Drifting the Model S - Traction Control on/off, Stability control, etc... (vids inc)

[Doug_G]

I tried to get TPMS warning threshold lowered at the Tesla Service Center, as I've heard that this can be done. The guy in charge there said it couldn't be done and that the threshold is hardwired into the wheel sensor and isn't adjustable. This contradicts information that I've heard on this forum. Perhaps he is mistaken. Regardless, my request was denied.

That is completely wrong. The same gadget used to program the wheels can set the tire pressure threshold. My Ranger actually asked me what pressure I wanted it set to!

 

[IndigoAE]

The answer is no. I posted that YouTube video and was able to get the car slide just slightly at the end. You’re absolutely correct about the stability control kicking in. I had also tried doing some donuts and had to fight the car the whole time. It ends up being just a large burnout circle rather than a proper sliding, tight circle. If Tesla eventually provides a way to disable stability control (without pulling fuses), you could certainly spin the car around and do some drifting. I have had a Jaguar XJR and an XKR along with some other cars that are quite fun so I know what you mean.

I had a Jaguar XF supercharged and was having the same kind of fun. I don't know what the point is in having an option to turn off traction control if it leaves stability control on.

Regarding fuses... Since there's an individual fuse for stability control, anyone know how involved it is to disable that single fuse? I noticed road and track pulled the entire box for the video linked in the original post.

 

[IndigoAE]

Well I'm happy to report I finally worked up the courage to try to powerslide my 80kWH performance. It worked! I only tried once, but with traction control off I was able to do a power over initiation into a 90 degree poweslide. Some notes and observations: My Tesla gripped up much more quickly than my Jaguar XF supercharged.. this is probably because of the stability control. Also at the moment this is on 19" wheels because they're backordered on the 21"s it was supposed to come with. And finally this was not a full and proper drift.. for starters I'm not even skilled enough to do that, but anyhow I feel like for that you'd have to pull the stability control fuse. However, I did powerslide the back through a 90 degree turn! super fun..I'll try to play with it more and get a video.

 

[FlasherZ]

Well I'm happy to report I finally worked up the courage to try to powerslide my 80kWH performance. It worked! I only tried once, but with traction control off I was able to do a power over initiation into a 90 degree poweslide. Some notes and observations: My Tesla gripped up much more quickly than my Jaguar XF supercharged.. this is probably because of the stability control. Also at the moment this is on 19" wheels because they're backordered on the 21"s it was supposed to come with. And finally this was not a full and proper drift.. for starters I'm not even skilled enough to do that, but anyhow I feel like for that you'd have to pull the stability control fuse. However, I did powerslide the back through a 90 degree turn! super fun..I'll try to play with it more and get a video.

I'm surprised -- I've tried several times to do a full power slide, and stability control just won't let me. The moment the back end begins to pull loose and slide, I feel the brakes applied hard to the leading slide wheel and the car jars straight again... P85 here too, v4.2 software.

 

[wycolo]

> RWD cars suck in the snow and rain. [yobigd20]

Unless its a mid-engine (Pontiac Fiero) or a rear-engine (Chevy Corvair) or a Tesla Roadster, all excellent snow cars for me. Just sayin'.
--

 

[IndigoAE]

I'm surprised -- I've tried several times to do a full power slide, and stability control just won't let me. The moment the back end begins to pull loose and slide, I feel the brakes applied hard to the leading slide wheel and the car jars straight again... P85 here too, v4.2 software.

Hmm well I had a ton of experience with it in my Jag so I just used the same technique. I've also been able to do 180s, but the stability control or something fights me on that.

The technique I use is pull up to the turn, accelerate forward a bit, behind the turn, and at the before getting too far into it press down on the accelerator.. I haven't needed to floor it yet. With the traction control off, the back wheels break free and slide nicely out to complete the 90 degree turn. By then you let off the accelerator and it grips right back up easily. Mind you these are only 90 degree powerslides. I haven't tried (nor know how to) drift properly, nor tried higher degree turns, though like I said, I was able to continue to apply throttle to complete a 180.

Still haven't got that video.. gotta find an empty lot I can use sometime in Los Angeles. If anyone has any hints, lmk.

