident.

I also have a 58cm bike you can ride. Let me know if it is needed after the time gets closer. It is much easier just to worry about pedals, shoes, helmets, saddle, and the like, but in all honesty, I have a couple different pedal options, 4 or 5 seats, a couple of helmets (if you are an xl head). If you decide to bring the peg, you can also have it shipped to me. It is up to you, but I have 2 bikes that size, so you are more than welcome to one. I can't ride both at once.

I am definitely up for a ride as I am sure Shinomaster is, so long as I am in town, but either way, I have a bike you can borrow. We can work out the details later.

Let me know the details of your race, I have been really wanting to check one of those out for awhile. You should just be lucky that I can't get my heavy underpowered 4 cylinder outback wagon out there, I would show you a thing or two. :p

Alembical

christian

03-03-2005, 04:04 PM

Yeah, Mark and Roger were friends of mine. That whole accident certainly put a lot of things in perspective. Terrible, really. We were the next car on the road, so it was very shocking and awful in every way.

You're all so generous! I'll probably take one of you up on borrowing a bike -- that way, I can just travel with a set of pedals and my clothes. Smooth sailing! Now, who's seat height is closest to 76.25cm? :)

I'll let the team know that you're interested in coming - we usually have our marketing manager take VIPs around, which is great, because he is very very knowledgeable about rally and you'll get to see some fun stuff.

- Christian