In the process of preparing our 2009 Mini Cooper (automatic) for Ohio winter driving, I called our Mini dealer today to find out whether one (1) or two (2) wheels actually provide traction for the car. I informed them that our Mini was ordered with DTC (DSC was standard).

The answer I received was that only one (1) wheel drives the car. I was hoping that DTC would provide traction to both of the front wheels in snow/ice conditions. After checking on MiniUSA site, I read that turning both DSC and DTC off leaves you with EDLC (the electronic version of LSD) - (not to be confused with the 60's form of LSD

Question 1): Can someone please tell me whether a Mini Cooper has the capability of using both of the front wheels or at least will transfer power to the front wheel that would have the greatest friction?


P.S. I was informed that I was the first person that ever asked this question.

TIA

 

If you optioned or installed a limited slip differential, you have 2wd in snow. This is the first time I've heard that you get the e-diff (you called it EDLC) if you optioned DTC, because the e-diff was a different option. If you have the real diff or e-diff, you have 2wd on snow/ice. Otherwise you have the open diff, and will stop moving as soon as one wheel loses friction.

 

I thought the "electronic" LSD just decreases the amount of wheel spin on the driven wheel top match the wheel spin on the non driven wheel when needed, thus "simulating" what a mechanical LSD does.
Without a mechanical LSD, only one wheel actually drives the car forward.
At least, that's how my BMW tech explained it to me for BMW's....though I can't imagine the Mini system is all that different.

 

For BMW's and MINIs, the transmission is connected with drive shafts to both wheels- one on front side in a MINI, one on each rear side in a BMW. The rate each shaft rotates can vary relative to the other one, and if one side slips and spins faster, the other shaft and side will spin a little slower (assuming the engine RPM remains constant). On Ice/snow, one side spins so fast when slipping that the other side does not spin at all. When you pull out of a driveway and accelerate, the transmission is powering both wheels, despite the wheels turning at different rates.

If you have the E-diff, the ecu will notice one wheel is slipping (it compares the wheel speed sensors from both sides of the car) and partially apply the caliper on the slipping side, slowing that drive shaft down. The transmission is still putting out the same amount of power, so the opposite shaft spins a bit faster in response to the torque being transferred from the slipping side.

 

Some of you all need to read How Stuff Works...

Motorcycles and other single track vehicles are 1 wheel drive.

All 4 wheel cars are at least 2 wheel drive. The differential determines how the power is delivered and where.

A lockup, or locked, or Detroit locker, as the name implies, locks the axles together. Power is delivered equally to both wheels. This worked pretty well on my rwd, slick tire race car, but it was a pain to push around a turn in the paddock. You really wouldn't want one on a street car..lol

Using the brakes to limit slip is a bandaid. But what are the engineers going to do when the beancounters say a real LSD is too expensive, and most morons that buy the cars really could not care less anyway...

 

You may want to read http://www.motoringfile.com/2009/07/...slip-for-2010/ . LSD is gone.

As for our 2009 Automatic Mini which has DTC, I am still uncertain whether or not two wheels will actually engage if loss of traction occurs. Our Mini dealer informed me that only manual transmissions had true LSD.

 

Oh that reminds me. I do have the mechanical LSD, but got stuck on slush with summer tires. If you don't turn off the traction control, the computer will completely retard the throttle so you cannot rock free. Same when I got stuck on a skidpad, had to turn off the traction control to get out. So remember that for winter driving.