 

[FlasherZ]

With the traction control off, the back wheels break free and slide nicely out to complete the 90 degree turn. By then you let off the accelerator and it grips right back up easily.

The moment I even get 20 degrees sideways the stability control grabs hold and applies the braking to straighten the car and it shuts down my turn. Interesting -- perhaps you have faulty stability control?

Still haven't got that video.. gotta find an empty lot I can use sometime in Los Angeles. If anyone has any hints, lmk.

I would like to see it, maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I pull up to the turn, point my nose and (just like every other RWD car I've had) give it a healthy dose of acceleration to swing the back end out. Perhaps I'm being too aggressive with the accelerator...

 

[IndigoAE]

The moment I even get 20 degrees sideways the stability control grabs hold and applies the braking to straighten the car and it shuts down my turn. Interesting -- perhaps you have faulty stability control?



I would like to see it, maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I pull up to the turn, point my nose and (just like every other RWD car I've had) give it a healthy dose of acceleration to swing the back end out. Perhaps I'm being too aggressive with the accelerator...

Hmm maybe.. I haven't ever tried to floor it to get it to initiate. I also have never tried it at speed. I'm almost always moving very slowly at the start. Sometimes I'll also feint in the opposite direction of the turn, but that is not so much because I need it to initiate (feinting is an initiation technique as it unbalances the car) but mostly because I want a wider turn/sharper eventual turn.

I'll try flooring it and see if that prevents me from power sliding. If I get somewhere good to really test it out, I'll also try to spin out and see if that's possible. So far I've been letting off the accelerator once I've gone 90 degrees and it grips up IMMEDIATELY.

Also what kind of S are you running with what wheels? I'm doing this in a Performance 85kWH notably with 19" wheels because they're backordered on my 21"s that are meant to be on there (I'll be getting them at the end of next week).

You don't happen to be around LA right?

 

[FlasherZ]

Also what kind of S are you running with what wheels? I'm doing this in a Performance 85kWH notably with 19" wheels because they're backordered on my 21"s that are meant to be on there (I'll be getting them at the end of next week).

You don't happen to be around LA right?

21" perf. I'm near St Louis.

 

[TesTowne]

I guess you feel the need to blow $3500 on a new set of tires after burning through your 21"s in a minutes of doing this.

But to give you my opinion on this, if I were to think about this more logically, I would have to say I think the Model S would have a much harder time drifting than pretty much any other RWD vehicle on the market. The reason is simple. All those other cars have big heavy engines in the front acting like a pivot point. With the Model S and it's battery being so big and heavy and evenly distributed, combined with whatever the weight of the invertor is by the back wheels, the weight distribution itself just does not favor drifting. I can't see how drifting would work at all here. Besides, the Model S uses an open differential anyway, not Limited Slip Differential which is essential for drifting.

To answer DriverOne's question - RWD cars suck in the snow and rain. Stay home in the heavy snow. Or at least make sure you have a shovel and snow chains in your trunk (or frunk). In rainy weather take turns slowly and do not be heavy on the gas pedal, you'll fishtail out and possibly crash. Go find yourself a big large empty parking lot in a rainy day and teach yourself how to recover properly. Always make sure your tire tread's are good and have high rated rain tires...don't mean to scare ya but yes it is definitely different driving and you need to be aware of the difference in physics and what can happen. Better to be prepared than wrapped around a telephone pole.

 

[TesTowne]

In response to YOBIGs comment on Rear wheel drive cars: CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF REAR WHEEL DRIVE CARS ARE BETTER IN THE SNOW! When you lose traction with a rear wheel drive car you can easily correct it. When you lose traction with front wheel drive or even four wheel drive, your done! I've owned them all and have gotten through the worst snow storms in a Mustang.

 

[gavine]

 

[yobigd20]

In response to YOBIGs comment on Rear wheel drive cars: CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF REAR WHEEL DRIVE CARS ARE BETTER IN THE SNOW! When you lose traction with a rear wheel drive car you can easily correct it. When you lose traction with front wheel drive or even four wheel drive, your done! I've owned them all and have gotten through the worst snow storms in a Mustang.

My old posts don't even sound like myself. I'm reading my old post saying to myself "I'd never say something like that". It's like reading a different persons post. Weird.