[TopGearAddict]

Hey guys, I hate to ask another question but I would rather be safe that sorry. So my dad and I are going to go to a wide parking lot with no curbs and we are going to practice sliding in the snow this winter :woocow: . I was wondering, how would this damage the car? Would E-Brake use or TCS off damage the car? Also, just out of curiosity, how much would these effects amplify on dry pavement (Im not planning on sliding around on dry pavement though)? Hahaha sorry for being such a newbie to this kind of stuff.

 

[mycologist]

Sorry to snow on your parade, but you can't use the ebrake for slides in a wrx. You will damage the differential. It will slide still, just no ebrake.

In an STi the ebrake opens the front diff. but not in a wrx.

 

[Sinister]

Excessive Parking Brake usage can (and will) damage the center differential over time. The effect will be just as great on snow as on dry land. The center diff directly links the front and rear drivetrains, and if one is moving, and the other is stopped... it can cause problems. On an STi with a completely open center diff... the problem is much less.. but still present.

Another concern is donuts... If you're at full lock for an extended period of time... you will blow your steering pump. Even in the snow. Sometimes it's possible to rebuild, but often times not. The pressure at full lock is 13x that of the pressure with gradual turns. That's why you'll hear a whining from the pump when you're making a tight turn.

Every year we get damaged WRX stories from people doing snow filled parking lot stuff. If you're just practicing how to recover from a slide... use the car's power to send you into a slide. Don't use the Parking Brake.

(p.s... there's a reason why it's called the parking brake, and not the E Brake)

 

[JAS3087]

Sorry to snow on your parade, but you can't use the ebrake for slides in a wrx. You will damage the differential. It will slide still, just no ebrake.

In an STi the ebrake opens the front diff. but not in a wrx.

even in an older wrx such as an 02my?

 

[Sinister]

even in an older wrx such as an 02my?

Especially in one of those.

 

[xxxxxxxAnub1s]

even in an older wrx such as an 02my?

EVERY year.

 

[MainFrame]

Just don't do it..

 

[2.0Rs]

Only in an emergency would I yank the e-brake. I make sure I clutch in if I do. Usually it's in a unpredictable understeer when I really need the back swung out to make the turn but it takes quick and persise timing and some skill. Like I said though it's strictly an emergency maneuver for me and I've been driving this car for a decade so I know it very well.

 

[TopGearAddict]

Thanks guys, i was expecting that i couldn't use the e brake. Would there be any damage sliding around without full lock and with tcs off??

 

[xxxxxxxAnub1s]

Thanks guys, i was expecting that i couldn't use the e brake. Would there be any damage sliding around without full lock and with tcs off??

I wouldn't recommend it for any prolonged period of time. Doing it a couple of times won't be a huge deal, but if you're making the center diff work overtime by constantly drifting around (it'll be attempting to match axle speeds), it'll heat up and cause damage. So just be gentle with it, don't do it for too long at any given time, or at least drive around normal for a bit to let everything settle again, and you should be okay.

 

[TopGearAddict]

I wouldn't recommend it for any prolonged period of time. Doing it a couple of times won't be a huge deal, but if you're making the center diff work overtime by constantly drifting around (it'll be attempting to match axle speeds), it'll heat up and cause damage. So just be gentle with it, don't do it for too long at any given time, or at least drive around normal for a bit to let everything settle again, and you should be okay.

Thanks, I will totally listen to your advice Your hawkeye is really cool btw

 

[xxxxxxxAnub1s]

Thanks, I will totally listen to your advice Your hawkeye is really cool btw

Why thank you, she's been my baby for 6 years now and I wouldn't have it any other way. Welcome to the club my friend.

 

[EJ257]

Thanks, I will totally listen to your advice Your hawkeye is really cool btw

You want a wash cloth to wipe your nose?

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

 

[mycologist]

Why thank you, she's been my baby for 6 years now and I wouldn't have it any other way. Welcome to the club my friend.

Wow, time really flies. I even feel bad about calling it a vag-eye now.

 

[Heide264]

I even feel bad about calling it a vag-eye now.

Don't lie.

 

[shadowpr]

That's why you'll hear a whining from the pump when you're making a tight turn.

I always wondered what that was. Thought it was from the belt, and ended up changing it back to a stock one.

 

[Heide264]

In an STi the ebrake opens the front diff. but not in a wrx.

Is that on all years? I thought that has changed around a bit over time. Also - you mean the center diff, correct?

 

[TopGearAddict]

haha

 

[Bierman]

Excessive Parking Brake usage can (and will) damage the center differential over time. The effect will be just as great on snow as on dry land. The center diff directly links the front and rear drivetrains, and if one is moving, and the other is stopped... it can cause problems. On an STi with a completely open center diff... the problem is much less.. but still present.

Another concern is donuts... If you're at full lock for an extended period of time... you will blow your steering pump. Even in the snow. Sometimes it's possible to rebuild, but often times not. The pressure at full lock is 13x that of the pressure with gradual turns. That's why you'll hear a whining from the pump when you're making a tight turn.


Every year we get damaged WRX stories from people doing snow filled parking lot stuff. If you're just practicing how to recover from a slide... use the car's power to send you into a slide. Don't use the Parking Brake.

(p.s... there's a reason why it's called the parking brake, and not the E Brake)

Just to clarify, you can drift in the snow without causing damage as long as you dont pull the e-break? What my understanding is that you dont want to cause a variation in wheel speed between your front and rear tires. The only way that I can see a variation happening is if you pull the e-break????

 

[teflon_jones]

When you're sliding in snow, you're breaking traction, which means the wheels are likely to be turning at different speeds. How different they are depends on how fast you're going, how much gas you're applying, and other factors. However, without pulling the ebrake, the diffs will account for these differences as they're designed to do. When you pull the ebrake you're introducing a change to the rear wheel speeds the diff can't account for mechanically because they wheels aren't turning.