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"The predecessor of modern electronic traction control systems can be found in high-torque, high-power rear-wheel drive cars as a limited slip differential. A limited slip differential is a purely mechanical system that transfers a relatively small amount of power to the non-slipping wheel, while still allowing some wheel spin to occur.
In 1971, Buick introduced MaxTrac, which used an early computer system to detect rear wheel spin and modulate engine power to those wheels to provide the most traction.[1] A Buick exclusive item at the time, it was an option on all full-size models, including the Riviera, Estate Wagon, Electra 225, Centurion, and LeSabre.
Cadillac introduced the Traction Monitoring System (TMS) in 1979 on the redesigned Eldorado."
Power cut off is not what is used in PSD, so I would not compare the two. MaxTrac is like what I have my Sequoia's traction control and all others today. When I break lose pulling into traffic from the side and the SUV shuts down and is almost dangerous in it's slow response. I much prefer the feeling of the car starting to pull to the right and straighten back up as acceleration increases.
How about the camshaft housing? Any other car have the camshaft fully enclosed like that? I'd like to go back in time and bitch slap whomever thought cam covers and caps were no longer adequate
I'm guessing it made the head a much more simple casting or something.
The Tempest had the rear-mounted transaxle, and it had a very interesting torque-tube design that kept the inner drive shaft slightly bent at all times. GM was having issues with harmonics, solved by bending the shaft among "mis-aligned" support bearings in the tube. Porsche was willing to ignore the vibrations but ended up with different bearing spacing and the torque-tube damper as they tried to kill the resonances. It should be noted that the torque-tube design dates back to at least the 1940's in American cars. Good way to eliminate axle torque windup, but it forced the engine to move in concert with the rear suspension. Open driveshafts come into play only after the frames were stiffened a bit, and bodies were isolated from the frames with elastic mounts.
12-12-2018, 12:53 PM
